From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-07-18 23:29:00 UTC
Subject: Re: ECE???
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., erka2719@a... wrote:
> I have a four year old ferret. I have had him for two years and I
> recently adopted two new ferret approx. 6 and 18 mos of age. The
new
> ferrets are being quarantined at my mom's house but I play with
them
> everyday. My original ferret has recently become quite ill over
the
> last 24 hours. He has green slimey diarrhea and has started
vomiting
> today (twice). He does not want to eat, I have been force feeding
> him Hills a/d and am now trying gerbers baby food chicken flavor.
He
> does not like for me to make him eat. My vet has prescribed
> amoxicillin liquid 0.50ml bid, and we are giving subcutaneous
fluids
> twice daily also. He received about 75-100ml today and about 25ml
> last night. I am very worried. He seems to be very nauseated and I
> hate to force him to eat. Last night I got him to take about 12mls
> of a/d and today I fed him around 15mls before he began vomiting
and
> about 2mls since he vomited the first time. He began vomiting or
> spitting up when I tried to feed him the last time about an hour
> ago...so I stopped. Should I continue to make him eat or offer
> pedialyte or what? I am so very worried, please help me.
>
> Thanks, Erica
Dear ERica:
It certainly sounds like ECE. First off - save all the poop you can
for the next two days, and freeze it. I'll send you an address
tomorrow for one of my co-investigators, Dr. Matti Kiupel, who will
run it for coronavirus for you at no charge, and give you a definite
diagnosis, I bet. We continue to work on a vaccine, but good ECE
poop is hard to come by. (Oh, and if you can take a nice picture of
the green slimy poop - that'd be great for the list.
Now on to treatment - you are doing the right thing - fluids,
antibiotics, and a bland diet is absolutely the right thing to do,
and you have jumped on this right away. Remember that his gut is
really torn up right now, so give a little less food more
frequently. Even as little as a quarter jar of baby food every four
hours is okay for the first couple of days - he'll probably want more
before too long.
Remember save that poop - it may be priceless!
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams