>Date:    Fri, 24 Jan 1997 10:10:47 +0000
>From:    Edward Lipinski <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: DEATH FROM AIDS IN FERRETS?
 
>6.  It was suggested by several professionals with whom I spoke that the
>problem could be avoided by withholding from any future adopter of said
>ferret any information about its source or the health of the previous owner!
 
Why would you need to inform an potential adopter of a health issue which
had no relevance to the ferret?  This is about the same as telling the new
owner that the previous owner had just gone through a divorce or a car
accident.  If you want, tell them.  If they don't want to take the ferret
after that, they are ignorant fools and should they really own pets?  If you
are still concerned about ferrets contracting HIV, even after the hearing
the scientific evidence, let me remind you of the ways in which HIV can be
transmitted among humans:
 
unprotected sexual intercourse
blood to blood contact (for example: IV drug users sharing dirty needles
or a surgical accident)
 
If you suspect anything of this nature to have occurred between the HIV drug
user and his ferret, the ferret has worse problems than HIV.  Sorry to be
"gross," but I see potential for AIDS misinformation here.
 
>7.  What did I do?
 
Uh, I'm stumped.  You put the ferret on a prophylactic course of AZT?  You
washed him in the blood of a goat sacrificed to the Goddess of Aids? :)
 
>What would you have done in similar circumstances?
 
I would have found someone who wanted a ferret and offered to let them adopt
him.
 
-Catherine
[Posted in FML issue 1828]