Last week we were notified that some of the ADV ferrets have been traced to
a breeder here in Minnesota.  I have some questions about this.  Being a
foster mom for our local shelter and involved with our ferret club, I am in
contact with a lot of ferret people.  Yesterday, I read a post on the FML
that stated "strong evidence suggests that many of the infected ferrets
were bred in Minnesota".  We would like to stop ADV from becoming of
epidemic proportions here and therefore need more information.  Have the MN
breeder(s) been notified?  Have they stopped the practice of breeding and
selling ferrets?  Before I found the local shelter, I purchased two ferrets
from different Minnesota breeders.  Are they ones with the disease?  This
identity of the infected breeders probably should not be posted on the FML
but when it is suggested that ADV has been traced to here, how do we know
those breeders have been informed and are taking proper precautions against
further spreading of the disease?
 
Our shelter vets will be holding clinics very soon in different parts of
the Twin City Metro area for testing of ADV.  As we do not know of any
cases in MN, and as the symptoms are so easily mistaken for something else,
this seems to be the best way of ascertaining whether or not we really have
a problem.  Two states have been confirmed with outbreaks and three with
suspicion.  We are glad to know there may be a problem here but I seem to
have heard of other eastern states with ADV and wonder if all the states
have been identified on a public forum such as this so other shelters or
organizations can consider hosting testing clinics before this becomes even
more widespread?  If not an organization hosting a clinic, then, so that
individuals can be informed so they can get their own testing done by their
vet.
 
If you would like more information about our testing clinics, please check
out the FROLIC website at www.freehomepages.com/frolic the time and places
of the testing clinics will be posted there next week.  Also check for more
updates, an ADV hotline is in the planning amongst other things.
 
Debbie F
[Posted in FML issue 2945]