HEALTH ALERT
 
From: Dr.  Bruce H.  Williams, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Armed
Forces Institute of Pathology Washington, D.C.
 
In the Washington, D.C.  area, a highly transmissible diarrheal disease
has appeared in several ferret rescue/breeder operations.  Clinical
signs of this disease include a profound, often greenish, watery
diarrhea, rapid dehydration, and in small numbers of adult animals, coma
and death.  As of this report, the disease has not been seen in kits,
however, there is no reason to suspect that they are immune.
Microscopic examination of intestines from several animals have shown
changes that are consistent with a viral disease which causes the cells
lining the intestine to die, and impairs the animals ability to reabsorb
water and nutrients.  Animals exhibiting these signs should be isolated,
and a veterinarian should be consulted.  Treatment generally consists of
supportive care to combat dehydration, and antibiotics: please consult
your veterinarian should you suspect this disease in you pet.  Efforts
are underway to discover the cause of this disease and how it can be
treated.  Until that time, if possible, new additions to existing
operations should be sharply curtailed.  All incoming animals should be
isolated, as healthy-appearing animals may transmit this disease.
Events in which ferrets from a large number of operations are mixed, as
in ferret shows, may hasten the dissemination of this disease to
uninfected ferrets.
[Posted in FML issue 0451]