Attention all who have gone through ECE, and particularly to those vets who have treated it. I know this is sort of a strange question, coming from someone whose ferret does not have ECE, but I was wondering how it is diagnosed. I have been through every web resource I can find on this disease, but none of them give an explanation of this. They tell the symptoms, and the treatments given by the ferrets' owners, but not the following: 1. How is it positively diagnosed? 2. Does it *require* antibiotics to get rid of it? (There is someone online that has hesitated taking her ferret to the vets, even though she thinks it may have ECE. She has been encouraged to take the ferret in, but I wanted to know if there is *any* chance for this little guy if she doesn't.) 3. Any other comments for those of us who haven't gone through it? From anyone - shelter, vet, private individual. Also, if there is interest, I would be happy to gather any posts to the FML or emails, and put it on the web for others to read. Let me know if you would be interested in seeing this, or if you answer this, let me know if it would be ok to include your answer (with author properly noted, of course). Debbie & Jim Pixie (The one in charge) [Posted in FML issue 2277]