From:
sewallen@hotmail.com
Date: 2003-09-24 20:51:55 UTC
Subject: leptospirosis in ferrets
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5801026.1064436715034.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Hello to all,
I posted last month about my Echo, who is nine, who seemed to have heliclobacter and ulcers. He is now better after a month of baby food and antibiotics and carafate. On Sept 9th he just decided to eat kibble, and the weight is back, ect. I, however, went into the hospital at the beginning of Sept with menigitis, was discharged after six days symptom free, and have had recurring symptoms since Hurricane Isabel.
In the course of finding out what this is, since they did not the first time, I have now visited an infectious disease doctor, who looked at my history and the fact that I live with my five ferrets, and feels that Echos' illness may have been leptospirosis and that in caring for him it was passed on to me. Echo was treated with penicillin (amox) which is what should be used. This doctor said that it is found in ferrets, and that my others, including echos' cage mate Tally, did not necessarily have to had caught it either. The labs he drew on me should be back in a few days. I have been looking on the internet and do not see where it is found in the domesticated ferret, but of course the MD said that he had found it in his literature. I would appreciate any feedback from all who may have come across this.
Thanks,
Sharon Allen