From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2008-03-03 16:30:38 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: BE AWARE FUNGAL ORGANISMS LIVE IN THE SOIL WHERE THEY DIG..............
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Yes, Dr. Lewington mentioned in a past post running into ferrets in
Australia with fungal diseases from soil and mentioned that
unsterilized potting soil can also cause such problems.
Many fungal diseases are hard to treat and the same meds that tackle
many of them tackle shared processes that mammals have, hence the
risks with those drugs but the infections are worse typically. Not a
fun situation to be in.
They can cost through the nose, too, and require special measurement,
as we found out. When we had one of the first ferrets noticed with
DIM no one knew what it was or what might work so we even tried
treating for a possible fungal infection. The meds ran us something
like $250 or $350 -- I can't recall specifics. The mg levels in the
tabs or caplets were wrong, too, but they were not serrated so the med
was not evenly distributed throughout. The result was that they had
to be crushed, very well mixed, then divided using a chemist's spatula
and graduated vial, into the right size doses. I had to find out if
they could be safely given with water or safely given with oil and
other details for delivery, too, since not all meds can be given with
one or other, depending on the specific med.
Thank you for teaching us all that the fungi differ by area, Dr. Sue.
That's something I didn't know, but it makes complete sense.
I also like the way that people are also getting back to other more likely
risk scenarios than spiders, too, like ticks, and like mosquito-borne
heartworm. Info on those is also in the FHL Archives (addy in my
signature lines) and in a compilation (a tad old) in the FHL website's
Files section.
BTW, should there ever be a problem with a large owl (having been
repeatedly harassed by one once when carrying a ferret) the trick
Steve and i used is that I stuffed her down the neck of my jacket
while making the sort of throat moves an owl makes as it swallows.
It's the only thing we have found which works in the situation of
having an owl repeatedly flapping in your face and grabbing at the
ferret and you with talons. (Poor owl must have been very hungry
or may have been repaired by the Raptor Trust which is local so
not wary of humans. We have some large birds locally who are used
to people for that reason so are unexpectedly interested in humans.)
Anyway, the trick might work with raptors, too.
> Just for the record. I have been following the outdoor play the
> digging in the soil outdoors, thread and just wand people to be aware
> of the threat of fungal infection. Those that leave ther ferrets out
> to play is fine however with digging remember there are some pretty
> serious fungal organisms that live in the soil and can be inhaled by
> the ferrets and cause some serious infections in lungs feet etc. And
> treatment can be pretty toxic too. SO do your research. Illinois top
> one is Blastomycosis, but others are possible. Missippi River has
> coccidioides another serious one. There are multitudes. Just be
> proactive and know what you are getting into and what to look for.
> Best to all.
>
> Dr. Sue
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
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