Hi all,
Thank you Karen, Bob and B.I.G. for the great work on the "Shelter
Solutions" list, very informative and some really great ideas.  I think I
came in late on this one though, will this be a monthly question posed or
something, with responses and ideas being collected by Karen, or were the
other questions just not responded to?
 
So here is some food for thought regarding ECE or any intestinal "bug" that
ferrets can pass along.....When I first brought home Figgy over a year ago,
then added Colin and Whit....they came down with a viral diarrhea (I am
hesitant to say it was ECE...recovery times were within 2-3 weeks and
weight loss, though significant, was never life threatening.  I assumed
that Figgy was a carrier.  Murphy came down with it too, he was the worst
hit due to age but all recovered.  Four mos later we got Nick and Ralph,
they were both young and either were a) already carriers, or b) Figgy was
no longer shedding the virus, because neither of them caught it.  SO it has
been >6mos.  since any activity, and now Finny has had loose, green stools
for two days after being integrated with the "healthy" group!  Arggh..so
aggravating, but I assumed after 6 mos.  my guys were no longer
carriers....isn't that the latest info??  The only other thing I can think
of is Sarah...perhaps she had it as a kit, and is still a carrier.....she's
just under a year now so maybe.  Regardless, Finny is doing good now with
Pepto right after the first 2 loose stools...I still supplement his food
with gravy and he really has perked up mentally from just being with the
other ferrets....but what are our options now when it comes to rescues and
integrating them in a timely matter?  I kept him well separated for 3 wks,
then cage-to-cage for 1 week.  It wasn't until he was sleeping with them
that this started.  What do the shelter parents do to deal with these
situations...depressed lonely ferret vs.  sick one!!!!
 
Would be great to hear others solutions....and any other knowledge yet of
exactly how long this thing sheds for????
 
Thanks, Michele & the crew
[Posted in FML issue 2826]