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]