If vets here in the U.S. run into a disease in ferrets which presents like FIP does in cats with granulomatous inflammation affecting a number of organs, please, contact Dr. Matti Kiupel. Dr. med. vet. Matti Kiupel, BS, MS, PhD, DACVP Fachtierarzt fUr VeterinAr Pathologie Associate Professor Michigan State University Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigations Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health 4125 Beaumont Road, Room 152A Lansing, MI 48910 USA Tel.: ** 517 432 2670 Fax.: ** 517 432 6557 who is studying specimens (fecal, tissue, etc.) from such individuals. There is a new coronavirus which might have originated from FIP or might have originated from ECE. It sounds like it is still unusual. There are definite cases in Europe, and it was first announced in Vet Rec. 2006 Apr 15;158(15):523. in Detection of feline infectious peritonitis virus-like antigen in ferrets. by Martinez J, Ramis AJ, Reinacher M, Perpinan D. (The full text is at Vet Rec for members.) and Dr. Matti Kiupel (known from his extensive ECE work) is working with them to better understand the specific coronavirus they are encountering. It is not yet known if this new disease is anywhere outside Europe, so specimens from possible cases are important for multiple reasons. The team working on this new disease will be describing what they have encountered in detail in a veterinary conference this coming December (only 2 months away). Also available here: http://www.smartgroups.com/message/viewdiscussion.cfm?gid=1423922&messageid=18442 -- 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 5392]