Hi, Mirthful Mayhem asked about Aleutian disease. Well, I have had the misfortune of having three of my four test positive for Aleutian. The fourth is a rescue and has been around my personal ferrets, shared the same litterbox, etc. Even though he tested negative, I am going to retest him at the beginning of June, which will be 60 days from the last test done. After speaking to Dr. Bruce Williams (who has to be one of the most patient people on this planet!), I learned that Aleutian is a parvovirus. I believe the disease started in the mink ranches. There is no cure. The vaccine companies are not even doing any research on a ferret vaccine because they do not believe there is a "market" for it. Dr. Williams also told me that it is not the virus itself which causes death in the ferret, but the fact the the immune system breaks down and leaves the ferret open to other illnesses. I have not heard of treating ferrets with steroids, but maybe this treatment is for an animal which has already started showing symptoms. I know of one person who's ferrets showed symptoms of coughing and general paralysis. Mine,so far, are asymptomatic. Ferrets can go up to two years without showing symptoms, which makes the owner think their ferret is in good health, thus letting it play with other ferrets, share the same litterbox, etc., and placing all of the other ferrets at risk. I think it is a good idea that Mirthful Mayhem have her friend test her ferrets for exposure. A positive test result is a devasting one (it was for me, anyway). -Mark Zmyewski Cloud Nine Ferrets Huntsville, Alabama (256) 536-6348 [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 2305]