Greetings all . . .
 
You may have heard some rumors about me and my ferrets - but I am here to
tell the whole story.
 
In early February of 1999 I was contacted by a woman that owned one of my
kits.  It seems that she was encouraged by the AFA to test her kit for ADV
due to the outbreak at SAFE in TX.  At that time it was thought that New
Zealand ferrets were the ones that exposed the shelter there.  So she
tested him and it came back positive.  She alerted me.  I conferred with my
vet and had three ferrets tested.  His mother, a brother and a non-related
New Zealand jill.  During the waiting period, I did much research and
question asking - including many phone calls to Marshall Bloom, MD and
United Vaccines.  I learned a great deal - and am currently writing an
article on the subject.  Many of you have seen the first draft - the final
is very close to being done.
 
The results were as follows:
 
Mother - positive
Brother - negative
Non-related Jill - positive
 
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.  I then
tested the two jills one more time.  Again negative.  My vet - and others -
assured me that my ferrets were ADV free.
 
In the spring of 1999 when kits were born, they all were tested at 5 - 6
weeks of age.  All came back negative.
 
All of my test results can be proven in writing (on United letterhead) if
requested.
 
Some things to keep in mind . . .
 
* The kit first tested was NOT ill - nor is ill now.  He has NOT spread
  ADV to any other ferrets that is known.
* The first kit was obtained by this woman in September and tested in
  February.
* There have been no "unexplained" deaths in my ferretry.  There have been
  no ADV deaths in my ferretry.
* To my or anybody else's knowledge, there have been no ADV deaths in any
  of my kits.
 
Many ferrets were tested since leaving my home and here are the results
that I am aware of:
 
* Russian/Pandora cross - 2 positive, 2 negative (not previously tested by
   myself)
* Russian/Chablis cross - 1 positive (previously tested by myself - tested
  negative twice)
* Grizzly/Itch cross - 1 positive (has lived with above kit since June -
  not previously tested by myself)
* Chablis - negative (not previously tested by myself)
* Russian - positive (has lived with Chablis for over 1 year - not
  previously tested by myself)
* Grizzly - negative (previously tested by myself as well - tested
  negative twice)
* Rocket/Jean cross - 2 negatives (previously tested by myself - tested
  negative)
 
About the results.  None of the positive testing ferrets are showing signs
of illness.  However the ones testing positive (save one) are all related
to a New Zealand ferret I got from Nature's Den in one way or another.
White Russian was 1 year old when we got him from Nature's Den and Pandora
and another jill were almost 2 years old.  3 ferrets that were positive
traced to White Russian and the non-related positive has lived with the
positive offspring since June.
 
Just to clarify - I AM IN NO WAY PUTTING BLAME ON NATURE'S DEN!  No testing
for ADV was practiced in my ferretry until February of 1999.  Up until then
my demand to test, my vet deemed it not necessary.  Hind site is 20/20.
 
I assure you all that I would never sell a ferret knowing that it was
positive or could infect other ferrets.
 
It has been suggested by some vets (and some folks in the UK) that CDVs
given (I am assuming they mean a multi-vaccine such as the ones given in
areas where a ferret CDV is not available and CPV (canine Parvo) is
included in the CDV) has been thought to cause the building of ADV
antibodies.  My question is if this is possible (it currently has not
been demonstrated in lab conditions) and if ferrets can pass antibodies.
 
Marshall Bloom, MD has been studying ADV in mink for years.  He is, in
fact, helped create the CEP test that United is currently using.  He is
considered an expert in his field.  I have been in contact with him for a
year now.  It has always blown my mind that no ferret people have contacted
him regarding testing - or so he tells me.  HE HAS OFFERED TO HELP!  I have
put this forward to the folks on the ADV list as well as the folks that
have arranged the LIFE/AFA fund raising and have heard nothing in response
from them.
 
Lets not point fingers - ADV has been around for years and finger pointing
gets no place.  Lets get this rolling and this "mystery" solved.
 
If you have any questions re: my ferretry and ADV - please ask me directly.
 
Amy Flemming
Flemming Farms
[Posted in FML issue 2953]