"Thank you" to all who have responded to my post. Before I replied to Mr.
Johnson regarding the Kill and Test policy in Michigan, I wanted to get as
many perspectives as I could. I take this matter very seriously and want to
be armed with as much information as possible. Thanks to Dick Bossart,
again for his clarification on the skunk reference. To those of you who
thought Mr. Johnson's post was "very informative,well thought out, and,
basically, an excellent response to a difficult situation." I must admit
that until I received the wealth of information from Dick B. and had many
long conversations with people who have been involved with this for years, I
probably would have thought the same way.
The confusion revolves around the fact that there are two very distinct
aspects to the Kill and Test Policy in Michigan and other states. In order
of PRIORITY:
1. RISK ASSESSMENT. Mr. (sorry I can't bring myself to call him Dr.)
Johnson stated: "Rabies consultations are always based on an assessment of
risk." If this were true, we would have little to be concerned with.
Ferrets that are vaccinated with no exposure to the outdoors, and, more
importantly, NO EXPOSURE TO ANOTHER RABID ANIMAL, are NO RISK!!!! - end of
situation. This is the real issue that we are trying to deal with. While
Mr. Johnson, out of one side of his mouth, is advocating risk assessment,
out of the other side he is ordering that "... When a ferret bites a person,
we advise that the animal be immediately euthanized and tested for rabies,
regardless of its rabies vaccination status. ..." - excerpt from official
MDPH policy statement obtained from Oakland County Animal Control.
Dr. Charles Rupprecht (head of rabies section - U.S.Center of Disease
Control - CDC) personally told me that in a ferret bite situation he advises
risk assessment as the course of action. That means that when a ferret bite
is reported, an investigation must be initiated to determine if there is any
risk that the ferret contracted the disease. A risk assessment is performed
on gerbils, rabbits, hamsters, livestock etc. Why is a ferret assumed to be
born with the rabies disease?????? The irony of the situation is that all
of the studies performed on the domestic ferret and its closest relatives
(NOT THE SKUNK!!!) show that it is harder for ferrets to contract the
disease and that the ferret dies before the virus is shed in the saliva.
The reason that herbivores are given this special dispensation is because
they would not eat a rabid carcass that they encountered. (With tongue in
cheek) We all know that ferrets are so much maintenance that ferret
households are littered with rabid animal carcasses - maybe we should do a
better job of housekeeping. For those of you who did not get a chance to
read the message I sent which started all of this, I asked this question of
the department: "... Why does Dr. Stobierski feel that ferrets are such a
risk to public health that "When a ferret bites a person, we advise that the
animal be immediately euthanized and tested for rabies, regardless of its
rabies vaccination status"? In all of recorder history, there has never
been a case of a human contracting rabies from a ferret. In the period from
1989 to 1994, there were 43,038 reported cases of rabies in (USA) animals.
Of that, 928 were dogs, 1425 were cats, 966 were cattle, 259 were horses and
mules, 70 were sheep and goats, 8 were swine and 4 were ferrets."
He responded with some rhetoric about a Michigan incident in 1985 in
Ontonogon county. As near as we can establish, that "INCIDENT" was in 1958
and involved a ferret that was vaccine induced through injection. This
leads to the SECOND ISSUE.
2. In the event that the extremely small percentage of ferret bite
incidents are deemed, through risk assessment, to need further measures
(i.e. a ferret bites someone AND a rabid bat shows up dead on the carpet)
NOW we need to talk quarantine! - and the debate continues. Remember I
asked that we also contribute to these studies but they are a red herring.
If your state's department of public health were performing a risk
assessment, only a small % would have a need for a quarantine. I am not
trying to appear cavalier. I have heard of the pain associated with the
rabies treatment and if I found a rabid bat on my carpet I would be pretty
scared, myself. BUT please understand, then and only then do we need a
quarantine period established. It is not very likely to effect many of us.
Please do not take this as any type of flame. I asked for comments and I
got them. I only request that you act based upon knowledge instead of
emotion. That is exactly why I posted Johnson's reply. I want to make sure
that my response is as informed as possible. Also please be considerate of
this; if you respond to any of these policy makers in a way that damages our
credibility or cause (complimenting Mr. Johnson on his position, for
example) you run the risk of your state's health department using Michigan
as an example!
In Michigan, if a kit in a pet store nips OR SCRATCHES a child and it is
reported... every ferret in the cage is destroyed.
I hope that I haven't come off sounding negative. I love this list. I have
told a few of you that I think FML is an abbreviation for family! I also
believe that it is a very powerful force. With any type of power we have to
be careful how we use it. I can relate to the "knee-jerk reaction" to focus
on a quarantine because that is exactly how I thought before I looked "under
the covers". I hope this helps to clarify the matter.
Our prayers to both owners and ferrets who are sick or over the rainbow
bridge.
Dave & Deb
Weazer, L.S., & White Fang
& 2CATZ
PS We were at a show manning the GLFA booth and were approached by 3
people to rescue a total of 4 ferrets. We are picking one up tonight. -
ferret math! (and I majored in math)
[Posted in FML issue 1613]
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