>I want to know how long Sam has known about the ferrets she brought to the
>US were positive.  Wasn't most of these ferrets not spayed and neutered?
>Didn't lots of them get mated here and had babies and they were sold to
>lots of people all over the US.  Did any of them get tested for Alutians
>and do the people that bought the baby's know they might have Alutians?
>Didn't Sam come here in the summer and bring ferrets lots of times?  Thats
>really scary that there could be lots of Alutians here in the US and
>people who bought the ferrets might not even know.  Did Sam tell each
>person she sold ferrets to that they might be sick?  Or did she just post
>it to the FML thinking people will read it there.  I am scared for these
>poor ferrets who did nothing wrong and now might die.  Also I think Sam
>should be more worried about the Alutians that she caused here in the US
>and not so concerned with her wedding plans, like she thinks its not
>important.
>[DR]
 
I think your concerns are warranted, but the last line is uncalled for.
This is a wake up call for everyone to understand that ADV is around.
Don't assume you will never see it, or that you live in an area where it
isn't seen.  This is one example, how many other ADV (+) ferrets are out
there, from other sources and not even tested?.  How did you think it has
spread this far?  No one is purposedly spreading it, and there are many
many areas where the vets, let alone the people don't even know about it.
 
Working together to find a treatment, or more likely a vaccine is what is
important here, and recognizing that any ferret could be exposed, so
testing of ferrets that are being bred, is probably a good idea.
 
Why don't you donate some money to ADV research, and educate others about
ADV,  instead of pointing fingers?
 
Patty
[Posted in FML issue 3331]