RE:  good litter/under cage stuff - Fara Shimbo of FURO has been
pushing using Rabbit pellets that you can (supposedly) get
cheaply from feed stores.  I've been meaning to try it, but
I'm not sure where to get it around here.  Apparently the
dust from clay litter is a carcinogen, which is upsetting since
I've used clay litter most of their lives.
 
RE:  reasearch on viruses causing cancer - Here's the info. on
the MIT researchers that were mentioned in the last issue:
 
MIT-Div. of Comparative Med.
Dr. James Fox
and Dr. Susan Erdman
37 Vassar St. Bldg. 45
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-253-1722
FAX:  617-258-5708
 
In the May/June issue of the Weasel Help Monthly, there is a copy of
a Lymphoma survey questionaire that Dr. Erdman is doing.  Any of you
with 8 or more ferrets should fill this out:
 
-------this is a direct copy-------
 
Lymphoma Survey Questionaire
 
If you have a household that contains 8 or more ferrets, please
consider filling out this questionaire.  Dr. Erdman needs statistical
information in order to study the characteristics of malignant
lymphoma in the ferret.  She needs information from households that
contain ferrets that have been diagnosed with lymphoma and ALSO from
households that have NEVER had any ferrets with lymphoma.  Please
work with your veterinarian to obtain the information and have him/her
call Dr. Erdman directly for more information on what tests can be
done inexpensively or free of charge through her project.  Thanks
so much for helping!
 
Name________________________________
 
Address_______________________________________
 
       _______________________________________
 
Your phone and/or FAX number(s) _______________________________________
 
Name and address of your veterinarian _________________________________
 
_______________________________________________________________________
 
Phone (and FAX number if known) of your veterinarian __________________
 
Number of ferrets in household _________
 
List other pets in household __________________________________________
 
List ferrets currently in houshold:  (if ferret has two blue dots tattooed
in right ear please circle Y under tattoo column - put approximate birth
year if exact date is not known)
 
   Name         Birth Date      Sex     Source & Date aquired   Tattoo?
 
1._____________________________________________________________   Y/N
 
[note:  for space's sake I'm only typing one line - duplicate for
additional ferrets - NH]
 
Please provide a *brief* description of how ferrets are housed, i.e. all
together, in seperate groups, who is caged together, etc.
 
________________________________________________________________________
 
________________________________________________________________________
 
________________________________________________________________________
 
Please list any ferrets that have been diagnosed with lymphoma either
living now or since deceased in your household.
 
Attach copies of:
        1. All thier medical records
        2. The pathology report that diagnosed the lymphoma (please
           include the name and address of the pathology service)
        3. Other laboratory reports such as complete blood cell counts,
           X-ray reports (you do not need to send the X-rays), etc.
        4. Post mortem report if the pet is now deceased
 
1. _____________________________   2. __________________________
 
3. _____________________________   4. __________________________
 
5. _____________________________   6. __________________________
 
Please sign this release statement which allows Dr. Erdman to use
information on your pets in her research project.
 
I hereby release this medical information on my pet ferrets to be used
in whatever manner deemed necessary by Dr. Susan Erdman in her
research project.
 
Name ___________________________________   Date __________________
 
Please send the completed form and attached papers to:
 
Susan Erdman, D.V.M.
Division of Comparative Medicine
M.I.T.
Building 45
37 Vassar St.
Cambridge, MA  02139
Phone:  617-253-1722
FAX (faster!):  617-258-5708
 
If you have any questions about her research, or how this information
will be used, please call or FAX her at the above address.  She works
in two facilities, and FAXing is frequently the faster way to
communicate!
 
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
 
--------- end typed in survey ----------
 
 
- Nancy
 
Nancy Hartman       Internet - [log in to unmask]        GEnie - n.hartman4
President, Delaware Valley Ferret Club | CIS Grad Student, U. of Delaware
      ***  Caregiver to Percy, Bree, & Popcorn, the ferrets  ***
  "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals" - Kant
 
[Posted in FML issue 0527]