[The following is reprinted from the Nov/Dec '93 issue (Vol 7 No 6) of "Off
the Paw" , the official newsletter of the GCFA. Dr. Brown is Veterinary
Advisor for the GCFA...
 
Notice To All Ferret Associations
By Dr. Susan A. Brown D.V.M.
 
    I would like to make a brief plea to other ferret groups that may be
subscribing to or reading our newsletter, to exhibit responsibility when
publishing articles of a medical nature in their newsletters.  A recent issue
of the S.T.A.R. Ferrets newsletter contained a number of medical statements
that were erroneous and in the opinion of many of us in the veterinary
community, irresponsible.  I am sure that the authors of the articles were
sincere in their writing and felt that they were providing factual information
based on their surveys or experience.
        Without getting into further discussion of this particular S.T.A.R.
issue, I want to return to the thrust of the plea I am making.  This issue of
S.T.A.R. only served to point out that unreviewed information regarding ferret
health has shown up sporadically over the years in a variety of ferret club
publications.  I understand the urgent need to transmit any information
regarding the health of our little ferret friends especially when something new
comes up, but it should be done in a way that is documented and responsible and
that will not lead to wild rumors and speculation such as we are seeing lately
on the old "ferret club grapevine".
        If a medical article is written and it contains erroneous information
or potentially dangerous recommendations than not only is the author of the
article  at risk of losing credibility, but so is the entire club that
published the newsletter.  It is not always enough to simply say "in my
opinion' when writing such medical articles. I encourage all clubs that produce
written  materials of a medical nature to have them reviewed by a reputable
veterinarian who has experience with ferrets. There are a growing number of
excellent ferret veterinarians across the country that would be more than happy
to help out with such ventures. When a controversial issue is involved it is
often helpful to have more than one veterinarian review the article. By these
statements I do not want to discourage non-veterinarians from writing about
their experiences with the health and care of their pets, because it is from
you all that some of the most valuable information is received. We  need more
contributions from everyone, but I ask that a qualified veterinarian review the
article for accuracy and credibility prior to its publication.
      For those clubs that are interested in obtaining the names of qualified
ferret veterinarians who you might contact to review your medical articles,
please contact me with your response by FAX at 708-344-8194. Let's all be
responsible with our written statements, so that all of the clubs become
credible spokespersons for the ferret. We are not in competition with eachother
as clubs, but rather , we are in an important family that should work together
for the ultimate benefit and welfare of the ferret in a responsible way.
 
[Posted in FML issue 0615]