Message Number: YG6540 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-08-21 21:50:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Quarantines (Long)

--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "pj2-455" <PJ2-455@q...> wrote:
> (cross-posted a few days ago to a.p.f, sorry for those who read
both)
>
> However, she's probably around 2, and hasn't had any shots since
> whatever she got at the breeder, and I'm fairly sure she's been
exposed
> to either dogs or people who spend a good deal of time around dogs.
>
>
> So here's my question (three paragraphs later). I can put the new
> ferret's
> cage in my kitchen, and when she's caged, leave her in there. But I
> can't let her play in the kitchen because it's not ferretproofed
(and it
> would be difficult to impossible to ferretproof it well). So, can I
let
> the new ferret play in my other ferret playrooms, as long as she's
never
> in contact with the other ferrets directly?


Dear 455:

In home quarantines don't work very well for ferrets - especially
when dealing with a possibility of an ECE carrier or distemper. ECE
is such an incredibly contagious disease that it can be tracked
easily between rooms even with the best handwashing protocols.
Distemper is a bit more difficult to transfer, but it also can be
spread without direct contact - and the fact that it is 100% fatal
should not make one shrink from adopting an unvaccinated feret, but
should make one very observant and cautious. Aleutian disease today
can be tested for prior to introduction, which does not totally
eliminate the risk of a new introduction, but markedly decreases it.

Bottom line - segregation from the rest of the business of an
apparently healthy ferret will likely not significantly decrease the
possibility of transfer of ECE or distemper if the introduced ferret
is a carrier, however, careful observation will.

With kindest regards,

Bruce Williams, DVM