From:
FHbytheSea@aol.com
Date: 2004-05-18 12:48:22 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] how far to go with ECE`
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <3916375.1084890181309.JavaMail.nobody@chromium.smartgroups.com>
Not a vet, just a shelter. I've had ECE run through my house/shelter back
when it first hit the US...and nursed 32 ferrets through it. In my experience it
is the middle aged ferrets that seem to be hit the worst - the very young and
the very old get past it quicker for whatever reason. With these middle aged
ferrets, aggressive supportive care is the key - feedings, fluids and
medications. It can take as little as 3-4 days or as long as 6-8 weeks for these
ferrets to recover - but all of mine did. Can you do subcutaneous fluids? These do
help to combat the deydration from constant diarrhea and the ferrets do seem to
feel better once they are hydrated. Consider having a feeding tube placed -
its an easier way to get food and medications into the ferret and is a fairly
easy surgery for the vet to perform.
Foods - A/D and baby food. Target amount is 80-120 cc of food per day - so it
can be broken into 3, 4 or 5 feedings, depending on your schedule. With a
dehydrated ferret, also trying pedialyte (my personal preference is pedialyte
pops - they are single serv and so less is wasted).
Just a thought - has your vet considered a blockage? The symptoms are similar
and typically with ECE the vomiting is only in the first day or two. Has the
doc run a barium series to eliminate a foreign body/hairball? 3 months is not
the typical incubation period for ECE - that is usually only 3 days or less.
I hope that she will be okay.
Lisa Leidig, Head Ferret
Shelter Wench in good standing
The Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea"
www.ferrethaven.org