In a message dated 7/6/02 3:46:56 AM Central Daylight Time, K Fox writes:
>I think the ADV thing is a serious illness that has been blown out of
>proportion.
 
I would like to respond to this part of the original e-mail.  I know that
many, many people think the same way.  Many of you have not been in on
the early discussions about ADV.
 
First, I believe there have been many more ferrets that have had Aleutian
disease and/or died due to complications related to Aleutian disease than
anyone knows.  If you do a search of the FML archives, it's amazing how
many times people have posted to try to get help with "hind leg paralysis"
or "wasting".  It's true that other diseases/illnesses can cause those
symptoms, but we can't forget that Aleutian disease is one of them.  Also,
those are only 2 of the many symptoms that might appear with Aleutian
disease.  Kidney failure, liver failure, cardiomyopathy...all *could* be
symptoms of ADV, but no one knows because necropsies are not performed or
the lab doesn't know to look for Aleutian disease.  In actuality, the
majority of people do not have necropsies performed on their ferrets.  If
a necropsy is performed, Aleutian disease is not always apparent in a
visual exam.  For example, my Teddy is ADV positive but you would never
know it.  He is a beautiful boy and does not appear to be sick at all.
He has never wasted nor had hind leg paralysis.  He has a healthy weight,
a beautiful coat and, until recently, played and acted like any healthy
ferret.  I took him in when he was found to be ADV positive through
testing that a ferret club offered to all its members.  It's a very good
thing they tested because Teddy was a v-hob that traveled around to
different breeders to bring jills out of estrus.  Luckily, it appears he
was not shedding the virus during this time...but what if he had been?
What if he does shed at some point and was never tested but was still
being used as a v-hob?  This one boy could, potentially, have infected an
entire area of one state.  Since he didn't appear ill and was 3 years old,
I assumed he was one of the ADV positive ferrets that would not become
clinically ill.  Last year, Teddy showed signs of wanting to sleep more
and he licked his lips a lot (a sign of nausea).  A blood test showed his
glucose to be 67.  We assumed he had insulinoma, so had surgery performed.
My vet said she did not see any signs of insulinoma and, in fact, all
of Teddy's organs looked completely normal and healthy.  We sent tissue
samples of all major organs to two different labs.  With one, we listed
a "history of Aleutian disease." On the other, we listed a "history of
nausea." Both lab reports came back exactly the same.  All of Teddy's
organs are infiltrated with lymphocytes and plasmacytes...in other words,
he has Aleutian disease, with antibodies attacking all his organs.  The
first lab said the results were consistent with ADV; the second lab said
"cause unknown." It's very difficult to get a correct diagnosis of
ADV...even if tissue samples are sent to labs.  It is impossible to know
how many ferrets have been ADV positive over the years.  It was a "hidden"
disease until recently.
 
Also, ferrets are transported all over the country now.  The one breeder
that White Russian came from, sold ferrets virtually across country.  Most
of them are/were ADV positive.  Many of them were bred and some of those
offspring were ADV positive and bred.  Shelters sometimes bring ferrets
to shows in faraway states, hoping to adopt them out.  "Ferrets across
America" transported ferrets clear across the country...in one case
from Nevada to Virginia.  These ferrets stayed days or weeks at the
transporters homes.  In one family of ferrets that went to their new
homes from a breeder in this way, many later were found to be ADV
positive ferret, and were ADV positive while they were traveling.
 
White Russian went to shows where *everyone* handled him before I knew he
was ADV positive.  Few precautions were taken back then and the potential
for him infecting hundreds of other ferrets was definitely there...I can
only thank God that it appears he was not shedding the virus at the time.
ALL of Russian's offspring (and there are MANY) are/were ADV positive,
although some breeders outright lied about the offspring of his that they
were breeding.  Those offspring are all over the USA.
 
Dr. Bruce Williams, a well respected pathologist, has predicted an
"Aleutian disease epidemic" within the next 10 years.  Bob Church did a
post on the FML about the possibility of this happening.  (It's VERY
possible - even probable.)  I believe it's here.  I talk to many, many
people who have tested and have ADV positive ferrets but who do not post
that information.  People on the FML can't possible imagine just how
widespread it already is.  PLEASE don't think the danger has been blown
all out of proportion.  We're just seeing the "tip of the iceberg" on
the FML.
 
Judy
Please give to Aleutian Disease research - the ferret you save may be your
own.  http://www.geocities.com/russiansmom/
[Posted in FML issue 3842]