ferret immunity

[Chris Skory]

Marie,

Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you.  But, as a ferret owner, I 
do have some information that might help.  The following is from a ferret 
URL (there's a site for everything!).  Perhaps this info may get an 
answer that helps.  Tell the breeder good luck.   

Chris Skory
Research Microbiologist
Agricultural Research Service
Peoria, IL

Subject: (8.6) How do I contact Dr. Williams?  I hear he'll look at
               ferret tissue for free, and help with diagnoses, too.

Dr. Williams says:

    I encourage owners who have questions to USE [my phone number].
    Have your vets USE IT.  If I minded people sending me email [at
    <WILLIAMB at email.afip.osd.mil>] or calling me on the phone
    (remember, it's Mon-Fri.), I wouldn't post it.  Because of my
    workload, I concentrate now only on medical questions.  But if you
    have a question, and your vet can't seem to answer, feel free to
    give me a call.

    I look at ferret tissue on a daily basis, much more than any other
    veterinary pathologist I know of in the country.  I'll be happy to
    process and look at the tissue for no - no charge - if your vet
    would like to send it to me.  He can send it to:

        Dr. Bruce Williams
        Department of Veterinary Pathology
        Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
        Washington, D.C. 20306-6000

        (202) 782-2600/2602
        fax (202) 782-9150

    Tissues should be placed in formalin (a dilute form of
    formaldehyde that your vets all carry), and bodies should be
    placed in the refrigerator, not the freezer, until a necropsy can
    be done.  Freezing tissues will make them virtually useless as far
    as further study.

    As I have said before, ferret histopathology is free.  I can
    generally turn cases around in 48-72 [hours] following receipt of
    the tissue (48 hours is the general rule).

    This offer is extended to any other list member who needs tissue
    (either autopsy or biopsy) examined.  Because the AFIP is keenly
    interested in the diseases of ferrets (from a diagnostic
    standpoint only - NO ferret research is done here), we are
    accepting ferret tissue from private practitioners and
    individuals.



In article <45rbit$le8 at arcturus.ciril.fr>, bene at grip.u-nancy.fr says...
>
>Does anyone know about the immune system of ferrets and/or ways to cure 
these cute 
>little things from Salmonella infections that threaten their liver. I 
had an anguished phone 
>call from a ferret's breeder whose pets got infected in a 
"ferret-kennel" (whatever this 
>might be). She says she has tried all sorts of antibiotics but the 
bacteria seem to be 
>resistant and she thought perhaps triggering the immune system would 
work. She 
>however fears to use bovine anti-serum to salmonellae in case this leads 
to serum 
>sickness. I was quite unable to help her, but perhaps the net could. 
Thank you for your 
>answers.
>
>MC B