Cross posted form another forum

Just received following info, originating from British Ferret Club. As and when I get further info, I'll update.



'CANINE DISTEMPER CONFIRMED in a ferret from Yorkshire, post mortem results confirm it. This is a horrific disease dont take these warnings lightly. Symptoms are scabby rash under chin and thickening of bottom lip,a rash all over the body which is reddy brown blotchy yet faint most noticable o...n the abdomen where hair is thinner,also eyes closed up due to mucous membranes swelling which include anus and outer sheath of penis , a temp of 104 , the symptoms get worse here on in , the foot pads start to harden and the feet and whole body are covered with a reddy brown flakey skin,which drives the ferret mad its so itchy,all this time the ferret hasnt stopped eating or drinking at all. then the ferret starts to act differently as the desease is affecting his brain he gets aggressive and stays in his bed , when he breathes you can here him gurgling as his lungs are badly affected.
All this happens in the space of 14 days upto when i had him put to sleep.
The first week he was on metacam and baytrill- he got worse
Second week he had steroid injection - made no difference.

2 days later i found the second ferret with symptoms of sticky eyes and scabby chin, i asked my vet to send the body of the first ferret for a post mortem which she did .
I got the PM results in my hand yesterday evening confirming canine distemper.

From the time the laboritory rang my vet to say that it was distemper and sent by fax the preliminary pm report to her which was the 17/10/11 to present 22/10/11 we have had to have 47 ferrets put to sleep .
At first checks this morning none of the ferrets we have left had visible symptoms , its the first day ive smiled for a long time .
As you would imagine we are in total shut down for at least another 4wks.
I will try and give you answers to any questions you may have as and when i find time to get on the computer.

also heres more info Canine distemper - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia'

__________________

oh god thats terrible.

A question as a new ferret owner. I have 2 completly indoor ferrets, they are yet to have their disemper vaccine (i've only had them 10 days) I have a dog which has been vaccined from disemper.

Can my dog 'carry' disemper inside from his walkies, and give it to my ferrets? I plan to vaccine them at the next oppurtunity, but i dont want to be paranoid until then!

__________________


My Mini-zoo
1 Airedale Terrier, 1 Pocket Rocket Lurcher, 2 Female Polecat Ferrets, 1 Bearded Human Male

Distemper can be carried in.
http://miamiferret.org/distemper.pdf

I have heard rumours of an outbreak in Cheshire as well.

6 cases in the midlands over the last few days

__________________

where were these? confirmed by post mortem?

__________________

I couldn't tell you.

__________________

Current confirmed cases

__________________

STA Ferret Rescue and Ferret Racing


Confirmed

__________________
Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

Be paranoid!!! dogs can catch distemper from ferrets and there have been several hundred deaths from distemper in the ferret community. They take their ferrets out, walk them, show them, board them, use them for rabbiting etc, etc, so it is better to be save than sorry.
Depending on the vaccine the dog has been given, it can shed the vaccine.

That all sounds terrible and leaving the owners distraught worrying how many more they'll lose. From reading about the vaccine, is this a lifelong injection? What sort of costs are vets charging for this?

I don't have any ferrets at the moment, but am / was looking into acquiring a Jill & hob early next year. Doing my research at the moment re local ferret vets, etc.