Bud is showing mild symptoms of adrenal problems, musky scent, being more
"manly".  Last evening I heard a whimper in a carrier I keep on the first
landing by the back door.  Now mind you, I can't see in the carrier because
of where it is placed but I can get my hands in there.  I reached in and
felt, oh maybe 4 ferret bodies, and followed the entire lengths of bodies
till I found one mouth firmly attached to anothers scruff.  I gently slid my
finger (boy did this take some doing as the mouth was clamped down hard) in
the side and turned it to and fro till the mouth loosened and the scruff was
released, but the mouth clamped down on my finger (not bit, just clamped), I
giggled and when Bud realized it was my finger (partly from my giggle I'm
sure) and not the scruff he let go quickly and when I pulled him out he was
very indignant. :-)  I unattached him maybe 3 other times before I gave him
one drop of Valerian root extract to settle him down.  Bud slept the night
away and the others were quite relieved.  When Petey had his symptoms we
took him in for a Depoprovera injection and that settled him.  Now it seems
the Lysodren is starting to work, thanks to Suki for letting us know not to
mix with water (I was mixing it with his recipe which is water based, now I
mix w/linatone).
 
ECE/Vaccination Question -
When we were hit so hard with ECE our group was not what most call current
on vaccinations.  I vaccinate every 2 years (please no flames, I've thought
long and hard about this and feel comfortable FOR US on this schedule),
however, all incoming ferrets are vaccinated shortly after they come to us
and if never vaccinated before they do get the second vaccination in 3
weeks.  Anyway, in our group, the mildest cases were in the younger current
on vaccinations group.  The ones I've taken in this year were all current on
vaccinations and they too had very mild cases of ECE.  Has anyone else
experienced this?  Those that had severe ECE, were your ferrets vaccinated
yearly or was it close to the time the next vaccination was due?  Also, our
very most severe case was in a ferret that had a reaction to his booster
vaccination 2 years earlier (we won't vaccinate Zephyr again due to his
reaction and his chronic illnesses since ECE).  The second most severe was
Friskie (under 2 yrs.), Zephyr's son.
 
You can email me privately to avoid the "vaccination" issue.  I will respect
your right to vaccinate (or not) as you deem fit for YOUR ferrets.
[log in to unmask]
 
I'm trying to find out if there is a correlation with severe ECE and lapsed
vaccinations.  There may not be, but for the time, please humor me.  :-)
 
Condolences to all who have lost their beloved ferrets.
 
Hugs to all. tle
[Posted in FML issue 1884]