To Tricia Tack:
 
Do not be confused by the person who advised you that "There are political
fights involving Galaxy-D".  I am not entirely sure what was meant by
"political," but as noted in the "Vaccine Update" posted on FML on 4/4
detailing results of the survey taken by Acme Ferret Co. and STAR , the
questions being raised about Fervac-D are strictly medical.  Definitely,
Fervac-D is certified by USDA and Galaxy-D is not.  The questions being
raised relate however both to the efficacy of Fervac-D as a preventative of
distemper (a number of ferrets in South Carolina and southern Virginia were
vaccinated with Fervac-D and subsequently came down with the disease & had
to be euthanized), and to its safety (the disproportionately large
percentage of serious adverse reactions reported).
 
It should also be noted that these questions are being raised not only by
ordinary ferret owners but also by increasing numbers of veterinarians, e.g.
the the decision last fall of veterinarians at the Tufts Veterinary School
in Grafton, MA to go with GALAXY-D because it "seemed to have much better
performance" and was "a safer product to use." In fact, Tufts contacted us
when they learned of the survey and asked permission to present the results
at a recent veterinary conference in Massachusetts.  Finally, it is
difficult to argue political or even financial motives on the part of
Solvay, which manufactures GALAXY-D, since it is actively trying to
discourage ferret owners from using their product on ferrets.
 
To Lisa Leidig:
I thought your remarks were very well reasoned.  It is incorrect that the
argument over the big breeders has nothing to do with facts.  Facts are
there for the taking.  As an example, a very detailed but entirely objective
"negative report" concerning MF recently came out summarizing the
noncompliances observed by Federal USDA Inspectors in their 1994 and 1995
inspections of MF's New York facility.  A summary of this report may be
found in the current issue of the Independent Voice (and on the Ferret News
Kiosk on the Web (URL is http://members.gnn.com/AcmeFerret/news.htm).
 
To quote briefly from the report, under the heading "Veterinary Care," the
inspector found that "All technicians performing spays, castrations and
descenting are operating without masks or head covers," and "several have
long hair which was hanging into the operating field." Also noted: "Numerous
small ferrets and some larger ones were seen to have trouble walking," as a
result of the floors being constructed of 1"x1" and 1"x2" welded wire mesh.
The ferrets "appeared to be crawling or swimming across the floor" and from
time to time "their feet and legs fell through these large openings."
There's more if you want to read it.
 
There is nothing political about these "facts", or about the fact that
retired jills are routinely euthanized.  The politics comes in the
interpretations made to account for the facts-- or to explain them away.
All the same, the individual who told you he sees "more unethical and
immoral practices from the smaller breeders than..  from the ranches",
being a small breeder himself, may know more about small breeder practices
than I do.
 
Howard Davis
[Posted in FML issue 1530]