Rebecca wrote:
>- A distemper vaccine can alter some forms of ADV testing when recent of
> each other. (any one care to state the time period there? I don't
> know this, so chime in if you know).
In talking with some knowledgeable folks it sounds like either one or none
of the current tests may react to distemper vaccines. Not sure. Tests
have changed over time.
We had one with a false positive years ago, but that was with a different
set of tests than are used now. He turned out negative on more precise
tests.
Have heard that a lot of folks who have long experience with this advise
that almost everyone should preferentially use tests in which the vet
takes a blood sample and the sample is sent out for testing instead of
ones which involve any at-home steps due to some steps apparently being
easily done wrong if folks don't very precisely follow directions.
By definition there is no such thing as a test that doesn't have a risk of
each false positives and false negatives. One may be more rare, even
quite a bit more rare, but the risk of either is always present. Hence,
vets and others advising repeated testing for ADV in some situations like
the one under discussion.
I HAVE A QUESTION that I don't time to look into right now. The
government inspects farms and has standards for them but do any federal
governmental agencies inspect distributors? The reasons i ask are
1. because two reputable ferret folks have mentioned elsewhere that
there have been ADV cases that appeared to trace to a distributor,
2. because there have been other illnesses in the past that appear to
to have been spread and passed along by distributor(s),
3. because some distributors "store" "mixed lots" so that
cross-contamination can happen if one breeder's set infects another
or leaves a microbe on cages or supplies,
4. because I recall a situation a few years back in which two humane
groups (not animal-right groups but long-established anti-animal-abuse
groups, so not anti-pet viewpoints involved to any degree) were going
after one in this region for animal abuses (a distributor which would
move between states each time it got in trouble according to someone at
one of those groups, so that would end the lawsuits each time), and it
seems that if they were inspected and had real standards that sort of
approach by humane groups would not be needed,
5. because I remember several years back (as will some others) of one
distributor (same one as in #4, IF memory serves) which found it cheaper
to import fur fitch from halfway around the globe rather than buy
in-country, and I am sure that several folks here will recall the ways
that back-fired in health and temperament.
Certainly, there will be good distributors, too, which don't mix lots,
make sure that everyone gets fed, use good sanitation, etc. but just one
bad distributor can cause a lot of problems, and if large enough can do
so widely.
If there aren't federal standards distributors have to meet and
inspections they have to get then perhaps that is a loophole which can be
closed to protect everyone: ferrets, ferret-folks, stores, and breeders.
I recall once being told by a pet store that they specifically sought out
a distributor that bought kits from only one farm -- a farm with which
they had past good experiences in terms of health and temperament -- so
another approach may to be emphasize to stores that that sort of caution
is required by the store or chain before money is going to be spent there
for anything.
Anyone know if any federal agency inspects distributors, and which one and
what standards have to be met, if so? I don't have time to look now.
It sure gets complicated, doesn't it?
At least the level of panic that was taking place off-list didn't spill
over on here; had no way to know that beforehand. (Many thanks to those
who thought twice, and special thanks to Bill for fine moderation!) I got
over-wrought from dealing with too much of that elsewhere; hey, I'm only
human, but I am still sorry about that and apologize.
[Posted in FML issue 3686]
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