This information is from Dr. Bruce Williams who has discussed it with
Dr. Matti Kiupel. For those who do not know both are leading ferret
veterinary experts (worldwide).

I removed an attached private note, and attached his full name and
the letters of one of his degrees. I have a standing permission from
Dr. Williams to use this sort of approach when he replies to health
questions on the lists.

BEGIN QUOTE

Dear Sukie -

Personally, neither of us have seen Clostridium difficile in ferrets,
although it could happen.

Clostridium difficile is a commensal organism in many animal species
which lives very happily as part of the bacterial flora in the
intestine. If there is a truly significant change in the bacterial
flora, there is a possibility that it could overgrow. The normal
"healthy" bacteria are lowered to an extent that it allows C. difficile
to overgrow. Such changes usually happen only as a result of prolonged
antibiotic administration at high doses, or in species in which the
incorrect antibiotic is administered. It can be seen in people on high
doses of antibiotics as well.

In my experience the most common event is in rabbits, hamsters and
gerbils which are exquisitely sensitive to penicillins and the "mycins"
(gentamicin, streptomycin, etc). In this case, only one dose of these
anitibiotic can result in a C. difficile overgrowth.

Recently, there has been a case in ferrets in which C. difficile toxin
has been isolated. It is not uncommon to find this, but in the absence
of the specific pathogenic lesions associated with C. difficile, it
does not establish a diagnosis. For the diagnosis of C. difficile in
any individual to be made, BOTH the toxin must be isolated, and the
lesions associated with it need to be present.

Bruce Williams DVM

END QUOTE

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/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)

[Posted in FML 6763]