# Canine Disemper In Ferrets



## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

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'


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## PippinsMummy (Sep 7, 2011)

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!


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## FourFerrets (Oct 10, 2009)

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

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


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

6 cases in the midlands over the last few days


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## Tapir (Mar 20, 2010)

hawksport said:


> 6 cases in the midlands over the last few days


where were these? confirmed by post mortem?


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Tapir said:


> where were these? confirmed by post mortem?


I couldn't tell you.


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## Tapir (Mar 20, 2010)

Current confirmed cases



> 1) south cheshire ferret rescue had one or more ferrets in from yorkshire, this is how they think the cd arrived at their rescue. Swab tests and standard pm have confirmed cd there. They lost 47 ferrets to start with, 43 of which had been vaccinated in the first outbreak. They then had 13 days clear but have now had a further outbreak with 7 showing symptoms as of today. The vaccines the rescue use are full vial of vanguard 7 (da2 pi)and full vial canigen dhp all the ferrets had/have been vaccs within the last 6months.
> 
> 2) wolverhampton ferret rescue took in boarders that are house ferrets but had been to sherwood forest the weekend immediatley before they arrived at the rescue for boarding. 4 ferrets were tested and diagnosed from swabs with cd, they are still awaiting results from the pms. They had 7 days clear then a further outbreak has occured amongst ferrets that were kept separate to the ones that had had the disease.
> 
> ...


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## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

STA Ferret Rescue and Ferret Racing

Confirmed


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## colliebird (Feb 23, 2010)

PippinsMummy said:


> 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!


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.


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## sandyb (Nov 30, 2011)

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.


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## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

you will be better ringing your local vets and asking as each vet is different price wise.


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## Tapir (Mar 20, 2010)

It isn't lifelong. There is no vacine lisenced for use on ferrets but vets use a dog one. My lot have half a vial or a full vial each of Nobivac - one of the only brands that seems to be working at the minute. They have it every 18 months.


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