>Testing needs to be done at the ferret farms, and on the ferrets used
>for breeding purposes.  Most of the tests we have commercially available
>are not accurate on very young kits.  Kits generally need to be between
>4 to 6 months of age before you can rely on a test result being accurate.
>This is because the commercially available tests are all antibody tests,
>and it takes the kits' bodies a while to build up sufficient antibody
>levels for them to be detected by the tests.
 
To my knowledge this is incorrect.  I believe the Avecon ELISA test
looks for recombinant protein produced as the antibodies are formed.
I was told the test would work as early as 6 weeks.  I have found the
ALISA test picks up Aleutian Disease much earlier than the CIEP test.
It may be worth checking this with Dr Stephon at Avecon.
 
Chris.
 
Wessex Ferret Club  (http://www.wessexferretclub.co.uk)
[Posted in FML issue 4909]