>From:    Stillkicn <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret cancer
 
>I was wondering if anyone out there be it Vet or ferret god or anyone knew
>of a way to get our fuzzies involved in the research on the new cancer
>drugs.
 
Well some folks aren't too happy about "biomedical reasearch" that involves
testing on ferrets.  Medical reasearch is for the most part mainly
affordable if it will result in medicines and procedures for people.  Folks
like Marshall Farms are the biggest proponents for using ferrets for
research.  If along the way toward developing medicines for people the same
drugs are noted as helping ferrets than veterinary medicines can also be
developed.
 
The research on mice in this case is not geared for veterinary medicine on
mice but for eventual use on people.  Thats where the money is.  Treatment
for ulcers in ferrets is largely due to reasearch aimed for treatment in
humans.  Ferrets are likely to have been involved in that research but we
are not 100% positive on that.
 
So....  you decide.  Allow Marshall Farms to sell ferrets into research as
it can result in good for ferrets?  Or is all testing bad that will
certainly involve some ferrets being in less than ideal situations bad as
their is suffering for individual ferrets.  We won't pretend to make that
decision for others.
 
Mentioned Marshall as they are the most noted company for selling into the
research Market.  it is not intended either as an attack or an endorsement
of Marshall Farms.
 
>If it works as good as reported on rats and mice wouldn't it be worth
>trying on ferrets?
 
Mice are notoriously easy to give cancer to and to treat for cancer.
Hopefully these treatments will end up being applicable to humans AND
ferrets.
 
We must admit when we first heard about these advances we did think about
how it might affect ferrets.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2303]