From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-06-21 23:28:00 UTC
Subject: Re: ECE
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., katharine <shurcool@i...> wrote:
> Below is a post from my wildlife rehab list. I
> told the poster that I would ask if anyone on this
> list is aware of something similar to ECE.
>
> <Has anyone heard of the ECE (epizootic catarrhal
> enteritis) virus in
> ferrets? We have lost two of our little coons to
> what we believe to be the
> same virus. It starts with the green stools and
> refusing the bottle. We
> can get pedialyte in them but anything else is
> thrown back up. If anyone
> has any experience with this please let me know
> how to treat this or
> prevent it from spreading.<
>
> I have posted that it is not ECE as it doesn't
> cross species. I also posted about supportive
> care for these symptoms. Does anyone have any
> ideas?
Dear Katharine -
Can offer any off the cuff help on this diarrheal disease of raccoon
kits - (a man has to know his limitations), but there is a) no
evidence that this is even viral, and b) it sure isn't ECE - which is
restricted to mustelids.
I know that raccoons get parvovirus, but this usually, like in dogs,
causes a bloody diarrhea. There is no reason that they can't get a
coronavirus or rotavirus - I'm just not up on my raccoon-specific
diseases. I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut that they also get their
own types of coccidia, and other parasites as well....
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM