Thank goodness someone is devoting time and research into helping ferrets and the various diseases which so often take them away from us way too early.

Researchers at MSU College of Veterinary Medicine are concentrating on conoviruses, rotaviruses, mycoplasmosis, coccidiosis and adrenal cortical neoplasms in ferrets.

They’ve discovered coronaviruses in ferrets seems to come in two forms — enteric and systemic.

The enteric form is known as Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE or Green Slime disease) while the systemic form has similar symptoms but ferrets with this virus could develop masses in the abdomen as well.

Dr Matti Kiupel is leading the research into these viruses and said that they need a lot of sample submissions from vets treating ferrets which are suffering from either of these coronaviruses. They need as many submission as possible so that they can study the genetic changes both types of this viruse cause before they can produce a vaccine.

If your ferret is suffering from ECE then please tell your vet about the research and ask him to contact the vets at Michigan State University about where he should send any samples to them.

Mycoplasmosis is a more recent ferret illness which they discovered. It’s not fatal but is caused by a bacterium which makes ferrets develop a hacking cough.

Coccidiosis and rotaviruses cause diarrhea in ferrets and, of course, we ferret owners know only too well what adrenal disease does to our ferrets.

Hopefully people will open their purses and help to fund the research so that we’ll be able to protect our babies from these wretched diseases down the track.

Other articles you might like;

Tagged with:

Filed under: Adrenal Gland Disease • Ferret Health • Ferret Illnesses

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!