From:
Richard Steele
Date: 2002-02-12 13:14:00 UTC
Subject: [Ferret-Health-list] Re: She died tonight
----- Original Message -----
From: "kath0524" <katharine@n...>
To: <Ferret-Health-list@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2002 10:51 AM
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Richard Steele" <rasteele@h...>
wrote:
<And because she was a biter and bit me recently and bit one of the
techs, she has to be sent to the state lab to be tested for rabies.
So we don't even get to bury her at all. <
I'm very sorry for your loss.
******Thank you very much.*****
I hope you have a necropsy done to
determine the cause of death. However, if (s)he has been left in
freezing temperatures, there probably is no viable tissue left.
*********The vet is doing a necropsy this morning and I'll post the results
once I know them. It was actually the perfect temp during the night and
inside the truck. Not too warm, and not quite freezing. The vet even said
so.******
I'm very curious about the rabies testing. I really don't know the
law but I would be thoroughly p.o.'d if my vet insisted on testing a
pet of mine for rabies (dead or alive) that he had been treating
routinely. Had your ferret been vaccinated? By this vet? Were any of the
symptoms indicative of rabies? I don't recall any symptoms
like that.
********Yes, she's been current on her rabies shots and even by this vet.
She didn't have any symptoms and we all didn't believe she had rabies at all
but it's still required here. If she'd pulled through and was still alive
and everything she'd just have to go back in 10 days for a rabies checkup as
they call it. I felt bad that she'd bitten a tech, but I had to chuckle at
the same time because she's always been a biter as long as we've had her and
I even warned them and left my gloves so they could use them if they wanted
to to help protect themselves.************
What is the policy/law on this?
********Texas is a rabies quarantine state wether the animal is current on
shots or not. I imagine it's because so much of the state borders Mexico
that doesn't (I don't think) have any laws or anything about rabies. It's a
state law that if any animal that could possibly aquire the disease, whether
vaccinated or not, bites someone they have to be tested and quarantined for
10 days to see if that animal develops rabies. If the animal dies shortly
after biting someone they have to be tested ASAP. It may be a national law
now though, I'm not sure. But I know it's at least law here in Texas. I
hope that helps you out. They're not as likely to test an animal if it's
only bitten it's owner unless the owner requests it as if the animal bites
someone else or it's been running homeless for a while (a stray) or it's
wild. Different states may have slightly different rules but I know they at
least test wild animals in these types of cases in all states.***********
I have mine cremated so this wouldn't be the end of the world but...it's
just the principle of the thing. I would rather they not even tell me they
are doing this but I supposed they have to.
******I don't know as I can afford to have her cremated with all this going
on. If I can then I probably will. I'll just have to see. I've always
kind of found cremating to be kinda creepy and it's just as well that I
can't just bury her body here at the house since I don't think ferrets are
even allowed in the park (a mobile home park) and we're not going to be
living her forever. I've had other animals die before that we couldn't bury
because of where we were and I'm just going to make some sort of a memorial
for them in some way, or buy some or something. At least until we're in a
place more permanent. So I may just not bother since it creeps me out so
much. Thanks again for the support. It does really mean a lot to me with
how alone I am right now.
Katharine
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Ferret-Health-list-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
To post to the Ferret Health List send an email to:
Ferret-Health-list@yahoogroups.com
The advice and opinions expressed in this forum are by no means a substitute
for prompt, hands-on care, from a licensed, practicing veterinarian.
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/