From:
williamsdvm@comcast.net
Date: 2002-08-27 03:05:05 UTC
Subject: RE: Unanswered Question- Heartworm antibodies
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <25500042.1030417505131.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Dear Michelle:
I have not heard of false positives with the Heska test, but have always used the IDEXX Snap tests. However, clinical signs of heartworm disease can be very mild in early sages, and can worsen significantly to a life-threatening stage shortly before death.
My suggestion is a recheck at a practice which uses the SNAP test. Another possibility would be an echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) but false positives and negatives can occur with this test.
If your vet does not have the IDEXX test available, have them contact a commercial IDEXX veterinary lab - there are a number of them acros the country, and they can run the same test there.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM
Author wrote:
> I posted a few days ago about my ferret being tested for heartworm and having tested postitive for antibodies with the Hesca test for felines. My concern is wether or not the test could have been a false positive. The reason for my concern is that the ferret has no other symptoms than a mild cough, which is going away, she does not go outdoors, and I do not live in an area with much heartworm. I understand that certain tests are better at identifying heartworm but my question is just whether or not it could be a false positive.
End of ferrethealth Digest
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