From:
russiansmom@yahoo.com
Date: 2001-02-26 02:44:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Go to the polls
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Christopher" <christopher@b...>
wrote:
> --- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., russiansmom@y... wrote:
> > Chris...most of us that do test, do it more than once a year.
You might want to add that to your poll if it isn't too late or
include it in your next one.
Chris wrote:
> First, I'm so glad you are posting! I feel as if I know you
> personally through White Russian's web page.
Thank you. I think White Russian has a lot of "fans". People have
kindly told me that "putting a face" to ADV has really made it hit
home for them.
> Now, I'd have to beg to differ with you. Think we can safely assume
> that anyone who tests more than annually would choose the test
yearly catagory from those provided. In that case, no most of us who
test, test once, at least that is what the poll says thus far. We
test, we get one negative, and we say, "I"m clean" and we forget
about it...>
I can understand your point. The only problem is that testing NEEDS
to be done, at minimum, 3-4 times a year *if* your ferrets are
exposed to other ferrets. This is a very strange virus and ferrets
can test positive at certain points and negative at other points of
the disease. I know of one ferret that tested positive, then tested
negative over and over for months. It was finally assumed it was a
false positive, but suddenly the ferret reverted to sereopositive and
now has clinical Aleutian Disease. If you include more than once a
year in a future poll...people may understand that frequent testing
is not only encouraged, but done by many.
> I'm not saying this is right... I will consider restarting the poll
> to include two and three times a year or more. The poll will reset
at that point. Lets see what kind of talk this stirs up first.>
Sure...sounds good. :)
>
> I do find it encouraging that we've only had one "what's ADV?" That
> is what I was actually looking for when I set it up. I am blown
away to know that Half of us have never tested. But what I really
wanted to know was how many people had no clue.>>
I found that extremely encouraging also, Chris. Ask any of us who
have ferrets that have Aleutian Disease or are ADV positive and
you'll find that we often get discouraged at the lack of progress we
feel we're making. It definitely was great to see only one person
had never heard of Aleutian Disease. :)
> Thanks again for joining us! We need people like you who work so
> diligently to get the ADV word out. The poll says to me we are
doing just that.>
I'm happy to be here. There is a whole group of us who decided
that "this time", we are NOT going to let the ADV issue die as it has
for so many years. I'm very happy to see what you are a part of that
group. :)
Thank *you* for starting this list where we can get together and
discuss our ferrets' health without getting flamed or see endless
arguments.
Judy
http://www.geocities.com/russiansmom/index.html