The amount differs according to which vet is speaking but usually 12 to
14 hours of complete darkness available in each 24 hour period gets
mentioned, when disease is present and melatonin is not being given then
the longer typically is mentioned.  There is a lot of info on melatonin
in the FHL archives, with URLs of study abstracts; it turns out that a
lot of research is taking place and it is proving to have more uses in
the body that thought.  There are uses by the heart, by the marrow, to
reduce malignancies, etc.  Malignancy research is on blood and lymph
malignancies, too, not just on tumor types.  There is no such thing as
a miracle healing substance, food, treatment, supplement, etc.  but it
does increasingly look like we are not doing our critters or ourselves
(not to mention astronomy viewing) a lot of good with all of the lighting
we humans use.
 
If a light absolutely must be on then use a cover and bedding that is
safe and keep temps at safe levels for covered ferrets.  Sack beds for
example, can be great ways to keep out light, especially in conjunction
with covers.
 
Simian Foamy Virus: I didn't keep the recent URL, but will send you a
pdf if I kept the article.  Meanwhile I will search again.  Here are
old ones:
 
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/01/briefing/3817b1_11_nakhasi.htm
http://cmr.asm.org/cgi/content/full/14/1/165
 
Here we go!  No need for me to send you a pdf because this is where I
found it the other day:
http://www-micro.msb.le.ac.uk/3035/bushmeat/bush4.html
 
It looks like there are a number of hits when this is searched on in
Google, so you can find more there.  Note in the bushmeat zoonoses
reference that while some of the diseases require actual tissue
consumption to be caught by humans not all do.  BTW, the amount of
bushmeat confiscated by Customs while being illegally imported into
the U.S. would absolutely shock most people; it is enormous.
 
You are right, Lin, that I will have to read those more tightly.  I
was rapidly skimming that part and should have been more careful with
the way I worded it since I obviously misread.
 
>Simian Foamy Virus (SFV) belongs to the Retroviridae.  Foamy viruses
>(FV) have been speculated as being a cause of a plethora of disease,
>which include multiple sclerosis, Graves disease and Myasthenia Gravis..
 
Tony Sullivan wrote:
 
>It is not only on FML that people are afraid to ask questions but also
>on the FHL, as for me my posting on the FHL have been kept to a minimum
>and yet in a private e-mail's Ms Crandall accused me of trying to cause
>trouble on that board with my posting, yet when I asked for proof none
>has been forthcoming and I am still waiting for a Reply from Ms Crandall
>on the subject.
 
My reply: HUH?!?  That is the first I have heard of this, and no, I did
not accuse you of trying to cause trouble on the FHL.  Who told you an
awful thing like that?  (Don't say the name publicly because the FML is
already hurting enough, but if you want to you can tell me privately,
though I can't do anything about it, anyway.)  There certainly are ways
to saying things that we are careful about at the FHL so that they don't
blow up, and that is no secret.  After all, we need to be a comfy place
for vets because then they stay on the FHL and help the members, some
publicly and more privately.  The bottom line is that we exist to help
ferrets and we work our tails off when trying to do so.  If anything, I
am more likely to cut you a break, Tony after you publicly posted about
your medical problems.
 
GROUP: What's with so much "Ask Sukie for help finding references and
then bash her for being only human" garbage recently?  Is there some bet
on to see how long I can put up with up that while I am also doing extra
work? ;-)  A variant on flame baiting?  Oh, well, "kids" will have their
"fun" (obviously, I don't think that it is always kids, though kids at
least have an excuse for not having learned some diplomacy or self
control)... Sorry to disappoint, but it can't work very well because I
know very well that I am only human.  I don't give perfection or anything
else superhuman; I just give time and hard work, the same as anyone else
here can or does.  Since it sounds like I sometimes manage to help
ferrets and their people that is the best I could possibly hope for and
I am glad that I manage that.  This is the same sort of behavior that
drove off some vets I know, Mary C. with her herbal advice, etc.  Sad
situations, and avoidable.  Hey, Bill, how about if I get a break from
the personal attacks for a while?  It would be appreciated.
 
Oh, and an FML member asked me to post how my feet and ankles are doing.
I no longer need daytime braces, only sleeping splints, plus keeping them
warm in cold weather, and PT, of course.  Sorry.  I thought that I had
let everyone know earlier.  I healed much better than anyone thought that
I ever could.  Before the weather got this cold I managed to walk 5 miles
and I also walked hills -- both things I was not expected to be able to
do -- so that is truly marvelous.
[Posted in FML issue 5165]