Shona, I am very short on time with ailing elder human relatives so please feel free to yourself open the vet texts I got that bovine TB mention from and then track the references in the relevant chapters, though the general bTB rate stuff is actually quite available on several internet sites put up by governmental and health groups. Multiple vet texts make mention that in the U.S. feeding kibble is responsible for bTB almost never being encountered in the U.S. but that the rates are higher in some areas where the practice still occurs so I am sure that you will find the references you seek by looking in those texts. Don't forget that in many parts of the U.S. we have a number of native deer species so perhaps there is a wild reservoir which affects risk rates in parts of the States -- I don't know if that is a consideration in this case so treat that as only a reminder that different areas have different factors to take into consideration. that I didn't say where because I just plain don't have the time to also track that down so instead just trust people to pursue further questions on their own, and certainly other FML members have done their leg work and reported what they learned. http://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/0,1607, 7-186-25804-74719--,00.html >Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that is close to >being eradicated in the United States, but still poses a significant >risk to domestic livestock, wildlife, companion animals and humans >throughout the world. a surprise in unknown route of transmission deer in one of the states: http://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/0,1607, 7-186-25804_25811-75803--,00.html http://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/0,1607, 7-186-25804_25812---,00.html Interesting -- I didn't know that dogs and cats can catch human TB just as ferrets can. http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/ah/tb_info.htm >Bovine tuberculosis is a common, slow-growing disease that has >affected animal health throughout recorded history. The state of >California has been involved in eradication programs since 1917. On >April 25, 2003, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) >removed California from its list of tuberculosis (TB) accredited-free >states because three TB-affected herds were detected within a 48-month >period. California is now classified as a TB modified accredited >advanced State. The three herds have been depopulated http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/highlights/section3/section3-11.html some other mentions of herds in several states destroyed due to bTB so while rare here it is certainly not unknown just from doing a quick spot check Anyway, like I said, it is rare but it is severe and it is also preventable by not feeding raw products (milk, meat) which can transmit it when it is in an area, and those with susceptible animals should provide them with vet care just as they hopefully do for their ferrets, and multiple vet texts credit the change to feeding kibble with it being almost never seen in domestic ferrets in the U.S. in current times. (BTW, if you want t a shock read how many cattle had it before the program to hopefully eradicate it began in 1917.) -- Sukie http://www.womenforwomen.org/ (essentials) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=757&e=1&u=/nm/ 20050205/od_nm/odd_cookies_dc (i think that these teens sound darling.) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=816&ncid=816&e=2&u=/ap/ 20050204/ap_on_fe_st/music_lawsuit (Ah, accuracy) [Posted in FML issue 4780]