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ECE and Ferrets

© Pam McInnis

In spite of this, you must get your ferret to take in nutrients and liquid. Add Pedialyte to their water, and use a feeding syringe if they will not eat on their own. During the first few days of illness, I also used Gerber Chicken Baby Food, which seems to be a popular recommendation of ferret owners and vets alike. The baby food is also easy to force-feed with a syringe if necessary. I also used canned ferret food with Ferretone added to make it more appealing, and later added moistened kibble to the mix.

Keeping ECE from your ferrets There's no guarantee that you'll be able to keep your ferrets from being exposed to this virus. A healthy ferret can be a carrier. If you handle a ferret at a pet store, attend a ferret show or visit a home with ferrets, shower and change clothing before handling your ferrets, just to be sure.

When integrating a new ferret into your home, keep him isolated for the first week or so. If at all possible, keep his cage, food bowl and litter pan in another room. Shower and change after handling your new ferret before you play with your old friends.

ECE is a scary and heartbreaking, but manageable ferret ailment. With patience, love and lots of food and water, you can nurse an infected ferret back to health. I knew of ECE and that its symptoms included green poop before I brought Timmy home. But because I wasn't aware of other symptoms, I didn't catch it early enough to save her.

I hope our experience will help other ferret owners recognize and catch this illness in time. Thank you, little Timmy, for the short time we had together. I believe you watched over my weaz-gang from the Rainbow Bridge, and helped me bring them back to health.