Regarding my release of the medical alert, maybe I was a bit hasty. Apparently it is still a problem. I don't know what to think, everyone's telling me something different.... At this point, I think we can say that there is a medical alert, but it's not at epidemic proportions. I got this in the mail today. (Ann, I hope you don't mind me posting this? -- all the GEnie stuff was posted to a public forum, so I doubt anyone will mind me putting it here): (note: this is rather long) --- begin inserted text --- From: Ann Davis <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Mystery virus The medical alert is FAR FROM OVER. I now have this stuff at my house and I have not had my ferrets out- and no ferrets have been in since the LAFF show in January. WE ARE THE CARRIERS!!! I don't see how it could be otherwise. Pam G. lost another ferret to it last night and took it to Bruce W. - Dept of Pathology -Walter Reid- He said his preliminary tests showed it to be either a "roto" virus or a "corona" virus. It is un-killable... it must just run its course. Amoxi or better yet Chloromycetin Palmitate fight off the secondary infections which seem to be anything from pneumonia to hepatitis! You just have to keep your ferret alive long enough and the green starts to change to brownish yellow with curd looking stuff- Pam says that is an indication that it is getting better. Bruce says this stuff is highly contagious!!! and extremely virulent!!! He is sending samples to another lab that specializes in virus identification. So far I have nothing in writing. Bruce is working on the newest victim and has promised to fax me and Pam something official no later than friday. Will keep you posted. Here is the latest stuff from GEnie. Read on. Ann Category 5, Topic 5 Message 295 Sun Apr 04, 1993 A.GRUDEN [Ann] at 09:15 EDT Pam - I spoke with John A.(in NC) late Friday night. The biopsy of one of the first <RETURN>, <S>croll, <Q>uit ?s ferrets he lost indicated it was a rod-shaped bacteria. He expected to have the bacteria id'd by Sat. AM - but we were out of town until very late last night and I did not get the chance to talk with him (will try today). He lost another ferret to it Thursday and that one is also being autopsied - but final results won't be available until early next week. All the ferrets in his colony are being dosed with the cholorpalm (sp?) - and three that seemed "in the woods" have been upgraded to "the shrubs" according to him - no yellowing was seen as a symptom. In his group, the ones that showed symptoms were in the same 2 or 3 cages - leading him to originally suspect bacterial rather than viral (i.e., bacterial requires direct contact in some way - viral is "hardier" and can be airborne). His suspicion is the same as yours - that it may be stress-related. Seems in his group it is the older ferrets. Will post additional info as I receive it. Ann ------------ Category 5, Topic 5 Message 296 Sun Apr 04, 1993 G.BAILEY11 [DRAGON RUN] at 18:48 EDT Pam, Cindy, Ann and Everyone else, The mystery virus has now made an appearance in Northern Va., S.E. Va., Delaware, S.E. N. Carolina and central N. Carolina. The only things known at this point are: weight loss (preceds diarrhea) diarrhea, anorexia, sub normal body temp.. Most ferrets are also showing signs of liver problems (pale or yellow fatty livers with increase in liver enzymes) low blood protien. Various antibiotics are being used, Amoxi, Clavamox, Keflex, Chloromycetin Palmitate (Chloramphenicol), Vistrol etc. Please note that they are having no effect on the basic problem only helpoing in warding off bacterial infections that might move in on an animal that has its immune system already compromised. I have lost two and have had 3 others with a light case they just threw off in a couple of days. The two who died were 9 mos. and 7 yrs the others were 10 mos., 4 yrs., 2 yrs. and I have a 4 yr old who is recovering and a 5 yr. old looking like he's coming down with it. Pam, Cannonball was not ill when she was sent to you. She spent less than 24 hrs. at the Johnson's. At that time the Johnson's had no cases of this at all. Their go round did not begin until March. Beverly V. of Norfolk has had 12 with it, 1 died, 1 is still border- line, Gina lost two big healthy 2yr old males last weekend. The last 3 mentioned have been cultered and showed E-Coli. John A. has also lost some and has also had E-Coli show up. My two that died had apparently normal livers, the 9 mo. old only showed signs of gastritis and the intestinal tract was completely normal as was the 7 yr. olds. I do not go to all the shows, was not at the N.J. show neither was Gina or Beverly, nor has Beverly ever brought a ferret to a show in her life. We all were at the LAFF show in Jan. sans ferrets. In my own opinion it is pointless and a complete waste of time at this point to speculate on who is infecting who. For all we know it could be infected food (E-Coli) or the german ferrets that have come into this country over the last several months or so could have brought a virus in that the European ferrets are immune to and our American ferrets are not. The important thing is to find out what this is and how to treat it. So far it is only aggressive support therapy that is pulling these animals through. Here I am doing sub Q fluids (30cc 3 times a day), Amoxi, and force feeding every two hours (Sustecal, Nutrical, baby food and Pet tinic). Please note that I have 30 ferrets, including some very elderly and kits and I have only had 2 deaths which might be attributed to this and 4 that have had it and recovered. That doesn't exactly make us a hot bed of infection down here. This illness appears to be very random on who it's hitting. Big healthy males go down as quickly as small jills. Diarrhea is NOT the first symptom. Loss of condition is first followed by diarrhea and total loss of appetite. Do not panic but closely watch your ferrets for any deviation of normal patterns (play, appetite etc.) Those of you who do have this and are on broad spectrum antibiotics please remember to give your ferret a little yougurt every day to help replenish healthy intestinal bacteria that the antibiotics are wiping out. If you have any further questions/comments please feel free to call me at 804-887-5688. Georgia P.S. A heating pad or hot water bottle helps to maintain their body temp. ------------ Category 5, Topic 5 Message 297 Sun Apr 04, 1993 P.GRANT6 [Pam/Pet Pals] at 21:41 EDT Well, I lost the second ferret to this "virus" thing. she will be posted tomorrow in another attempt to learn WHAT is going on. Agnes has been in the house 2 weeks, her companion, an eight year old sprite with adrenal problems , has not been affected. They are both Marshall Farms ferrets. Scooter, my first to pass away, was also from Marshall Farms. Pete Koch in NJ has lost one of his German jills to this thing, and my males both had a bout of the runs. Back to Agnes - she never had green stool, it just suddenly ran liquid brown and she was totally dehydrated. she stopped eating and that was all she wrote. John Armshaw has not brought ferrets to a show since his own in Nov of 92. Yet he has the killer plague, or some strain, too. My friend in Burke has not brought her ferrets to my house or have mine gone to hers, yet she now seems to have the virus as well in her group of ferrets. Whatever this thing is, it is being transferred by the people, and could have been incubating until warmer weather (for all we know). I agree, no sense in wasting time in trying to figure out where it started, but we do need to determine how it is being passed. With a show scheduled in less than a week and another two weeks later and another scheduled 3 weeks later, we have to find a cure, an antidote, or the cause. It seems that everyone in my house had the runs, but most cleared up in three days. Everyone new to my house (adoptees, ferret sitting, breeders) come down with a case of runs in about three days. I have it "under control" with Amoxi, but how can I kill whatever it is so I don't have to buy stock in pennicillin? Will this thing just die out or am I stuck with it for several more months or forever? With the moving season approaching (Summertime), the adoptees will start coming in. I am just posting this "drama" because those who are not affected may want to think carefully about washing your clothes and bodies after visiting ferret shows or friend's homes with possibly infected ferrets. There have been enough cases where ferrets have not come in contact recently with each other, and yet the "virus" has reached out and struck someone. We need to be careful and attentive. This thing is not a killer unless we are not paying attention. On the upswing - Virginia Fincham has had a few of her ferrets in and out of my house and she is not having any problems and she even has kits galore in her home. so what gives? ------------ Category 5, Topic 5 Message 298 Mon Apr 05, 1993 C.SOOY [Jim & Cindy] at 01:39 EDT Pam, Ann and Georgia, Thanks for keeping us posted on this virus. Does this bug seem to be viral in origin with bacteria causing a secondary infection? I have the urge to lock my ferrets up until this thing passes but it doesn't seem like that would guarantee anything. I haven't had any problems and I've had a litter of kits that was born in Jan. and I just had an elderly shelter ferret who had an adrenalectomy and two tumors removed from her pancreas about three weeks ago. Plus I've been to most of the shows. There does not seem to be much rhyme or reason as to how this thing is being passed. My condolences to all who have lost ferrets to this disease. Having been through the distemper outbreak last summer, I really sympathize with you all. Please keep us updated on any biopsy results. Cindy ------------ Category 5, Topic 5 Message 299 Mon Apr 05, 1993 G.BAILEY11 [DRAGON RUN] at 07:57 EDT Cindy, Right now this does seem to be viral, with secondary bacterial infections. Because there is no rhyme or reason to this thing, at the next few shows make sure the judge/ring steward disinfects the table and their hands (to the elbow) before you hand over your ferret. I would be very reluctant to let anyone else at the show handle my animals, just to be on the safe side. I'm beginning to think that we (humans) might be the possible vector but I don't know. Normally an illness would take the old, young and infirm first, this virus is very democratic and those are not the first ones. I also have kits and while I did lose a 6 wk old last week, he died from a congenital heart condition, not this disease. I also have several very frail (well willie & nando did die but not from this) but they haven't been bothered. What we really need are good baseline normals for ferrets from healthy normal ferrets (Fox's book is based on Marshall Farms ferrets and we all know how normal they are!) also the vets need to network more, share info, write papers etc. There are over 8 mil. ferrets and we know damn little about them physically. Think about it, almost everytime you go to the vet with a sick critter it's a crap shoot weither or not you'll actually find a cause for the illness. Necropsy are the same way. We need education badly, I'm tired of watching my fuzzies die and hardly ever being able to find a cause. I also have a beef about lack of pain medication for these guys after surgery, but I'll save that for next weekend (there is one we can use). I'll get off my soap box now, have to get ready to go to the vet (again!). Everyone have a good and peaceful week and I'll see you all next weekend. Georgia --- end inserted text --- I hope this clears all the questions up. Question to GEnie people -- Who in Delaware??? I know it's not Cindy's ferrets, so who else goes to shows? - Nancy Nancy Hartman CIS graduate student [log in to unmask] U. of Delaware President and founder, Delaware Valley Ferret Club Owner of Percy, Bree, & Popcorn, the ferrets [Posted in FML issue 0448]