Bad wording: chimps are good hunters but meat is rare and incidental.
Chimps and humans do NOT have the slicing teeth that are indicative
of large amounts of meat eating.  What I was referring to in the
generalizing that can't be done is that folks can't generalize to say
that many apes eat meat just because male chimps are good hunters who
have on and off meat components in their diets.  (It's hard to catch meat
by hand, so good hunters but small amounts.) Naw, I never word things
badly (especially when I am rushed of have asthma -- in this case mostly
rushed. ;-)
 
Ferrets still do have the slicing surfaces on some premolars and molars
that speak of a strong history as a serious carnivore, and do lack
grinding surfaces.
 
So, anyway, from my random ramblings over the years of the FML you know
what sort of academic things I strongly want to do again and can guess
some related things I want to learn -- but next time on a volunteer basis
for the work in the distant future when we can retire to a university
town.  (Boy, do we ever want a university town...) No matter how I try,
away from a university I do not have access to enough references, given
how curious I tend to be.  As folks know, Steve is at least as curious as
I am.
 
>Perhaps it is not a coincidence that the non-standard markings
>(polecat markings or albinos) were then seen inn greater numbers
>from the fur fitch stock
 
Sigh, I meant to have " NOT polecat markings of albinos".  Missed a word
that happened to be essential.  Gee, I'd never do that... :-)  (Hey, I
know that I am only human, at least so it is frustrating but not
ground shaking for me when that shows.  So, painless apologies for any
confusion.  All that i can say is that I make mistakes like anyone else
does.)
 
>That assumption existed in the Netherlands, too, with those whose
>ferrets got it thinking that they had unusual ferrets until it was
>actually studied, and -- surprise -- there it was and it was not
>unusual!
 
And the award for most confusing sentence...
 
The assumption HAD existed in the Netherlands that adrenal disease was
rare.  Folks who had ferrets develop adrenal disease thought that they
had unusual ferrets.  Then a study was done and not only was it present
but it wasn't really uncommon.
 
My schedule recently has been so strange and so jam-packed that I found
myself scrubbing our kitchen floor at 1 a.m. today.  Yes, I know that
other parts were not written well, but there is only so much room in a
post and time in a day and a night...
 
I found myself wondering if in France they separate imported American
mink and ferrets enough, or don't let ferret fur stock be sold as pets,
or don't have any ferrets kept as fur stock, or perhaps don't allow
American mink, and if maybe they have better precautions to prevent
animal-rights folks from freeing fur stock or farmers releasing them
since those are routes which take ADV into the wild.  It is also
possible, as was suggested by Paul that agricultural vets might be more
familiar with the disease.  I thought that was an excellent point.
 
Pesticides:
http://www.smartgroups.com/vault/ferrethealth/common_parasites.txt
[Posted in FML issue 3942]