For the characterization of the progression of infection of the KY/180 clinical isolate we utilized four month old, female ferrets. Prior to infection with virus, ferrets were anesthetized with 0.05 mg/kg atropine, 5.0 mg/kg ketamine, and 0.08 mg/kg dexmedetomidine intramuscularly. Subsequently, six animals were inoculated intransally (i.n.) with 0.5 mL of infectious virus per naris as a bolus, which was diluted to 10 5.7 TCID 50 /mL in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Six additional animals were inoculated by i.n. with 0.5 mL of infectious virus per naris as a bolus with PBS (mock). Anesthesia was reversed with 0.4 mg/kg atipamezole. Ferrets were monitored daily for temperature and clinical symptoms. On day 2 post-infection, two ferrets were taken to measure viral titers in blood, lung, brain, trachea, nasal turbinates, spleen, kidney, thymus, liver, duodenum, jejuno-ileum, large intestine, and rectum. Gross pathology was defined during necropsy for the lung. At 14 and 28 days post-infection two additional ferrets from each group were analyzed for viral titers and pathology in the lung.