To Tetsura Oka:
 
>A Japanese vet said that ferret need blood test for microfilaria.  It is
>differet from FAQ.  Does microfilariae happen to appear in periferal blood?
 
>Does anyone had experoenced with reactions when dosed infected ferret
>with any prophylactic medicine(not DEC but ivermectine or milbemycine).
 
>I use IDEXX heartworm antigen test "Snap".
>Does it available for ferrets?
 
Tetsura:
 
Due to the small numbers of adult worms in infected ferrets, microfilariae
are rarely, if ever present.  You can use the Snap test that you are
currently using for ferrets as well as dogs.  This test is rated as the best
for diagnosis heartworm infection in ferrets.
 
Ivermectin and milbemycin are both used in ferrets in the States - with
ivermectin being the much more popular choice, and I have not yet heard of
any reactions...
 
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 1547]