Message Number: YG5787 | New FHL Archives Search
From: shurcool@infi.net
Date: 2001-07-26 08:47:00 UTC
Subject: ADV Testing

For a little explantion, I am pursuing fostering ferrets for the
local animal shelter, especially those who have illnesses and cannot
immediately be placed. They also want me to work with them on their
screening program (YAY!!) and do some educational stuff. Sounds like
they desperately need a ferret person and I'm really excited about it.

I have some questions about testing for ADV. I have decided that I
don't want any more "strays" to come into my home unless they have
been tested and are negative. I understand that there could still be
a problem but nothing is absolute. We can only do our best. I plan
to purchase a supply of the Point of Care Tests so the shelter will
always have them on hand. I suspect I would be the one doing the
testing. I will talk to Avecon about shelf life and quantities.

If I do the Point of Care Test (the "home pregnancy" test, as I call
it <g>), and it is negative, is the ferret then safe to come into my
home or be placed into a home with other ferrets?

If I do the POCT and it shows a positive or is questionable, what do
I do next? Do I then do a second test and send it in for
evaluation? Do I wait a while and do the POCT again? If the ferret
does indeed test positive, and there is not a quarantine facility for
long term care, should the ferret then be euthanized?

If all of my personal ferrets test negative, are we safe to bring in
another negative ferret or do we need to continually test everyone?

I'm sure some of this has been answered before. I went through the
archives and didn't see answers to my specific questions (or maybe I
didn't look hard enough).

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

Katharine