Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2015 17:43:15 GMT -5
ECE is usually carried into the house by a petstore baby. Roamy caught it from Mika. He had no contact with her, but Juliet did. She didn't catch it however.
Here is an overview:
Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE) – “Green Slime Diarrhea”
ECE is an important disease to discuss as it appears to affect a vast number of ferrets not only in ferret shelters but also in many households. The disease first appeared on the East Coast in 1993 and seemed to follow shows around that region. It rapidly spread across the U.S., likely as a result of large-scale breeding facilities infected with the disease. The causative agent of ECE is a coronavirus. The virus is unusual in that younger ferrets have fewer clinical signs than older ones. Ferrets under 4 months of age often show no sign of the disease. Ferrets 4 to 18 months old usually show mild to moderate signs, and older ferrets, especially those over 4 years of age when first exposed, appear to suffer the most and have the most severe signs associated with ECE. The virus can remain in the intestinal tract for months after all signs have resolved. This produces what is referred to as a “persistent carrier,” which is highly contagious for 6 months or more.
A typical history includes recent exposure to a new, young ferret. This can include going to a pet store to play with the young ferrets and then returning home to interact with your ferrets without proper sanitation in between. Onset of clinical signs is typically 48 to 96 hours. Affected ferrets often have a loss of appetite and are lethargic. They then produce a green, mucoid diarrhea, often referred to as bright or neon green diarrhea. The diarrhea is not always green, however, and can just be loose and/or like birdseed. Mild cases may only experience brief diarrhea. Severe weight loss can be observed and loss of body fat and muscle can be extreme within the first 7 to 10 days, even if the ferret is initially still eating well. The ECE virus affects the lining of the intestine, making it difficult for the ferret to absorb nutrients and fluids properly. The virus can also cause damage to the intestine in such a way that the ferret can lose protein and therefore nutrients from their GI tract. Even after appearing to recover from ECE, some adult ferrets have persistent, intermittent diarrhea that is often “seedy.” These ferrets can show clinical signs for weeks or even months, and changing the diet to one more easily absorbed (e.g. a hypoallergic food with hydrolyzed proteins) can sometimes facilitate recovery and help them maintain their body condition.
Although fewer ferrets die from ECE these days, many ferrets (especially middle to older aged ferrets) still need to be treated fairly aggressively. Sick ferrets should be treated with antibiotics and supportive care, and some ferrets, especially those that become dehydrated, should be treated with fluid therapy. It is critical to keep sick ferrets eating. Talk to your veterinarian about foods that can easily be syringe fed if the ferret is not eating very well on his own.
From what I've read Green Poop is the result of food passing too quickly. Normally, the slow progress turns the poop brown. So, when it passes too fast, it doesn't have time to turn brown and the green color is the end (forgive the pun) result.
Some causes of green poop are stress, frequent new foods and (not to alarm you) Lymphoma.
Any kind of intestional upset may trigger green poops. But ECE is usually smelly and lasts 2-4 days.
They become dehydrated and may develop ulcers.
I think a vet visit is probably in order. I looked around to see what vets are available in your area and
I found a site that might point you in the direction of another vet:
www.petguidefinland.com/126
Give the little one a hug and please keep us posted.
Here is an overview:
Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE) – “Green Slime Diarrhea”
ECE is an important disease to discuss as it appears to affect a vast number of ferrets not only in ferret shelters but also in many households. The disease first appeared on the East Coast in 1993 and seemed to follow shows around that region. It rapidly spread across the U.S., likely as a result of large-scale breeding facilities infected with the disease. The causative agent of ECE is a coronavirus. The virus is unusual in that younger ferrets have fewer clinical signs than older ones. Ferrets under 4 months of age often show no sign of the disease. Ferrets 4 to 18 months old usually show mild to moderate signs, and older ferrets, especially those over 4 years of age when first exposed, appear to suffer the most and have the most severe signs associated with ECE. The virus can remain in the intestinal tract for months after all signs have resolved. This produces what is referred to as a “persistent carrier,” which is highly contagious for 6 months or more.
A typical history includes recent exposure to a new, young ferret. This can include going to a pet store to play with the young ferrets and then returning home to interact with your ferrets without proper sanitation in between. Onset of clinical signs is typically 48 to 96 hours. Affected ferrets often have a loss of appetite and are lethargic. They then produce a green, mucoid diarrhea, often referred to as bright or neon green diarrhea. The diarrhea is not always green, however, and can just be loose and/or like birdseed. Mild cases may only experience brief diarrhea. Severe weight loss can be observed and loss of body fat and muscle can be extreme within the first 7 to 10 days, even if the ferret is initially still eating well. The ECE virus affects the lining of the intestine, making it difficult for the ferret to absorb nutrients and fluids properly. The virus can also cause damage to the intestine in such a way that the ferret can lose protein and therefore nutrients from their GI tract. Even after appearing to recover from ECE, some adult ferrets have persistent, intermittent diarrhea that is often “seedy.” These ferrets can show clinical signs for weeks or even months, and changing the diet to one more easily absorbed (e.g. a hypoallergic food with hydrolyzed proteins) can sometimes facilitate recovery and help them maintain their body condition.
Although fewer ferrets die from ECE these days, many ferrets (especially middle to older aged ferrets) still need to be treated fairly aggressively. Sick ferrets should be treated with antibiotics and supportive care, and some ferrets, especially those that become dehydrated, should be treated with fluid therapy. It is critical to keep sick ferrets eating. Talk to your veterinarian about foods that can easily be syringe fed if the ferret is not eating very well on his own.
From what I've read Green Poop is the result of food passing too quickly. Normally, the slow progress turns the poop brown. So, when it passes too fast, it doesn't have time to turn brown and the green color is the end (forgive the pun) result.
Some causes of green poop are stress, frequent new foods and (not to alarm you) Lymphoma.
Any kind of intestional upset may trigger green poops. But ECE is usually smelly and lasts 2-4 days.
They become dehydrated and may develop ulcers.
I think a vet visit is probably in order. I looked around to see what vets are available in your area and
I found a site that might point you in the direction of another vet:
www.petguidefinland.com/126
Give the little one a hug and please keep us posted.