From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-11-29 21:37:00 UTC
Subject: ece help
Dear Carol:
At this point, I would suggest that you consider a trial of oral prednisone
at 0.5 mg/kg once daily - about 20% of ferrets with ECE develop a chronic
inflammatory condition in the intestine. A low dose of steroids will often
help by taking the edge off the inflammation.
I would also suggest removing the ground up kibble in the food, as kibble,
even when ground is difficult for ECE ferrets to digest, and I see no need
for either Kaopectate, which is generally of little use for diarrhea, or
amoxicillin at this point, as ECE is not a bacterial disease. So you can
simplify the treatment, and hopefully get better results.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thayne Groff" <thayneg@u...>
To: "Bruce Williams, DVM" <williams@e...>
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2001 3:28 PM
> Dear Dr. Williams,
>
> Sorry to bother you, but I just don't know what to do anymore. I lost
> the mommy ferret in July (the emergency vet said lung cancer but on his
> notes said it was congestive heart failure, he put her to sleep, and
> just don't want to lose another one.
>
> To make a long story short, I got a 3 month baby on 9/4/01.
>
> My 2 5 year olds got ECE and Shy-Girl got over it within 2 weeks, but
> her brother TR, who has been a sickly guy from the day he was born ( had
> to help their mommy birth them), is still fighting it. He has gone from
> 4.8 to 2 pounds. I am feeding him turkey baby food w/slippery elm oil,
> w/ground regular food (ground up in coffee bean grinder), and a little
> water so it's thin enough for a eye dropper thing. A little Kayopectate
> for his tummy 2 X a day and Amoxie 2 X a day.
>
> Is there anything else I can do? Anything he regular vet can do?
>
> I would greatly appreciate any information you may provide.
>
> Thank you so very much,
>
> Carol Owens
> thayneg@u...
>