We had a ferret who was suspected of having lymphoma but lymph node biopsies came back positive for large amounts of mycobacteria which staining confirmed as Tuberculosis. Quark, who died last night, was one of 13 8 week old babies that came to our shelter, along with 2 moms, 5 years ago. A woman in Springfield, MO had imported Danish hunting stock for breeding, then decided she didn't want to do this after all and put them all outside. Her daughter rescued the moms and babies but it took a couple of days to get to them. By this time I'm sure that the dads were long gone. During this time it is possible, but unlikely, that one of the moms may have killed a rabbit or possum for food. We can think of no other way that Quark could have been exposed to either bovine or avian TB. None of the other Danes have been ill except for the smaller mom who died earlier this year of unknown causes. We understand that TB can be sequestered for long periods of time and we are concerned about the rest of the group. We also understand that TB is very rare in ferrets, except in New Zealand where ferrets hunt rabbits. We are working to further identify the type of TB that infected Quark. Although at this point it's too late to think about treatment for him the others in the group may benefit should they also become ill. Has anyone dealt with TB in ferrets? Does anyone know anything about it? Etiology apparently includes eating infected animals but it is not airborn and does not infect the ferret respiratory system. I doubt that it could be passed to people, and our ferrets have never eaten prey, but we are concerned that the other "babies" may be carrying it. Thanks for any information you may be able to pass on to us. Bobbi McC KC Ferret Hotline [Posted in FML 6754]