I forwarding the following story on to the readers of the FML to make them aware that no matter where or who you are, there is always a chance you might run into the dreaded ECE (the green virus). I have been encouraged to do so by a few folks that I have posted the story to individually, so if you have seen it already, that explains why you are seeing it here as well. I want to thank BIG for allowing the space, as it is a bit lengthy. Lorie Frezza, who wrote the story and asked me to pass it on to those on the net, is one of the two people that I am aware of who do ferret rescue here in the Mid South area (Memphis, TN). It was from Lorie that we got our four ferrets: Daisy, Luke, Bo, and Beauty. And now due to the ECE invasion of her shelter that I am fostering two more ferrets, Speedbump and Millhouse. Please understand this is not MY story, but Lorie's. If you belong to an organization who might wish to use the story in your newsletter, she has told me she encourages you to do so as you will note in her story's closing. I will be happy to print out and pass on any comments you might have to her since she does not have email. You will note her phone number at the end of the story if you want to speak with her directly. Thanx... Al http://members.aol.com/AlGearhart/index.html site rework due in early May March 5, 1997 My encounter w/E.C.E. (The Green Virus) It all began one month ago yesterday, February 4, 1997. When this virus hit in my home, I had 21 ferrets. Now, one month later, I have 20 ferrets, having lost one to this dreadful virus. I, unknowingly, brought an infected ferret into my home on January 12, 1997. This sable ferret, male, 2 tattoos, approx. 1 year old, had been found in a dumpster. He was brought into The Animal Emergency Center on January 10th. I was notified by a local veterinarian, Dr. Hannon, about the situation. Being in rescue, I agreed to take him in to nurse him back to health. He was underweight, dehydrated, and had a mass inside which turned out to be rubber that he passed several days later. I kept him isolated from my other ferrets for 3 weeks. Then I took him in to my vet, Dr. Neil Utkov, for vaccinations and a check-up. Up until then, he was doing great. He had put on a pound and hes stools were normal. After his vaccination, he was kept isolated for another 3 days. On Saturday, February 1st, I introduced him to my other ferrets. All seemed to be well. Then on Feb. 4th, (5:30 p.m.), I came home to one sick ferret. He was a 5 year old sable male. He had vomited quite a bit and had diarrhea that was gold with lots of mucous. I put in a call to my vet and to Dr. Ralph Pope. I was told to administer Pepto Bismol, Amox. Drops(.25), and sugar water. We started off with =BD= cc's of Pepto and went to 2 cc's after several hours. At 5:30 a.m. (exactly 12 hours later), the green diarrhea began. I prayed. By the next evening, 19 of the 21 ferrets were vomiting and had the greenish diarrhea I had ever seen! I phoned Dr. Ralph Pope since I knew he made house calls. He arrived about 8:45 p.m. and examined the ferrets. His diagnosis _is_ The Green Virus! I prayed again. We immediately started the following medication: .2 Reglan (BID) 2 cc's of Pepto Bismol (BID) .25 Amox. Drops (BID) I began separating the ferrets 2 to a cage to monitor food and water intake and diarrhea. I called Pam Grant the next day. She sent some wonderful information to me concerning this virus. WEEK ONE Week one was horrible! The diarrhea just wouldn't seem to go away. Most had lost a lot of weight and would not eat or drink. They were very lethargic. The vomiting stopped after the first 2 days but I continued to give the Reglan for 1 week just to be safe. The Duck Soup Gruel was NOT a hit. No one would eat it. I tried A/D mixed with warm water. Some success. I tried chicken baby food. Some success. Of course, all this food had to be forced down them. I added Pedilyte to their water bowls and also to the baby food. Toward the end of the week, I was seeing 'the seeds' in some of their stools but most still had green diarrhea. I was praying all the time. WEEK TWO Week two was not much better. We switched from Amox. Drops to Flagyl mixed with Cherry Syrup. They hated that! The diarrhea was still there and still no one wanted to eat much. I was constantly changing litterboxes, forcing medication down them along with whatever food I could get them to eat. Then ferret number 20 came down with it. This one had not been exposed to the initial infected ferret or the other ones except for being in the same room with them. This made think it had to be airborne. Fortunately, he only had the green diarrhea for 2 days but I began medicating him along with the rest. I continued to pray ... WEEK THREE Week three, I was pulling my hair out. I began force feeding the Duck soup Gruel to them in the amount of 40-50 cc's daily. My vet called Dr. Barrios and spoke with him. He reassured us we were doing everything we could. Just continue the meds and supportive therapy. He suggested we discontinue the Pepto Bismol and go with the following: Amox. Drops .2 (BID) Carafate .5 (BID) Pepcid AC .2 (BID) We mixed all three together in one syringe. This was so much easier to give. I didn't have to fight them so much. They were also taking the Duck Soup much better 3 weeks down the road. A few were beginning to eat on their own and their stools looked better. (I began IV fluids which I wish I had started form the beginning but they weren't really dehydrated because of the fluids I was forcing down them. However, the extra fluids seemed to help tremendously.) However, on Feb. 21st, one of my females, 4 yrs old, who had 8 months earlier undergone adreanal gland surgery, began to fail.. (She had her left adrenal gland removed but had one on her right gland as well). She would not eat or take the meds that day. Her body was shutting down. I knew I was losing her. It didn't make any sense to me. She had done fairly well from the beginning. Never dropped any weight. Remained 1.5 til the end. Her stools were the first to look almost normal and she had been eating well. When I put her back in her cage at 11:00p.m., I knew I wouldn't see her alive again. I was right. I found her the next morning at 5:30 a.m. She had just died. That Saturday afternoon, on of my male ferrets who had weighed 3.1 was now down to 2.0 and he began passing blood. His eyes were matted together and he couldn't even walk. I was praying all the time... My vet had suggested earlier to give one of them a drug used for Leukemia positive cats -- Interferon. I thought, well now is the time to try this! I gave .5 that night and began IV fluids. I never expected to see him alive the next morning. Well, guess what, he was still there. I continued giving the Interferon BID and the IV fluids on that Sunday and again on Monday. Monday night, he walked out of his cage!!! Before, I began the Interferon, he would usually vomit up some of the food I was giving him even with the Reglan. After I started the Interferon, he never again vomited or passedany blood. I started the Interferon on 3 more that were not doing so great. In just a few days, they were making rapid recoveries. They seemed more alert and had more energy. After several days, they began eating on their own. I don't know if the Interferon would have worked that rapidly in the first week but I think this drug is definitely worth looking into. I gave it BID for 7 days. (To be truthful, my vet had suggested using Interferon on the 1st infected ferret and I did for about 3 days in week 2 but failed to continue to give it because I misplaced the bottle for a few days and then forgot to give it. It needs to be given 7 days in a row.) WEEK FOUR Week four seemed to be the turning point. Everyone was eating on their own but I am still force feeding 4 of them because of the massive weight loss. I stopped medication 16 of them beginnin with week four. Their stools are 90 back to normal and the weight is being put back on slowly. They are so much mor active and playful. The only ferret that never showed any signs is my 5 month old sable male. He reained untouched by this whole incident. I am grateful for that!! I thanked God for bringing them, me, and my husband through this! This has been the most devastating thing I have ever been through with any of my nimals. I still don't know how I got through this. I would be mor than willing to give advic, listen, or help anyone going through this. Until you have battled this virus, you have now idea how intense it can be. With the help of Dr. Neil Utkov, Dr. Ralph Pope, Pam Grant, Meg Carpenter, and most of all God, I don't know how I could have survived it!. There were dys I honestly didn't think I could medicated, clean, feed or cry anymore. March 28, 1997 It is now almost 2 months later. All is pretty much back to normal.. I am still seeing some greenish and loose stools from time to time but for the most part, everything is fine. Their appetites have returned and so have their spirits. I loved them before but now we have a much more special bond. Oh, by the way, the 5 month old that never showed any signs, I put him in with 3 more that had the virus and he has yet to show any signs. I hope you will print my story, (I know it's long) but I think it could help or at least give hope to someone going through this. Sometimes I just needed someone to listen to me and/or give me a shoulder to lean on. I just needed to know that everything I was facing was normal and that I could bring them through this. To see them playing now and recovering is the them most special gift of all. Lorie Frezza 901-794-3035 Dr. Neil Utkov Pet Health Center 901-382-0330 Dr. Ralph Pope Pope's Animal Clinic 901-365-1979 [Posted in FML issue 1921]