Minta - the kit that brought ECE into our home and shelter was purchased
from a store.  He was not a MF kit.  No tattoos and when I contacted the
broker they confirmed that he was not MF.  A shelter can tell you if they've
had ECE, whereas, a store bought ferret has no known medical history, except
for vaccinations.  The breeder of this kit obviously had ECE in their colony
but bred anyway.  The kit was a carrier even though he showed no symptoms of
the disease.
 
On the vet issue - Aren't we just as responsible if we take an ECE ferret in
to the vets office?  And what if the vet doesn't know about ECE?  Sick
ferrets are taken to vets for diagnosis.  Some vets aren't familiar with ECE
and they would not have any idea of what precautions, above and beyond
normal, are needed.  I avoided taking ours to the vet because I KNOW what we
have and I DON'T want to spread it.  I'm not risking their lives as I'm well
versed at ferret nursing.  If the need arises I will ask my vet to make a
home visit and will provide precautions from there.  For those unfamiliar
with ECE or sick ferrets that must go to the vet for treatment, it is our
obligation to inform our vets of the possibility of ECE.  Please don't
misunderstand my statements.  Sick ferrets need to go to vets.  If you are
versed in ferret nursing, talk with your vet, discuss your options, and do
what you can at home, but don't risk your little ones life - GO TO THE VET
IF YOU NEED TO.  Monitor your ferrets closely and try to be on top of any
possible illness.  (please send flames to my personal address so we don't
clutter the fml.  :-))
 
On Rudy's illness - When Gizzie was 9 months he experienced similar
symptoms.  We tried several antibiotics and finally tried oral gentocin.
After 6 weeks on this drug Gizzie was fine, until the next episode.  The
gentocin was given orally because of the danger of injectable.  Each time
I'd try to take him off he'd get sick again.  But finally he was well.
During this time he ate Science Diet A/d and pedialyte mixture with herbal
remedies added.  Since that time Gizzie has had three more episodes, and
they seem to be stress or milk product or excess liquid induced.  I must say
that during his illness Gizzie was wonderful.  He learned he had to take his
medicine, which was such a tiny amount .17 of a cc, so I'd say open wide and
he'd shut his eyes tight and open his mouth real wide and I'd squirt the med
in.  He lost 30% of his body weight the first time and after he was well he
enjoyed the recipe so much I continued to feed it to him till he gained back
all and more.  He was at 4.4 pounds before ECE struck.  He seems to be doing
pretty good and hasn't lost very much weight (well he was a bit chunky - he
use couldn't ferret bounce cause he was so heavy, now he can a little).  I
was really worried about him since we'd had the other problem but he's doing
fine.  I don't know if what Gizzie experienced is the same as Rudy but the
liquid gentocin is was turned it around for us.
 
Thanks again to all for your support through our continuing ordeal.
 
Hugs to all.
[Posted in FML issue 1535]