Well, I just thought I would let everyone know what is going on.  We sent in
a blood sample to MIT vet school Saturday morning to do the official
aleutian test.  We still have not gotten results back on that one.  Today,
we performed the Iodine Agglutination test which is supposed to be 95%
effective.  A vet in Lincoln, NE, sent us the information in it, she found
it in 4 different textbooks.  Good news and Bad news.  Dawson, the ferret
who is currently displaying all of the symptoms, and still going down hill
tested positive.  Princess, a shelter ferret who has been with us a few
months, also tested positive.  April, a 4 mo old shelter ferret who has only
been with us 3 days also tested positive.  Now the only way that April could
have gotten it is if the diesease is airborne, or if we somehow tracked it
on our shoes, or the cats somehow carried it.  It would also have to be a
very fast incubating disease for her to have it already.  The only good news
in there, is that maybe the test is off, since all 3 tested positive.  The
vet also tried using dog blood, and just distilled water.  Neither one of
these precipitated, which is the positive marker for the test.  So, I guess
it is just more wait and see.  If we have not heard back from MIT by
Saturday, then I will cancel the adoption day this coming Sunday.
 
I would like to thank everyone who has called or e-mailed me with their
support.  It has meant a lot to me these past few days, as I have been on
edge with the unknown.  I will send personal thank you's, but it may take me
a while to get to them.
 
Thank you.
 
Shelley Knudsen
Legion of Superferrets of Nebraska Ferret Shelter
[Posted in FML issue 2074]