Hi All!
The babies were spayed and neutered on Tuesday and
they did wonderfully.  The incision is so tiny on
the girls, only 3 stitches and the doctor also
tattooed the girls with a female sign with a line
through it on their bellies.  What a great idea!
The babies slept until about 3 a.m. (their usual
time) and then they were hoppin and boppin like
they'd not had surgery!  I stayed home yesterday to
monitor them.  They played most of the day and
everyone ate and ate and ate.  I've had older
females spayed and it took them longer to recover
than these little ones.  Dr. Snyder is great.  He's
been working on the ferret issue here in Kansas
too, only we didn't know about each other.  Now we
can join forces!
 
 
PLEASE, PLEASE WRITE -
 
- I've finally gotten to the absolute bottom of the
kill and test issue.  The NASPHV (National
Association of State Public Health Veterinarians)
is the culprit.  The human rabies experts (ACIP)
follow NASPHV recs.  Rabies is not the issue - it's
POLITICS.  Ferrets are used widely in biomedical
research.  If ferrets are universally recognized as
domestic companions, owners and animal rights
groups will get involved and researchers obviously
don't want this to happen.  They went through this
(and still are) with dogs and cats.  Basically what
this means is that even if the shedding studies are
performed, we will not be any better off.  They'll
just think of some other excuse or fabrication.  WE
must put the pressure on - that means each and
every one of us and our friends and family members
need to write to NASPHV and politely voice our
concerns.  If you don't have time to write a
letter, drop them a postcard with just a sentence
or two.  The more mail they receive, the sooner
they'll take notice!  Can you imagine their
amazement if they receive letters and cards from
just 10% of the estimated 5 million ferret
guardians?!
 
Here's the address:
 
NASPHV
Dr. Suzanne R. Jenkins
Virginia Department of Health
Office of Epidemiology, Suite 113
PO Box 2448
Richmond  VA  23218
 
Telephone: (804) 786-6261
 
Hugs to all fuzzies!  tle
 
[Posted in FML issue 0896]