Message Number: YG12391 | New FHL Archives Search
From: dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-04-09 19:42:00 UTC
Subject: Re: E.C.E

Dear Suzi:

Those are a lot of questions. Let me see if I can run down most of
them. Quarantine once an animal in the house is useless due to the
fact that ferrets may shed up to six months, and the virus in
infectious enough to be spread on clothes, hands, ferret feet, etc -
once it's in th ehouse - everyone who has not had the disease will
get it. Of course, the severity of symptoms will vary based on a
number of factors - the animal to worry most about are the older ones
with other diseases. It sounds as if Ruby is doing well and should
recover.

While immunity is lifelong, the disease predisposes ferrets to the
development of a condition known as inflammatory bowel disease, a
disease of the immune system which may be triggered by coronavirus
infection. There is an article in the current issue of Ferrets on
it - I have permission to reprint the article on my web site after a
period of 60 days (ostensibly after this issue has left the
newsstand.) About 20% of ECE cases develop IBD to the point where
treatment is needed.

Stay with the baby food and lots of water and the antibiotics and
when the stool starts to firm up, then gradually move back to a
kibble diet.

With kindest regards,

Bruce Williams, dVM


--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "suziqrn000" <suziq-rn@a...> wrote:
> Hello,
> I have set out to learn all I can about E.C.E because I think one
of
> my ferrets may have it. I have a lot of questions and have been
> refered to Dr. B. William's site and it is great, but still have
some
> questions.
> 3 weeks ago I brought home two babies that are now about 12 weeks
or
> so old. They were isolated from the rest of the group for a week
and
> had their vet check up and seemed very healthy with great
poops.They
> still have separate cages but were allowed play time with the big
> ones.
> My Ruby who is about a year old started having green slimey poopies
> and vomited twice, was slightly lethargic and not eating or
drinking
> well. We saw the vet and she recieved sub q L.R fluids and is now
on
> amoxicillin prophylacticlly for secondary bacterial infections. My
> vet said that here is no test for E.C.E but all precautions should
be
> taken.
> She has been qaurantined in her own cage and room and is eating
> Gerbers's baby food chicken and gravy #2 and ferret-vite. She now
has
> yellow, runny "bird seedy" poops and is eating the baby food and
> drinking water by herself. I saw her eat a few bites of Totally
> Ferret kibble and her energy level is good. She keeps begging to
come
> out.
> How long does she need to be in qaurantine? So far everyone else
> seems healthy. I have read that ferrets will shed the virus up to
> 6-months or more. Is this true? Is it 100% contiguous? Will everyone
> eventually get it? I know it can be passed on shoes and clothing and
> I am trying to be careful and I am using 1% bleach to disinfect
> everything. How long does the virus surrive on inanimate objects?
> Is E.C.E cmmunicable to other animals such as cats and dogs?
> How long is appropriate to isolate new ferrets or baby ferrets
before
> letting them all live together? I have read that it is unusual for
> baby ferrets under 6 months to get E.C.E, is this true and why? Is
it
> natural immunity and will they eventually get it after they are 6
> months of age in a household that has been affected? Or even though
a
> baby shows no signs or symptoms can they be a silent carrier and
the
> signs and symptoms will appear later?
> Once a ferret has E.C.E are they immune to it? Will they always be
> suscepiible to various intestinal problems due to chronic
> irritability of the mucosal lining? Will this cause flare ups with
> stress and other illness?
> I'm sorry for asking so many questions. I am very scared and feel
> very gulity for possibly bringing this illness home with the new
> babies.
> Any answers or comments would be greatly appreciated.
> Thank you,
> Suzi Lambert