ONLY 29 days till the 20th anniversary of the FML on 12/20/07!

What are YOU doing to help ferrets in celebration?

Certainly, the SOS can always use help as can individual shelters, and
the ELF Fund and FERRET fund (emergency response) of the IFC.

A friend (not sure if I can say who) was talking w me about studies
that may be able to use help.

Honestly, w Dad so ill (though he turned the corner enough that he is
expected to make it now) I am NOT playing w a fully rested "deck" but
maybe one or more of these will appeal to people who want to help
ferrets:

There are two studies looking at Canine Distemper Titers in ferrets.
That is the first step toward knowing how many fewer vaccines can be
given while still having protection.

Dr. Robert Wagner at Pitt has been looking at that, and the larger
study is one that involves a Canine Distemper expert in Cornell as well
as the study originator, Dr. Ruth Heller and you can read about that
here:

http://www.ferret.org/news/07-april-titer_study.shtm

The next step after the one collecting titer numbers will be a small
challenge study to see how similar the titers for canine distemper
vaccines are in ferrets compared to dogs and that will tell the last
piece of the puzzle.

Certainly, Dr. Matti Kiupel tends to often have some sort of ferret
pathology study going on at Michigan State, too. Currently, they are
close to publication for an article on the FIP presentation coronavirus
in ferrets.

Dr. Bob Wagner is also doing a set of on-going adrenal studies and he
might be continuing his work on p53 genetic variants which could reduce
the ability to fight neoplasias, and I think that Dr. Karen Rosenthal
of U. Penn. might have a study coming on line but am not sure.

I think that Dr. Michelle Hawkins of UC Davis will be continuing the
studies into genetic vulnerabilities for endocrinological disorders in
ferrets though I think the MEN (Multiple Endocrinological Neoplasia)
phase is done, and the one into cystine stones may be continuing or
may be winding up.

There might be some others in the back of my head that I am just not
twigging on, and highly probably others I don't know a thing about.

Still, this info might help people help ferrets!

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5797]