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Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE) in FerretsThank goodness, to date, no cases of ECE have been diagnosed in Western Australia or, as far as I am aware, in any other states of Australia. This disease, which is similar to a disease which affects minks, was first seen in 1993. ECE damages the intestinal wall lining, causing the animal to be unable to absorb nutrients and water into its system. Some of the symptoms include:
It is highly contagious and can be transmitted easily. Ferrets can also be carriers of this virus without showing signs of any symptoms. Should your ferret have severe diarrhea, get it to a vet as soon as possible. If you can’t, get some Pedialyte (an electrolyte solution for babies) and get as much as you can into your ferret by using a clean eye dropper. As a general rule of thumb, if your ferret weighs 700-800g, make sure it gets 70-80mls of electrolytes every day.
There is a wealth of information about ECE on the Ferret Central website, as well as detailed information on epizootic catarrhal enteritis on the Miami Ferret site, including what your ferret's poop would look like if it's suffering from ECE. DISCLAIMER: The information contained on this page is not meant to replace seeing a veterinarian if you think your ferret is ill. It’s only meant to supply general information on a particular illness which was obtained either from personal experience with my sick ferrets, or from books and/or the Internet. Return from Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (ECE) in Ferrets to All About Ferrets
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Loss of appetite 
