>From:    Mustang Charlie <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Rabies Spread
 
>>"Most people aren't aware that ferrets can spread rabies in their
>>saliva."
>Rabies ***IS*** spread by saliva.  So the first statement, no matter who
>said it, is true.
 
Mary sort of made a semantics mistake in saying something a bit unclearly
that was compounded by an editor who made it sound much worse.
 
Rabies does indeed normally spread through being present in saliva.
 
>What IS misleading about the opening statement is....ferrets just don't
>get rabies..at least in the numbers that would give credence to that
>statement, as applied to ferrets.  There has been what, 2 recorded cases
>of actual rabies' infected domestic ferrets in the past 20 years or so??
 
More cases than that.  But very low when compared with most other larger
mammal pets.
 
The critical thing is that to spread rabies, it has to be present in the
saliva.  Ferrets are rather resistant to rabies.  But most importantly if
they get it they either die or definitely show symptoms before the rabies
shows up in their saliva.  In the large scale testing, only one or was it
two strains ever showed in the saliva.  Most of the common strains did not.
If the animal dies before it is able to spread rabies, it can not be
considered a rabies vactor.
 
We imagine that thats what Mary meant though worded differently and perhaps
not as completely unfortunately.
 
>From:    Mary Jane Frank <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: "Pet Product News" connects ferrets and rabies
>Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't rabies transmittable by ANY mammal?
>And it is transmitted through an animal's salivia.
 
Yes, but no.  It is transmittable by any animal that has the virus show
up in its saliva.  Many mammals never reach that stage.  Ferrets eem to
usually fall into that class.
 
>From:    "Rev.Patrick J. McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Private Breeding vs Shelters
>I can't speak for other states but I know that In New Mexico we try to
>help each other and our first concern is for the fuzzies.
 
Its only a small but sometimes noisy portion of the ferret world that seems
to attack other portion.  In the 'real world' ferret shelters and breeders
do help each other out.  And owners, and well everyone else that likes
ferrets.
 
>From:    Al Wiebe <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Just an observation
>...do you think part of the reason might reside in some poor use of the
>English language?
 
Oh absolutely.  See above how it can also cause other problems.  We try to
point out why wording is seen as an attack that might not have been meant,
hoping that that can be resolved and end disgreements quickly.  Sometimes
it works....
 
-bill
--
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2794]