I did not want to post while in a temper so I waited.  I now want to reply
to the Killians quote:
 
[log in to unmask] wrote:
>>And last, in this day and age why would any group have a group playpen
>>for everyone to let ferrets interact with other's ferrets?
 
[log in to unmask] replied:
>This is a statement exactly in line with the politics of destruction from
>the AFA/LIFE ADV witch hunters.  Attack Warm Fuzzy and over play the
>disease aspect of rival shows.
 
I do not know what has passed between the Killians and other people from
the various ferret organizations.  To be honest, I couldn't care less.
This post has nothing to do with politics.  Politics be damned when it
comes to the health and safety of the ferrets.
 
In the last 6 months to a year, there have been lectures and posts from a
number of respected ferret experts, including our own Dr. Williams and the
inestimable Bob Church, regarding Aleutians Disease or ADV.  I believe it
was Dr. Williams (please correct me if I am wrong, sir) who called ADV the
next ferret plague.  There are few specifics known about this disease but
it is known that it is communicable.  Until such time as we have research
results showing forms of transmission, incubation period, and even
viability of infected matter on porous and non-porous surfaces, I believe
that the original poster had a very valid question.
 
ADV aside, there is still ECE to be concerned about.  There IS medical
proof of the communicability of this disease and it shows that even casual
contact between ferrets, or even between ferret owners and other ferrets,
is enough for cross-transmission.  This disease is survivable, but survival
is not guaranteed.  Many ferrets have died and still die of ECE infection.
 
As this was a show, I won't include dangers like ear mites or fleas because
presumably the ferrets were groomed for the show.
 
I consider the Killians' out of hand dismissal of the dangers of ADV, and
ECE, to be a great disservice to the ferret community as a whole and to
the concerns of the original poster in specific.
 
Anastasia Kidd
[Posted in FML issue 3327]