Tracker: get them biopsied.  Most skin growths in ferrets are benign, but
the malignancies have to be taken seriously and some benign ones can make
them miserable if not corrected.  The approach varies depending on WHAT
the growth is; can't lump all the benign and all the malignant ones into
two groups because there are different approaches for different causes.
Once you have a firm diagnosis then you are in a position to learn more.
 
Re: possible CDV exposure: DO make sure FIRST with testing that it is CDV.
I have heard of situations where animals have been destroyed because of
what the animals MIGHT have rather than what was actually going on.
Haven't personally heard of a recent one like that with CDV (though I
have with other things that would have been treatable).
 
>[Moderator's note: Whether or not there is any truth to this rumour, it's
>good advice to take precautions when attending ANY event where there will
>be unknown ferrets.  BIG]
 
You are right on all counts, Bill!  That goes for other diseases, as well.
I have heard of folks (who were NOT competing) bringing ECE positive
ferrets to a gathering a few years back and walking around with them.
 
Remember that no vaccine is 100% effective, but they are up there in the
90th percentile group, and some manage to still provide some protection at
times even when they are over-due.  Still, several things must be learned:
 
1. Except for those animals who can't be vaccinated (those with severe
allergies to multiple vaccines, those on immunosuppressant drugs, and
those who are seriously ill -- ferrets which should not be in gatherings,
anyway) folks really need to take vaccinating seriously and not ignore
those life-savers.
 
2. People need to remember that any type of gathering poses some exposure
risk to illnesses and parasites.
 
3. People need to not jump the gun when symptom appear, but instead wait
for test results and a firm diagnosis -- both in relation to actions taken
that might endanger animals and in saying things that might endanger
people.
 
4. When there are communicable illnesses in a busyness both the ferrets
and the people should avoid shows in many cases, so find out from your
VET first if you pose a risk to others.
 
A favor, please: we all know that faking the source of a mail has been
possible for a long time (and two people here actually suffered due to
that) but now there are worms which do it on their own.  Someone has my
name and the name of other ferret people in at least one machine with such
a worm -- one that hides which machine it is actually in.  The favor is
that you -- ALL of YOU, please -- run your virus software within a week
so that those who are infected can find the infection and clean it out
because it is pulling up names in your address books and sending things
out to people while making it look like it is from other folks in your
address books.  You'd think that the people who write these things would
realize that with about 90,000 viruses having already been released that
writing and distributing those things is very passe, wouldn't you?  I know
it annoys some folks, but I toss attachments without opening them because
of this problem; it's like the way that Steve and I monitor calls instead
of picking up the phone automatically anymore due to sales calls.  The
environment changes and we have to respond...
[Posted in FML issue 3793]