Message Number: YG5571 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Mike Janke
Date: 2001-07-16 18:37:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Rescue ferret medical advice

Just so you are aware... there is no test for ECE. And a two-week
isolation will probably do little to protect your ferrets from ECE if
the incoming ferret is a carrier of this disease.

I certainly don't want to discourage you from rescuing her. Lord
knows she needs rescuing, but you need to be aware of the possibility
of exposing your ferrets to ECE, however slim the chance may be.

Most other things can be tested for, checked, vaccinated against,
etc., but ECE can sneak in past all that.

Mike


--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Michele Abel Focer"
<ferretlady@m...> wrote:
> Hello fellow ferret lovers, I will try to keep this short. I MIGHT
be adopting a ferret dropped off at a boarding facility,( I have to
see if the owner is going to actually come back for it. ) This is all
I know about her: she is a 2 year old albino female(they think) . I
have not seen her yet. She lived in a 2 foot square cage, in her own
feces, literally covering the entire floor(SHAMEFUL to say the least!)
They gave her a bath, and put her in a much larger clean cage, and
bought her ferret food. I donated a tube of Nutrical to give her too.
They have to keep her the 2 weeks to see if the owner will pick her
up after her vacation(I hope not) I am going to offer her some money
for it if I have to. Anyway, here's my question: I have 3 healthy
ferrets already, and want to get the little girl thoroughly checked
out for EVERYTHING before I introduce her to my bunch. My vet is
willing to help me out on the cost, since she will be a rescue. I
need to know EXACTLY what kinds of tests to do before I bring her in
with my others. We have already planned to test for: ADV,fecal check,
ear mites, full panel blood to check kidneys, liver, red & white cell
count, etc, and ECE. Is there anything I am missing? I want to be
absolutely sure she doesn't get my crew sick with anything. Of
course, I plan to keep her in isolation a few weeks too. Thank you
for any advice, Michele & the fur gang