Message Number: SG5584 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Pam Sessoms
Date: 2003-07-30 15:49:03 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Feline Herpes in Ferrets??
To: TROFEO91@aol.com
cc: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <Pine.A41.4.44+UNC.0307301141270.47518-100000@login7.isis.unc.edu>

> Someone I know was recently told by her vet that her ferret has Feline
> Herpes. She also was told it is not contagious to ferrets. Would
> someone please shed some light on this subject?

Dee, I've never heard of a ferret getting this. Is it possible for you to
find out how the ferret was diagnosed? In cats, it's confirmed with
various lab tests on eye/nasal secretions - the physical signs can mimic
other problems. It looks like the outward signs of it could be confused
with a few things in ferrets (scariest possibility would be canine
distemper - nasal discharge, eye discharge and corneal ulcerations, etc).
Here's a web page with a bit of info on it in cats:

http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/dlab/webdocs/special_cases/fhv.html

http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/rhinotracheitis/symptoms.shtml

Best wishes,

-Pam S.