From:
"Kevin Farlee"
Date: 2010-08-18 04:51:54 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Mycoplasma in ferrets from the "Real Canadian Ferrets" breeder in Canada
To: <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
There's a bit of conversations on ferret boards, and will be more about the
new Mycoplasma infections discovered in ferrets from the Real Canadian
Ferrets breeder.
Since I have direct involvement, I thought I'd share what I know:
A couple of weeks ago, the Association of Exotic Mammal Vets had their
annual convention in San Diego.
At the convention, Dr. Cathy Johnson-Delaney presented on a new
discovery/disease.
Many ferrets from the Real Canadian Ferrets breeder in Manitoba, CA have had
persistent coughs which are quite distinctive.
The following treatments were tried:
* Various antibiotics
* Broncodialators
* Nebulizing
* NSAIDS
* Prednisone
* Expectorant
* Antihistimine
* Nutraceutical immune formulation
None of the treatments resolve it. It goes away for awhile, but comes back.
The RCF ferrets are primarily distributed in 3 regions: The Pacific
Northwest US (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska), Eastern Canada, and Japan.
Our shelter, located in Kirkland, WA. has seen quite a few of these ferrets
over the past several years, and in fact mine was one of them that developed
a severe cough, and ended dying from it. I had been working with Dr.
Johnson-Delaney with Kodie, and carefully got Kodie's body in to Dr. Cathy,
where she was able to obtain samples from which the mycoplasma was first
isolated by researchers at University of Michigan.
Mycoplasma is a very primitive bacteria which lacks a cell wall, and lives
inside host cells, making the usual antibiotics ineffective.
Bad news: We know of no way to cure this at present.
Good news: While it can be transmitted, it seems to primarily be transmitted
to ferrets whose immune systems are compromised, or not yet fully developed.
Also, to date, we have only found it in ferrets from the Real Canadian
Ferrets breeder in Manitoba, Canada. If you don't live in the Pacific
Northwest, Eastern Canada, or Japan, it is unlikely that you'll have contact
with one of these ferrets.
Also, we have direct experience with ferrets living side-by-side with
mycoplasma infected ferrets, and not getting sick.
So, it's something new, it can be fatal, it is currently limited to one
breeder in Canada (and hopefully will remain so), and is not highly
contagious.
Kevin Farlee
President
Washington Ferret Rescue & Shelter
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