# Ferrets



## Pollydoodle (Aug 18, 2005)

Having had a very tearful phone call with my son's partner, I felt I would share this with you all

I know ferrets have always been the proverbial joke, flat caps, ferrets down your trousers etc, but there are a lot of people who keep them as pets either in house (they can be litter trained like cats) or housed outdoors, besides the ones kept for working. Surprisingly, they make delightful pets, very inquisitive and amusing to watch as they play and explore

Canine Distemper is running rife throughout the ferrety world causing heartbreak for those caring for them.

My son's partner, with his help, runs a rescue and boarding centre and the disease was unwittingly carried in by a border. Despsite very stringent hygeine precautions, they are having to stand and watch as one by one these cute little animals slowly succumb to this dreadful disease and have to be put to sleep. There is no treatmment, no cure. They have 120, plus 4 skunks - who can also be house trained 
:roll: these are also at risk.

They are not the only ones. Other rescue centres are also reporting losses. So far one has lost 47 animals with others falling sick. 

There is a vaccine but it seems it is more miss than hit when it comes to protection - 43 of the 47 above were vaccinated and others have reported deaths amongst vaccinated animals.

These people care so much for the welfare of these little creatures, it is heartbreaking to have to watch your life's work slowly die.

Thank goodness we can have our dogs vaccinated, we would have to hope it works


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Sorry to hear this is happening.
It reminds me of myxomatosis, every few years it seems to raise it's head and sweep through rabbits, both wild and domestic.

Don't know much about ferrets, are there many of them still in the wild? I ask because we have loads of wildlife in our area (deer, badgers, foxes, stoats etc), but I've never seen a wild ferret.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

How sad to hear this. 
Can Ferrets not be vaccinated like dogs? I know that 120 is a lot of money but perhaps choose a few favourites?

The dog that brought it in to the kennels is the really worrying thing. How far has it managed to spread this awful disease?

There are lots of people who choose not to vaccinate their dogs on the back of the rest of us who do.


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