>I am seeking medical information on the infection Patcherella.  I am sure
>I am misspelling this.  I have a ferret that I am attending with this.
 
Do you mean the bacterium "Pasteurella"?  Ask Ferret Health List in
Yahoogroups http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list/
if you haven't already.  I've never heard of a ferret contracting illness
from that one, nor is it in the indices of the ferret vet texts that i
have at home.  (Not a vet, but we all have to learn...)
 
>I am new to ferret and this list.  On Jan 20 I bought Ms Molli.  She is
>the sweetest little ferrret.  I had her outside tonight and the neighbor
>said, you have to be really careful because they carry ecoli.  Can anyone
>tell me if this is true.  I need to know because I have a Lic Daycare.
 
If you check the archives of the FML (See notes in the header of each
daily FML on how to do this.), and use the search engine at the FHL (Addy
given above, and remember that it searches in chunks so you WILL need
to hit "next" a good bit.) you will find that it likely is a different
subspecies of E. coli without cross-over.  I'm NOT completely sure but
that is what i recall, so look at the vets' posts on it.  Why not also
ask your neighbor for the ref on which she has based that statement, too,
for comparison, once you find the statements?  Again -- don't take my word
on this since I am not sure if I recollect this accurately, but DO check
the things the experts wrote on the topic.
 
>Please we urge you to have your ferrets tested for ADV using Avecon's
>blood test.
 
Actually, saliva tests are good for a first run and cheap.  Blood tests
are often less prone to accidently introduced error, but there are some
VERY IMPORTANT points that vets and others have brought up: the THINGS
and the WAY that the various tests measure DIFFER.  Also, do remember
that some the hypotheses behind some testing procedures are new enough
that there really no firm measure of accuracy, yet, but projected ones.
Therefore, when re-checking it is best to not use a "different" test that
actually is also based upon the same hypothesis; instead use one that is
completely different -- different hypothesis and different lab.  Here are
places where you get such information (and all are very affordable):
 
http://www.ferret-universe.com/health/adv,html#test
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list/files/unitedceptest.pdf
http://www.avecon.com
 
Here is a repeat of part of something from vet, Bruce Williams that
appeared on Tuesday, the 12th of this month:
 
>We know that there are two systems commercially available for
>serology - the Avecon ELISA test and the CIEP tests (available
>through United Vaccines.)  The two tests utilize different
>technologies, and test for slightly different antibodies.
 
>To confirm a positive test, it is important to utilize the OTHER
>system, so that both tests are eventually run.  Independent
>confirmation is key to believable results.
 
To Bill Gruber: BRAVO!
 
Shelters and vets (first in one file, second in two (in vet file and
shelter file):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list/files/ .
[Posted in FML issue 3694]