There are NOT dog or cat strains of rabies here (There is a coyote strain
which is much, much less common than other strains) Cats and dogs typically
get some of the ones below (most already tested completely in ferrets):
skunk strain, raccoon strain, fox strain, and the bat strain(s).  (There is
conflict whether there may be one bat strain or up to three closely related
ones, I gather, but CDC so far is happy with looking at one and they've got
more sense than any non-experts including politicians or beaurocrats (sp?)
and pull to make those others listen.) Skunk, raccoon and fox strains have
caused problems being transmitted to humans from pets (as in a dog with
raccoon strain rabies, or a cat with skunk strain rabies) so CDC and
European researchers looked at those, with the bat strain(s) being the
common one(s) seen in humans.  Bats teeth are so small that it may be humans
are especially sensitive to this (these) type(s) since any wounds would be
exceptionally tiny and shallow.  (NOT including O.W.  Macrochiroptera since
not here.) That's why folks get weird about bat rabies in our suit-happy
society.  The bat strain to make politicians or state health departments
realize their tendency to destroy ferrets in question (often to destroy
entire lots of ferrets if one bit or scratched) is folly.  It could also
give animal protection societies ammunition to bring animal abuse suits.  If
bat rabies weren't seen so much in rabid people no one would bother with it.
 
What happens next depends on how the current testing on bat rabies goes.
What results at the end of '97 stands a strong chance of being the last
testing.  It may not be the case, but is tending that way, and we certainly
hope for it.
 
There has been mention of researchers getting rich.  They can't -- don't
make any profit here, and since these types of tests are mundane they will
NOT help any researcher have the articles that garner MacArthur (Mc?)
Fellowships, academic prizes, or even tenure or professorships in schools
with great pressure.  (Before Steve I SOed a MacA.F.  for 3 yrs and got an
earful on what exposures work.) This means that these studies are a
SACRIFICE for the researchers!!!!  At least one of them is doing the work
from the deep conviction that it will save MANY more ferrets than it kills.
 
We support the studies because of the huge number of ferrets which would be
saved by them every year.  We wish there was some way this could be without
ANY ferrets being used, but such is not possible and the techniques have
been refined to keep the ferrets used for each study below the numbers of
ferrets killed in some states during some years.  We respect those who
decide otherwise, but hope that they give facts, rather than inaccurate
assumptions.  We aren't cold people.  Some of you know of times we have
helped ferrets over the years -- even before the FML, that we do without
frivolities or even a big enough home for our books and family partly to
give enough to shelters/health research for ferrets, that we were the first
to try chemo for a ferret (Helix at the AMC about 10 YBP), that we wrapped
our lives around Meltdown and Ruffle last year and early this, or that we
cancelled our first vacation in many years in May to be here for Spot during
his ECE problems.  We happen to think that the studies will save too many
ferrets to ignore them -- not a light decision but made carefully.
[Posted in FML issue 1964]