At first it looked like the very idea that the FHL members would know
about their errors was enough to get this highly erroneous Mizzou page
removed, but they did not keep their promise to remove it. We NEED to
get this page off-line until they correct it because it has multiple
errors and very outdated information (some of which was already years
out of date when the page was first written) that could kill ferrets.

Please, politely urge them to take down their rabies section in
relation to ferrets as they promised a week ago to prevent needless
ferret deaths until they can rewrite the ferret section. Write to
their general address (for now): [log in to unmask]

Here is what I wrote to some friends on the 22nd when it looked like
success had occurred:

>Would you like to see how powerful the FML can be?
>
>Bill will be pulling my posts. This place had kept up info that is
>dangerous to ferrets despite several tries of mine to several people
>to get improvements.
>
>This time I copied to the FML and they JUMPED.  So, my posts don't
>even need to appear.  ust the very idea that it could appear made all
>the difference.
>
>If the page does not come down THEN I will repost to the FML including
>that they had promised to remove this info that endangers ferrets.

The person who wrote to me saying that the page would be removed was
Dr. Cynthia Besch Willford, who in her letter included:

>Thank you for your informative email. We are in the process of
>updating this portion of the web-based resource. We initially planned
>to make the web site unavailable during the update, but we had
>requests to keep it active because of the rodent information. Since we
>have not yet finished our ferret updating and the status of the ferret
>information is of concern to you, I have requested that our programmer
>make the site unavailable until all updates are finished.

This is the letter to which she responded:

> From: Sukie Crandall
> Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 9:34 AM
> To: Radil; [log in to unmask]
> Subject: You need to incorporate this data promptly, please
>          (References and contact info included.)
>
> To:  [log in to unmask]
>
> Despite an earlier heads up, in
> http://www.radil.missouri.edu/info/dora/FERRPAGE/zoon.html
>
> you still say:
>
>>Ferrets are susceptible to rabies virus, but the latency or duration
>>of spontaneous infection is unknown.  Rabies has been diagnosed in
>>6 ferrets since 1980, and in one case the ferret might have been
>>vaccinated with a modified live rabies vaccine.  Another case of
>>ferret rabies was diagnosed in a ferret with no history of
>>vaccination or exposure to a wild carnivore.  There are now several
>>USDA-approved killed vaccine products for use in ferrets: Imrab3,
>>Rhone Merieux, Inc. and Prorab 1, Intervet.  The dose and schedule
>>for ferret vaccination is the same as that for cats, and the vaccine
>>is effective in protecting ferrets from live virus challenge. 
>>However, the Public Health Service, through the CDC, currently
>>recommends that vaccinated ferrets that bite a human should be
>>euthanatized for rabies examination. The 10-day postbite quarantine
>>is not known to be adequate for ferrets, and cannot be used as a
>>standard until enough clinical data is collected from vaccinated
>>ferrets.  When faced with such a bite case, it may be best to contact
>>the state public health official for the latest recommendations. 
>>Decreasing the risk of exposure to wild carnivores markedly decreases
>>the chance of ferrets contracting the disease.  There are other
>>conditions that can cause central nervous system diseases in ferrets,
>>particularly canine distemper virus infection.  If there is any doubt
>>as to the progression of a CNS disorder in a ferret, the affected
>>ferret should be isolated and or euthanatized so the brain can be
>>submitted for laboratory examination of rabies virus infection.
>>
>>Public Health Significance: The concern of humans contracting rabies
>>from unvaccinated pet ferrets is one of the major issues that
>>precipitated the passage of laws and ordinances preventing private
>>ownership of ferrets in many cities and states.

>Notice that your page has errors and parts were 5 years out of date
>when written.
>
>*****Notice also that those types of errors can needless result in the
>ferret deaths.*****
>
>Although other vaccines were tested (and two others that were tested
>worked, but one for less than a year and one with a high rate of nasty
>side effects) there is ONE approved rabies vaccine for ferrets: IMRAB
>3, which was approved in 1990. It lasts for at least a year and has
>an incredibly low rate of side effects.
>
>Notice, too, that by late 1997 the CDC had completed enough tests 
>on various strains of rabies in ferrets that it recommended to the
>National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (which
>agreed) that ferrets be included with dogs and cats in having the same
>protections in the _Compendium for Rabies Control and Prevention_, the
>guideline used by every state.
>
>Here is information from some up to date references, including the CDC
>and the NASPHV:
> http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/professional/professi.htm
>CDC Q&A on ferrets, dogs, and cats in relation to rabies:
> http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/Ques&Ans/q&a.htm
>National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians: the latest
>Compendium of Animal Rabies Control and Prevention is in documents:
> http://www.nasphv.org
>The rabies section here has useful data:
> http://www-micro.msb.le.ac.uk/3035/bushmeat/bush4.html
>
>You can also contact Dr. Charles Rupprecht of the CDC and his team
>directly or by writing to [log in to unmask] though the CDC recommends
>that people can learn from existing resources such as this comment
>on their Q&A page:
>For information on rabies in domestic ferrets, see: Niezgoda, M.,
>Briggs, D. J., Shaddock, J., Dreesen, D. W., & Rupprecht, C. E.
>(1997).  Pathogenesis of experimentally induced rabies in domestic
>ferrets.  American Journal of Veterinary Research, 58(11), 1327-1331.
>
> Here is some info from the CDC:
>
>>1. Q: How can I protect my pet from rabies?
>>
>>A: There are several things you can do to protect your pet from
>>rabies.
>>First, visit your veterinarian with your pet on a regular basis and
>>keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all cats, ferrets, and dogs.
>>Second, maintain control of your pets by keeping cats and ferrets
>>indoors and keeping dogs under direct supervision.
>>Third, spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted
>>pets that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated regularly.
>>Lastly, call animal control to remove all stray animals from your
>>neighborhood since these animals may be unvaccinated or ill.

>>3. Q: What happens if a neighborhood dog or cat bites me?
>>
>>A: You should seek medical evaluation for any animal bite. However,
>>rabies is uncommon in dogs, cats, and ferrets in the United States.
>>Very few bites by these animals carry a risk of rabies. If the cat
>>(or dog or ferret) appeared healthy at the time you were bitten,
>>it can be confined by its owner for 10 days and observed. No anti-
>>rabies prophylaxis is needed. No person in the United States has ever
>>contracted rabies from a dog, cat or ferret held in quarantine for 10
>>days.
>>
>>If a dog, cat, or ferret appeared ill at the time it bit you or
>>becomes ill during the 10 day quarantine, it should be evaluated by a
>>veterinarian for signs of rabies and you should seek medical advice
>>about the need for anti-rabies prophylaxis.

> ...
>
>
>>4. Q: What happens if my pet (cat, dog, ferret) is bitten by a wild
>>animal?
>>
>>A: Any animal bitten or scratched by either a wild, carnivorous
>>mammal or a bat that is not available for testing should be regarded
>>as having been exposed to rabies. Unvaccinated dogs, cats, and
>>ferrets exposed to a rabid animal should be euthanized immediately.
>>If the owner is unwilling to have this done, the animal should be
>>placed in strict isolation for 6 months and vaccinated 1 month
>>before being released. Animals with expired vaccinations need to be
>>evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Dogs and cats that are currently
>>vaccinated are kept under observation for 45 days.
>>
>>For information on rabies in domestic ferrets, see: Niezgoda, M.,
>>Briggs, D. J., Shaddock, J., Dreesen, D. W., & Rupprecht, C. E.
>>(1997).  Pathogenesis of experimentally induced rabies in domestic
>>ferrets.  American Journal of Veterinary Research, 58(11), 1327-1331.

>In
> http://www.nasphv.org/Documents/RabiesCompendium.pdf
>notice:
>The compendium is preceded by a memorandum on current rabies work that
>is on-going (a milk study, problems with horses being assumed to have
>West Nile instead of being tested for rabies, etc.).  On page 2 of the
>compendium itself:
>
>> a)  DOGS, CATS, AND FERRETS
>>
>>All dogs, cats, and ferrets should be vaccinated against rabies and
>>revaccinated in accordance with Part III of this compendium. If a
>>previously vaccinated animal is overdue for a booster, it should be
>>revaccinated. Immediately following the booster, the animal is
>>considered currently vaccinated and should be placed on a schedule
>>depending on the labeled duration of the vaccine used.
>
> on page 4:
>
>>5. POSTEXPOSURE MANAGEMENT: This section refers to any animal exposed
>>(see Part I.A.1.) to a confirmed or suspected rabid animal.  Wild,
>>mammalian carnivores or bats that are not available for testing  
>>should be regarded as rabid animals.
>>
>>(a) DOGS, CATS, AND FERRETS. Unvaccinated dogs, cats, and ferrets
>>exposed to a rabid animal should be euthanized immediately. If the
>>owner is unwilling to have this done, the animal should be placed in
>>strict isolation for 6 months. Rabies vaccine should be administered
>>upon entry into isolation or 1 month prior to release to comply with
>>preexposure vaccination recommendations (see Part I.B.1.a.). There
>>are currently no USDA licensed biologics for postexposure prophylaxis
>>of previously unvaccinated domestic animals, and there is evidence
>>that the use of vaccine alone will not reliably prevent the disease
>>in these animals (20). Animals with expired vaccinations need to be
>>evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Dogs, cats, and ferrets that are
>>currently vaccinated should be revaccinated immediately, kept under
>>the owner's control, and observed for 45 days. Any illness in an
>>isolated or confined animal should be reported immediately to the
>>local health department. If signs suggestive of rabies develop, the
>>animal should be euthanized and the head shipped for testing as
>>described in Part I.A.8.
>
> on page 5:
>
>> 6. MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS THAT BITE HUMANS:
>>
>>(a) DOGS, CATS, AND FERRETS. Rabies virus may be excreted in the
>>saliva of infected dogs, cats, and ferrets during illness and/or for
>>only a few days prior to illness or death (23-25). A healthy dog,
>>cat, or ferret that bites a person should be confined and observed
>>daily for 10 days (26); administration of rabies vaccine to the
>>animal is not recommended during the observation period to avoid
>>confusing signs of rabies with possible side effects of vaccine
>>administration. Such animals should be evaluated by a veterinarian
>>at the first sign of illness during confinement. Any illness in the
>>animal should be reported immediately to the local health department.
>>If signs suggestive of rabies develop, the animal should be
>>euthanized and the head shipped for testing as described in Part
>>I.A.8. Any stray or unwanted dog, cat, or ferret that bites a person
>>may be euthanized immediately and the head submitted for rabies
>>examination.
>>
>>(b) OTHER BITING ANIMALS. Other biting animals which might have
>>exposed a person to rabies should be reported immediately to the
>>local health department. Management of animals other than dogs, cats,
>>and ferrets depends on the species, the circumstances of the bite,
>>the epidemiology of rabies in the area, the biting animal's history,
>>current health status, and potential for exposure to rabies. Prior
>>vaccination of these animals may not preclude the necessity for
>>euthanasia and testing.
>
> and you will find the approved rabies vaccines in part III
>
>Although I have included your site in my list of resources for other
>reasons I will have to remove it if such serious mistakes, posing such
>a high level of threat to the lives of ferrets are not promptly
>corrected.
>
>In the recommended zoonotics page from a UK university notice:
>
>>Rabies can be acquired from a number of different carnivorous animals
>>that include dogs, cats, ferret, raccoons, and bats (Morrison 2001,
>>Rupprecht et al. 2002, WHO Rabies 2001, and Weber et al. 2001). For
>>the purpose of this project it is important to note that it can be
>>acquired from ferrets which are a common exotic pet. In the USA five
>>to seven million ferrets are kept as pets but there are no recorded
>>cases of rabies acquisition from ferrets (Morrison 2001 and Weber
>>2001).

Sukie (not a vet)
Current FHL address:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5561]