From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-03-06 21:48:00 UTC
Subject: Re: ECE treatment (New member intro)
I've got to go with Mike on this one. The reason that we give
antibiotics in ferrets with ECE is not to treat anything, but to
prevent a secondary bacterial infection. Insome facilities, we have
seen a concomitant pathogenic E. coli infection cause significant
mortality spikes. So for that first week, antibiotics are usually
given. My choice is Amoxicillin.
Flagyl is a poor antibiotic for most opportunistic bacteria. The bad
taste associated with it may cause significant stress. The down side
of stress ulcers greatly outweighs any benefit, so we just go with
Amoxi - it does very nicely.
I also discourage the use of Pepcid or cimetidine for ECE ferrets
with concomitant ulcers. Coronavirus infectin (ECE) causes
significant digestive imbalances, and the worst ECE cases are seen in
animals with advanced Helicobacter cases - (this is why the disease
is worse in older animals.) An older animal with ECE or with ECE and
Helicobacter already suffers from maldigestion, which is only
worsened by further increasing the pH of the stomach.
Carafate wil usually achieve the proper effect if administered 10
minutes prior to meals and will not further the maldigestion seen in
older ECE ferrets.
Pepcid is not without its uses - but I tend to restrict it to younger
ferrets with obvious stress related ulcers, when it'suse will not
adversely impact a GI tract already compromised by chronic
Helicobacter or ECE.
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
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--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Mike Janke" <mjanke@m...> wrote:
> Debi,
>
> I have to agree that supportive care for ECE is the most important
> thing one MUST do to help a ferret survive this nasty disease.
>
> While antibiotics are useful for the first week, I don't believe
> Flagyl provides enough benefit to outweigh the stress of giving
it.
> For the really severe cases, pred often helped too.
>
> Mike