I think it is logical to not have ferrets who pose an unknown transmission
risk at shows when they have known to possibly have been exposed to a
serious illness with an infectious aspect within a given time-frame. I
also find it very commendable that the shelter people were up-front enough
that they truthfully let everyone know about the exposures. It may be
that later evidence will confirm some of the more reassuring data which I
mentioned yesterday, but till then this policy makes perfect sense in
relation to any illness and high exposure risks. In smaller setting the
other factors right now should play a larger role than in a place with so
very many ferrets -- some of whom will be very young, or very old. Had
such a show policy been in place when ECE first appeared ECE's spread might
have been curtailed. I don't think that what is known about Aleutian right
now warrants a full-scale panic but it means people should try to be
informed and be logical. There's no reason to be angry at people on either
side who are placing the ferrets first -- it's the jerks who don't care
enough to be honest about exposures, or to set rules to protect others who
are the problem. The primary people on either side of this equation
obviously do NOT fit in the "jerk" category. I have often over the years
heard the breeder and shelter, and the show organizers involved who I know
say marvelous things about each other. The problem isn't the people --
it's the disease and the mistakes of the folks who first passed it along.
I'm betting that after testing in 6 months or so without active cases
present they will be verified as clean and all will be back to normal --
like getting back to normal after 3/4 to a year after ECE. We avoided
show, pet stores, other ferret wonder, etc. like the plague when we had
ECE here and for a year afterward to prevent spreading it.
This reminds me that I have to tackle some stuff for Julie -- life has been
so complicated recently. Sorry, Julie.
We had two who needed to have their own privacy over the years; both had
extenuating circumstances. One was a retired breeder who'd had an eye
bitten through during mounting, and the other was clinically retarded and
had multiple soft and boney tissue deformities.
The AD article on the website was a bit difficult to read just from the
width requiring me to go back and forth; at least it wasn't small print.
Sometimes I can't even answer letters when folks use small print because I
can't read them. For ease of reading had to copy the text on to a writing
program and then print it to read form that rather than scroll back and
forth on each line. Oh, well, will be able to read it now. Noticed
something over which the vet who wrote it probably bangs himself on the
head in my skimming -- raccoons are procyonids, NOT mustelids unless
there's been a BIG change of which I'm not aware. Love getting articles
like this. Thanks so much for finding it, Mary!
>Bill takes a lot of time, and gets a lot of grief by handling the job of
>moderator. Besides, he is a lot cuter too. ;-)
That can be confirmed. Bill has great hair -- black curls. Getting Bill
to accept compliments is like getting Steve to accept them, though -- very,
very difficult. But then again, Bob has that wonderful thumbs-up cast.
Hmmm, but Bruce has Connor and he's adorable. Naw, Charlie Weiss has a
baby AND a tiny youngster -- wins hands-down on the "cute" scale. How
about Debbie Kemmerer or Karen Purcell for "Woman of the Year"? Sound
good? Perhaps easier than the male end of the equation?
An early holiday wish to all the straight women and gay men on the list:
May all your problems be modest men. (Isn't that a grand thing to wish
for?)
>Ever notice how all of women's problems start with men? .....and when we
>have real trouble, it's HISterectomy
>[Moderator's note: Need I point out words such as "herpes"? BIG]
I laughed out loud till I snorted and got red in the face.
Sukie
[Posted in FML issue 2867]
|
