Jaime wrote:  [???]
 
Good question, Jaime.  I live about 35 miles from Chicago, IL.  My ADV
positive ferrets came from Michigan.  The problem, as I see it, is that
my Russian was bred prior to my adopting him and sired several litters of
offspring, which have been shipped pretty much all over the country.  Also,
other ferrets from that breeder (Flemming Farms) apparently were exposed to
the virus while there with White Russian and they've been shipped all over.
Some of them (that tested negative via the CEP test) are being bred and
their offspring are being shipped to different areas.
 
Not everyone has tested, but I know that ADV positive ferrets have been
found in many states.  Shelters in a few areas have found that they have
taken in ferrets that are ADV positive without knowing it.  I agree with
Dr. Rosenthal that there is no "epidemic" at this time, but I DO believe
ADV is more widespread than most people believe.  I also believe we will
be seeing more ADV positive ferrets as more are tested.  A more accurate
test than the current CEP should be available by the end of this year,
thanks to the generosity of the research teams in "donating" their time
and resources.  Once that information is available, it will be posted here
and on various ADV web sites.  I STRONGLY urge EVERYONE to test once a
reliable, inexpensive test is available.  Believe me, I NEVER suspected
that any of my ferrets were ADV positive.  After all, ADV was not thought
to be in Illinois.
 
I would ask that people who have found they have ADV positive ferrets
please post what state they are located in.  I think it would be a big help
to FML readers.  I would, stress, however, that simply because it hasn't
turned up in your area yet, doesn't mean it isn't there.  My ferrets are a
perfect example of this.  The only reason I tested my ferrets is because a
friend of mine that has one of Russian's sons tested all the ferrets in her
shelter...just random testing...and Russian's son tested positive.  I heard
of another of Russian's son's testing positive in a different part of the
country.  When I tested and found that 4 of mine tested positive, with one
testing borderline, I was incredibly dismayed...then angry...that this
disease is still around after 50+ years and so little is known about it.
Symptoms do vary, but certain "flags" should be watched for...wasting and
hind leg paralysis, to name two.  Don't panic if you see those symptoms
since many other diseases also can cause them, but either symptom should be
seen as a definite time to test if no other cause is found for them.  While
Dr. Rosenthal's article was very good in many respects, I disagree with
some of it, having lived now with ADV for 8 months and having corresponded
with people all over the US with ADV positive ferrets.  I would also like
to say that Dr. Rosenthal wrote that article BEFORE Dr. Stephon, who she
is working with, got samples from my ferrets.  Up to that point, I believe
most vets (as well as lay people) believed the CEP test was putting out
many false positives and that the true positives simply were ferrets that
carried the antibodies.  I think the situation has changed since my ferrets
actually have the virus, as does one of Russian's sons in another state.
There are 3 ADV positive shelters that I know of, but there may be more.
It's crucial that ferrets be tested and ADV positive ferrets be isolated
from others.
 
If anyone is interested, I could address what symptoms I initially saw in
future posts.  Some of those symptoms would not in any way have raised a
flag that these ferrets had AD.  Thanks so much for your interest!
 
Judy
[Posted in FML issue 3172]