I really really hope that my post will make some people consider another
point of view on ADV testing for shows besides the one posed in yesterdays
FML. I have rarely if ever come forth into any contraversial debate as
it is not my style. I'm not an activist, I'm just an advocate for ADV
awareness and education. This is an emotionally charged issue here, and
it shouldn't be. The reason so many ferret events and shows have chosen
to "require" ADV testing is because it is the responsible thing to do,
and the logical thing to do in trying to help prevent the spread of this
disease. I really am grateful to the AFA for taking such action in
promoting the testing of ferrets for AFA sanctioned shows.
I can not state enough how erroneous this view is: "If it is a highly
contagious there should have been a major outbreak in the show circuit
before now." There are many reasons why it hasn't had an outbreak even
with the past lack of testing.
- One is for the most part, many events and shows have taken fair
precautions for the spread of disease for years. In the past several
years, precautions have been fairly aggressive due to ECE, and ADV.
- Because the number of ferrets attending shows are a very small fraction
of the total number of ferrets in the U.S. and the world (thereby reducing
the risk)
- Because ferrets that are actively shedding the virus the most, often
have health problems that prevent them from comming (let me state that
ferrets can have full blown ADV and not show a single symptom at times
however and are gorgious)
- Because ADV in ferrets has not been as common as it is now. Virus's
change, and mutate. It appears to me that not only has this happened (ADV
mutates in general, there are differeing types in mink, and it had to
mutate to be contagious to ferrets to begin with long ago), but there may
be varying mutations out there. This is evident in the fact that there
seems to be (and I"m not expert) ADV that is extremely fast and aggressive
and leaves the ferret with an early cough, and there seems to be ADV that
does not have an early cough and has little symptoms in comparison. There
are homes where ADV has spread fast and readily to most ferrets in the
home,,, there are homes (and shelters) where it has been contained fairly
easily. So it stands to reason that perhaps past forms of ADV were not as
contagious as now.
I can only imagine how many reasons there are of why there has not been a
full blown, wide spread epidemic. Can you say luck?! Can you say by the
grace of God? Since only a small sampling of ferrets in the world are
tested for ADV, we have no idea how wide spread the disease is. It could
be very rampant for all we know. Do you want to risk finding out?
The apparent view of thinking that since one possibly can be exposed to
ADV in any number of settings does not make it right to do all you can in
making a show or event as safe as possible. It very well maybe that the
chance of being exposed to ADV at a show who even has an ADV positive
ferret walking about is minimal for all we know with such precautions.
But I pose this to you ... I'm sending you up in an airline, and I"m going
to tell you that one person will die on the plane trip and thats a fact.
One person out the entire plane is all. It's just a small chance. After
all you might walk in front of a truck and be killed the next day. You
are exposed to risks all the time. But it's a fact you can't get away
from - someone will drop dead on said flight. Would you then fly on that
plane knowing that when you land one of you will be dead? It's that
simple. Why, why open yourself up to risk when you have one more line of
precaution you could take... to test? Yes, they are not fail proof, yes
they are only snap shots of time in some part in the beginning stages of
ADV... but testing could catch just that one ferret... that would cause
devastation in peoples lives.
Wolfy
Please visit:
http://www.geocities.com/wolfysluv/
for information on ferret deafness:
http://www.geocities.com/wolfysluv/deaf.html
[Posted in FML issue 3744]
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