1. How many ferrets have been your personal pets?  Count all ferrets
   currently living as well as deceased ferrets.
    a. 1-9.  Go to question 2.
    b. 10 or more.  Go to question 9.
 
2. How many ferrets have been in your shelter?
    a. 0. I don't have a shelter.  Go to question 3.
    b. 1-9.  Go to question 3.
    c. 10 or more.  Go to question 9.
 
3. How many ferrets do you keep as breeders?
    a. 0.  I don't breed ferrets.  Go to question 4.
    b. 1-9.  Go to question 4.
    c. 10 or more.  Go to question 9.
 
4. Add the number of ferrets from questions 1a or b, 2b or c, and 3b
   and c.  What is the total?
    a. 1-9.  Go to question 5.
    b. 10 or more.  Go to question 9.
 
5. Have you had *all* ferrets in your possession tested for ADV?
    a. Yes. Go to question 6.
    b. No.  Go to question 6.
 
6. Have you ever had a ferret test positive to the ADV test?
    a. Yes. Go to  9.
    b. No.  Go to 7.
 
7. Have you ever had a ferret die with any of the following symptoms and
   did not have an ADV test?  Weight loss, lethargy, pallor, hepatomegaly,
   splenomegaly, melena, rear leg or generalized weakness, neurologic
   signs, hypergammaglobulinemia or a positive antibody titer.
    a. Yes. Go to 9.
    b. No.  Go to 8.
 
8.  Wow.  Congratulations.  You are in a minority in the ferret community.
Statistically, you probably do not have a ferret with ADV but you won't
know for sure until you get all your animals tested.  Then you must live
your ferret life as a hermit to keep them ADV negative.  You must not not
attend any ferret events, not breed, and not take ferrets anywhere except
to the vet.  And you must not adopt any more animals unless they have been
also been kept by a ferret hermit.  I'm sorry.
 
9.  You either have a ferret who is ADV positive (but may be without
symptoms) OR statistically you should have or do have a ferret who would
test positive for ADV.  You might as well take down your sign you proudly
display out front, pull your ads from the newspaper and yellow pages, not
attend any outreach programs, ferret shows, or fun matches, not breed
ferrets, not have visitors bring in any ferrets, and not take your ferrets
for a walk.  I'm sorry.
 
*This quiz assumes the percentages noted by Susan Brown in her 1980's
survey that of 500 ferrets, 50 tested positive for ADV and 2 went on to
develop ADV.
 
I'm not a breeder and I'm not a shelter but I speak with intimate knowledge
of both operations.  I can tell you that shutting down every breeder and
shelter with only one positive is NOT REALISTIC!  This approach will shut
down virtually every shelter and breeder who has had more than 10 ferrets
pass through their doors!  You will only be able to purchase ferrets from
places like Marshall Farms (who claim to operate a closed, sterile
facility), from those people who choose not to participate in ADV testing
on their animals (and may have positive animals), or those who choose not
to reveal the truth.  There may be a small breeder or shelter that is
still unaffected.
 
>I waited a few weeks and tested ALL of my ferrets.  The results for ALL
>ferrets (including the ones that first tested positive) were negative.
>Since there was a different result in the two animals a few weeks later I
>tested ALL of my ferrets again.  The results were negative still.
 
Thank you Amy.  It's obvious that the test is not 100% reliable.  Could the
"false positives" be something as simple as the recently modified Galaxy
canine distemper virus which now uses simian tissue instead of chicken?
 
There must be another approach other than shutting down all the wonderful
shelters and the small breeders.  Let's put our heads together and come up
with a consistent policy that will benefit the shelters and breeders as
well as the pet ferret owners.
 
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Education is the key!
 
    -Carla
 
PS. Yes, I have read every post in the ADV forum online but I'm not a
subscriber.
[Posted in FML issue 2954]