A strain of the H5N1 Bird Flu is now in the U.S.  BUT IT IS ***NOT***
ONE OF THE HIGHLY PATHOGENIC STRAINS.  It is the same low pathogenic
strain found earlier in Canada.  It was found in mute swans in Michigan.
 
There is a mutation risk with this strain, too, though, so it could
become worse later, and later we may also see the worse strains making
it in, esp. through water fowl.
 
It would pay to exercise similar precautions at this time as are used
to prevent West Nile exposure, except remember that ferrets can also
get avian influenza types so perhaps add some precautions if you have
ferrets you take outside, especially in areas with water fowl.
 
Ferret people in Europe will already be using precautions in many areas.
In such locations people are advised to keep all pet birds, ferrets,
cats, and dogs indoors only.
 
I do not know if the low pathogenic strains of H5N1 can be gotten by cats
and dogs as well as ferrets and some wild feline and mustelid species,
but the highly pathogenic strains can.
 
See:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/08/14/bird.flu.ap/index.html
 
Please, advise ferret club members that precautions may be warranted
but panic is not at all warranted at this time.
 
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my
private posts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love
them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5335]