Hey Folks,  Please stop with the definition of this malady as a virus.
 
It is not proven.  It is strictly heresay with no basis whatsoever in
scientific fact.
 
It may be a perfectly normal consequence of abnormal assimilation of
foodstuffs, a vigorous depopulation of the alimentary canal of benificial
bacterial flora, just as is coccidiosis (an overpopulation of amoebic
life forms).
 
Please note the Ferrets NorthWest has never, repeat, never experienced one,
not one case of ECE, in its 17 year history.
 
What are we doing different?   Why are we immune to this malady?
 
I think the answer is, among other things, LUMPS, our home-made, economical
ferret soup, a soup that is not a medical curative for use AFTER the ferret
gets sick, but rather a daily ration that is a permanent part of the healthy
ferret's diet.  It delivers a constantly replenished flora of beneficial gut
bacteria daily and its vegetative matter scours the hindgut to produce
ferret shit like little cigars, the likes of which you've never seen in
your life.
 
Trouble is, you lazy bums out there won't take the time or make the effort
to cook it every day.
 
So be it.
 
Edward Lipinski, Der Wahrheitskaempe von Frettchenvergnuegenland, der
sagt, "Ohe! jam satis!"
Edward Lipinski, [G.] the champion of truth from ferret joy land, who
says, [L.] "Hold! Already there is enough."
 
[Moderator's note: Ed, I'm quite insulted by the libellous characterization
of the FML readership as "lazy bums".  Had your insult been more directed,
your post would have most definitely gone into the reject pile.
 
It is my understanding that ECE being caused by a virus does have *much*
basis in scientific fact.  It is *not* just hearsay -- contagion has been
positively documented, as have viral-like changes to the digestive system.
Sure, there may be reasons -- increased immunity, better health, sheer luck,
inability to recognize it, protective measures... whatever -- why you have
not seen it, but I certainly wouldn't state with such conviction that ECE
may be due to something like poor diet.  I wouldn't like to have readers
think it was so simple.
 
While I'm spouting, I'm not sure if I misunderstood your statement about
coccidiosis, but to clarify, coccidiosis is caused by a specific pathogen,
coccidia, and not by an overpopulation of of unrelated protozoa.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 2396]