First I would like to say.....Chessie we loved you so very much even
though your time with us was very short!
 
I got Chessie into my rescue on Nov 9th.  He was found along the C&D
canal in DE, obviously abandoned.  He was a very dehydrated skeleton with
very little hair.  I put him in isolation and treated him with sub-q
fluids and hand fed him small amounts.  I also tested him 3 days later
for ADV (via blood to United).  Within a very short time he gained a ton
of weight and grew all of his hair back.  I went from thinking I had an
adrenal ferret (old) to a very young, healthy boy.  I knew I was going to
keep him the moment I saw him.  I took an extremely long time for the ADV
test to come back.  On Dec 2nd I received the call that he was neg!  I
attempted to place him with one of my groups, but Marlin didn't like him
and since Chessie still had loose poop, I decided to make him a single
(thank God).  I tested him for coccidia and he came back neg, so until
Dec 13th, I felt that he was a happy, healthy boy.  That weekend,
although he acted ok, I could tell that his body temp was low and noticed
that his nose and pads were very pink.  Behavior wise, he was attacking
my slippers, but was fine when I picked him up.
 
I took him to Dr. Keith Gold on Mon Dec 15th and they took him temp 3x
with different thermometers because it read 96.  He really didn t
struggle or act vicious.  Then Dr. Gold attempted to look in his mouth
and he bit his finger and wouldn't let go.  Drawing blood was next and he
was ok for that.  The whole thing shocked me.  He called the next day
with the results and his WBC count was low and his TP was elevated.  He
suggested retesting for ADV and mentioned distemper too.  (HE had already
discussed Rabies Mon pm).  I was giving him amoxicillin and sub-q fluids
with no problem.  He started with neurological signs Tue pm (very mild)
and was really chewing hard on his toys and blankets.  I thought that he
was in pain???  By Thurs he was still moving his food to different spots
(normal for him) but the signs had progressed.  I called Dr. Gold and
knew he would have to be euth. and tested on Friday.  I knocked him out
with butorphanol and held him all night.  Dr. Gold called me Sat pm after
the health dept had notified him that the test was positive.  I had
biopsy samples and blood for Bruce Williams, since gross necropsy had not
come up with anything.  I was shocked that he could have survived and
attack by a rabid animal.
 
I vaccinate my rescues prior to placing them.  I had a bunch to go
after xmas that needed Rabies.  Thus my whole house is under a 6-month
quarantine.  I stopped vaccinated my personal for rabies as "they would
never get it".  Well, I learned a lesson on that one.  When this is over,
I will be doing everyone.  Also, this is not my first stray and I guess
we need to quarantine any stray for 6 months.  What a mess.  He was so
sweet and didn't deserve this.  The health dept in Fair Fax Va is really
giving an owner a hard time.  I adopted 2 to her that I had just recently
vaccinated them for distemper and they still needed Rabies.  She was
taking them later that week to get the Rabies shot.  They were totally
separated from CHessie as I was waiting for their ADV test to come back.
I placed them the day before I took Chessie to see Dr. Gold.  They are
really giving her a hard time.  It is my understanding that ferrets
can't transmit the disease, but with it being a human health issue I
totally agree with the quarantine I am under.
 
Thanks for listening to this mess.  I always tell people that I send them
vaccinated for Rabies to protect them against idiot people (and that it's
the law).  I don't want him to have died in vain.  I want others to learn
from this.  We did go through rabies shot series.
 
Sincerely,
Claudia
A note to Chessie---I hope you know how much I loved you!!!
 
 
Dee Bickling
Claudia Johnson
Oxford Ferret Rescue
www.oxfordrescue.org
[Posted in FML issue 4978]