Remember that if this is ECE that they will continue to shed the virus
for as long as 8 months after symptoms stop, so protect other ferrets
by avoiding them.
Also, there is only one strain (Heck, the genetics have been unravelled
recently and are being patented so that tests, vaccines, treatments,
etc. can be safely made and not stolen.), but there are differences in
presentation among individual animals, and sometimes people assume that
any green diarrhea must be ECE, or that any diarrhea with mucus must be
ECE, or that ECE has to have green runs, or mucus, or both. Actually,
the coloration reflects transit time and the mucus irritation, so ECE
can occur without the runs being green, and green coloration and/or
mucus can occur with other causes of diarrhea. So, many things have
been called ECE which are not, plus some people don't take long enough
precautions after symptoms stop if the runs were not green so they
spread the illness.
This has some info that I quoted from experts on this illness like
Dr. Matti Kiupel and Dr. Bruce Williams which may be useful for you:
<http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?
gid=1423922&messageid=17519&startid=17607>
Now having the genetic info on this coronavirus can set the stage for
future affordable testing and vaccines.
Although ECE is often symptomless in kits it is thought to be one of
the things that does enough damage that IBD can later develop. IBD
itself might be a precursor of malignancy sometimes due to damage from
chronic irritation. So, if there can eventually be a a vaccine for
ECE it could provide protection beyond just that disease.
Coronavirus infections which might be ECE have recently been reported
in Europe and in Brazil.
Also, see:
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/ECE/ECE.html
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my
private posts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love
them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5277]
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