Hi FMLers,
 
I've learned alot from the FML lately and hope someone out there has some
advice for me on ECE and Helicobacter.  This is my 1st posting here, so
please bear with me.
 
We have 6 fuzzies - Bandit, Sammi & Joey are 2 1/2 yrs old, Toby is 1 1/2
and the kits - Rusty & Rascal - are 15 weeks.  Two days after we got the
kits and isolated them from the older 4 and tried our best to sanitize
ourselves after handling them, Bandit came down with ECE.  Toby and Joey
became ill the next day and Sammi a day later.  It was beyond terrible.
The Vet put them on Amoxi. and Albon antibiotics along with Pepcid and
Pepto Bismol.  Bandit & Joey had Helicobacter last winter and that's the
reason for the antibiotics.
 
They required force-feeding of duck soup and Pedialyte every 3-4 hrs and
round the clock care, but improved after about 10 days.  Then, they all
started having diarrhea again and stopped eating.  The Vet checked all 4
and found 3 of them had temps but Bandit did not, which worried both of us.
Bandit became very, very ill 2 days later and required 4 days of IVs and
meds - we almost lost him.  After a week or so, all 4 starting feeling
better once again - eating, drinking and playing normally.  Meds were
discontinued after normal poop for 2 weeks.  Total of 6 weeks on
medications.
 
Then Toby started again with diarrhea.  Vet thinks Helicobacter due to his
immunity being down from ece and we started him on Pepcid, Flagyl and Pepto
Bismol.  He was running a temp and not eating much.  After 3 weeks, he's
much better, but last week Bandit and Joey started diarrhea again.  Bandit
stopped eating and drinking and had to be force fed again.  Vet put those
2 boys on the Pepcid, Amoxi, Flagyl and Pepto meds and we're going to stay
with this course for 3-6 weeks.  This is the same treatment we used last
winter on them.  Bandit has begun to eat again and poop is looking normal,
but I still feed the boys soup twice a day in an attempt to fatten them up.
Sammi has been fine the last few weeks and not shown any signs of
Helicobacter - she's seems healthy.
 
Has anyone gone thru anything like this with the relapses and
Helicobacter/Ece combination?  I would really appreciate your input and
advice!  Our Vet is great and is very willing to read emails and Web
information that I find.  Please post here or email me.  Thanks in advance!!
 
Dooks to you and your fuzzies from our guys,
Beth & gang
[Posted in FML issue 2487]