From:
"frogfone102"
Date: 2011-03-05 13:40:52 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Coronavirus and cancer clusters? Any experience?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
In the Summer we had an outbreak of an "ECE type illness" after one of our club events. About 20 to 30 ferrets came down with diarrhoea and vomiting. Some got better with minimal help, others needed veterinary treatment and recovered and others (mostly old & infirm) either developed long term damage or other complications set in which ultimately led to their death.
We now have 4 ferrets who were not clinically ill at the time but have all died since with obstructive bowel tumours. Three were in the 2-3 year old range and the last one was a 6-8 year old jill. All had symptoms of straining to go to the toilet, followed by inability to go to the toilet. Three had exploratory surgery in case it was a foreign body and all were pts on advice as the tumours were so invasive. It is thought that the younger ferrets were victims to Juvenile lymphoma, the older ferret showed no signs of illness until the straining started. The three younger ferrets all died within 3 months of the "ECE" illness and the older jill was 7 months after.
Coronavirus is fairly uncommon in the UK, it can not be easily identified (no ferret pcr test) and only a few places can carry out the histology required to positively ID the damage caused by the virus. We have not had any confirmed diagnosis, only assumed due to the course of the disease and the way it spread.
I'm interested to find out if anyone has any experience of cancer clusters occurring after an ECE outbreak?
>From what little research I have done there is some evidence that lymphoma clusters are quite common and that the most likely cause of this is an unknown retrovirus. Does anyone have any recent literature relating to this? Does anyone have any experience of ferrets developing intestinal cancers after exposure to coronavirus?
I realise we will never prove or really understand what has happened after the disease outbreak. No one really had the funds or the access to tests which would not have helped their ferrets, just confirmed diagnosis. But I would be interested to find out what is "normal" in a group of ferrets who have come in to contact with ECE.
Thanks
Sharon
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