The discussion is here:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/message/8662

Expand the replies to read them all.

There are additional private reports of this same pattern, with very
high death rates (half or more of the ferrets in some households
rapidly dying, some within 8 hours of first appearing ill), going back
several months in the midatlantic states, as well as one report (date
unknown) that fits the pattern in the northern midwest. At this point
in time it is not clear why some have been quiet. Some may fear an
argument with the place which may have passed it, some may fear having
others treat them badly, some may have thought that they were dealing
with a localized situation of severe food poisoning or other forms of
poisoning because there was not enough testing and necropsy data to
think otherwise. As horrible as the illness would be information that
could help understand how the illness is spread or treated not being
shared for reasons of bad human behavior or feared bad human behavior.

The actual cause is unknown, but luckily for all of us a very
conscientious vet is trying hard to postpone her own sorrow for as
long as possible to try to get the data that could potentially save
thousands of lives since this appears to be a very "hot" disease
(easily caught, rapidly progressing, and horribly serious). Now that
people are talking we sadly know that this appears to have been around
for months before this vet encountered it.

Honestly, these reports scare the heck out of me. At this point I would
not attend a show (with shows being the big way that ECE spread so
widely in the first place in North America), and would not want bedding
from anyone else unless I could put it aside for a year and wash it
several times in washer where there are no ferrets. ***Perhaps if I
were a vet, and therefore well enough educated in ways to prevent the
spread of infection I'd have better solutions.*** Then again, Steve and
I are so careful that when ECE hit us we did not go to a pet store, and
shows, any homes of other ferret people, any shelters, and nor did we
have anyone with ferrets in our home. Yes, I know there are good ways
to reduce risks for those situations, but that's just to illustrate
that we personally err on the side of extreme caution, and to emphasize
to learn those from vets directly, please.

It is not yet known if this is a disease that is carried by direct
contact, if it is airborne, if it is carried in waste, if it can be
carried on clothing, bedding, or caging.

People do not know if there are silent carriers as there can be with
kits who have ECE.

Also, it is not yet known how long before symptoms a ferret may be
contagious, nor how long after symptoms disappear that the ferret may
still cause illness in others. Remember that in ECE a ferret can infect
other ferrets for 8 months afterward, and people can carry it on
clothing and shoes.

So, I may well be over-reacting, but at this point little is known and
if the reports are all of the same thing then way too many have died
recently because there is no known effective approach yet. Later when
more is known we will all understand what is overly cautious and what
is not. I do not expect nor desire all to choose the same approaches we
have decided to use. What I want is for people to make their choices
(how to clean, what gatherings to avoid temporarily, etc.) from a
position of information rather than not realizing this illness is out
there, and share what they encounter because then all will be helped.

(As usual with new things some reports will be of others things and be
blind alleys for the illness under investigation, but it's better to
try to share than to risk other ferrets by not doing so.)

I apologize for carrying such scary news, but I suspect that like us
most FML people would rather have their ferrets be safe and will
consider being empowered on that regard to be a desired gift.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 6189]