Egads!  Came in late and found a huge gob of letters from people about
telling the difference between rodent/ferret bites.  As Linda would probably
tell you, I've already discussed this with her day one.
 
To begin with, it sounds as if Linda and Jean have much of the problem under
control, and except for positive and polite letters to reinforce their work,
(and please check with them on this; don't take my word) mostly all we can
do is wait and see.
 
Secondly, someone wrote me about the "100 stitches" thingie.  While it might
sould horrible (and I'm not trying to minimize injury), 100 stitches on a
small child is not the same thing as 100 stitches in your abdomen or on your
back.  They use extremely tiny stitches, very close together to minimize
scars.  That makes the stitch count go up considerably.  As for the "50"
bites thingie, at best it is only an estimate.  Was "50 bites" 50 actual
bites or 50 holes?  Its pure hyperbole designed to sell newspapers.  Call
the newspaper ombudsman and complain.  Newspapers hate that, and reporters
more.  Then, write a calm and collected letter to the editor complaining
about the same thing, while injecting bonafide facts into the discourse.
(For example, I ran ferret, dog, cat, and animal bites and attacks on
Medline and Bio Abstracts (from 1986-1998) and came up with about 1400 hits;
8 were for ferrets and only one about actual bites).
 
Third, its true rodents and carnivores leave different holes from different
shaped teeth, but the pattern of biting is better to look at than the actual
shape of holes or jaw gap/spacing.  Rodents generally leave defects that
have serrated edges, and there is little adjacent damage.  Carnivores,
including ferrets, puncture and tear, so the wound looks lacerated or torn
along the edges, rather than scalloped, and the surrounding areas are
generally brused, cut, scratched or damaged.  Its a moot point without
photos, because the wounds have already been sewn and facial cuts on babies
heal remarkably fast.  What you would see today would prove nothing.  For
future use, rodent bites are usually "C" or "D" shaped slits and carnivore
bites are circular or star-shaped holes, while wound edges from rodents look
serrated and from carnivores look torn or ragged.
 
The only other thing really useful in telling the difference is by comparing
isolated wounds.  Do you have a pair of puncture marks about 1/2 inch apart
or do you have a pair of side-by-side slits?  Any use of jaw-gap studies is
useless because skin can fold, stretch, bunch or pinch, so the holes made by
upper and lower teeth could be centimeters or millimeters apart.
 
Those with a *very* strong stomach can check out such wounds in Haglund and
Sorg 1997 "Forensic Taphonomy" CRC Press; Boca Raton, or any number of
plastic surgery books with sections covering animal bites.
 
One thing I've found useful is to never say the word "ferret" without also
adding dog or cat to the phrase when discussing such matters.  For example,
I might say "Yes, ferrets have been known to occasionally bite children, but
dog kill 50 children a year..." or "It is morally and legally wrong to leave
a small child alone with a dog, cat or ferret.." So whenever I discuss these
issues, I alway force the concession *all* domestic animals are potientially
dangerous to small helpless children.  Once a woman told me a ferret had
once chewed off a babies ear and I replied it was really lucky plastic
sturgeons had so much practice replacing so many ears per year that were
torn off by dogs.
 
Finally, it doesn't matter if the ferret was after milk, or heard
high-pitched crying.  It could have bit out of fear if it was trapped
between the parents/child, and squished.  The fact is, a child was bit, and
it hurts our "movement" because of the negative press it generates, but we
must expect it from time to time.  All animals bite out of fear or
frustration, and ferrets are no exception.  We should be prepared before
hand with statistics and facts that show the infrequency of the problem,
rather than facing the sudden crisis caused by the event.  I guarantee this
will happen again, and next time there may not be a rat or a dog to shift
blame towards.  We can be prepared and have press kits prepared and setting
at local shelters ready to be used at a moments notice.  But then, that is a
job a national organization would and should do, isn't it?
 
Currently I have an extremely swollen and lacerated left thumb having more
than 12 individual holes made by an extremely frightened ferret terrified of
what was happening to it (Torn edges, circular and star-shaped holes).
During the biting, I did not move the thumb away from the ferret, who was
clamped down for the duration, and I'm lucky I didn't or I *would* have
needed to have it sewn up.  Someone not so prepared would have jerked the
thumb and the teeth would have torn it badly.  (No, not Poncho or anyone you
have heard about, and the biting is being treated, so no worries, and no, I
will not tell *anyone* who did the biting.  This is Missouri...).  Still, I
am quite thankful, for I was bit in a very similar situation by a dog that
was hit by a car, and I needed 28 man-sized stitches to close the wound.  I
can't imagine what my thumb would have looked like if a pit bull or huskie
had clamped down on it as hard as the ferret did.
 
The point is, I could have been seriously hurt if I didn't have control of
the ferret, if I had jerked away, or if the ferret had been able to bite
other areas.  As such I am just sore and slightly embarrased.  My skin is
thick and strong, and had the bite occurred to a baby with very thin and
delicate skin, it would have been another story for the papers, wouldn't it?
Ferret clubs and so-called National Organizations need to pay attention and
get their act together on this before the next incident occurs, and it will.
Sooner or later, this will happen again.
 
I think it is a reflection of the competence of Linda and Jean (and all
involved) for the low-key local response to this, because the reaction could
have been MUCH worse.  You guys did a really good job, not only of damage
control, but of local education.  You have a right to be proud!
 
Bob C and 20 MO Toeaholics
[Posted in FML issue 2229]