From:
Linda Iroff
Date: 2002-03-11 08:05:00 UTC
Subject: re: Destroying ferret on Monday!
> He then tells me. "Where? I need proof
> because on Wednesday night while giving fluids, she bit my
> assistant."
Ferrets have been extensively tested for rabies shedding behavior. If Lucy
was shedding the rabies virus on Wednesday, she would show clear symptoms,
including death, within a few days. I think the longest a ferret survived
after first shedding the virus was 8 days.
The Center for Disease Control has the SAME guidelines for ferret bites as
for dog and cat bites: the animal should be monitored for 10 days. If there
are no clear signs by then, the ferret was not shedding rabies.
See http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/rabcont.asp for the latest Rabies
Compendium, especially Part III, Section B 6 Management of animals that
bite humans.
It sounds like in this case, the vet needs to be convinced that the
symptoms Lucy is showing are NOT indicative on rabies in ferrets. From two
abtracts by Niezgoda et al, symptoms include paralysis, fever, ataxia,
hyperactivity, paresthesia, tremors, etc.
If Lucy is alive after 10 days, she DOES NOT HAVE RABIES!! I think you can
successfully argue that he must keep her alive for that 10-day period.
There are many ferret rabies experts on this list and others who can give
you support.
Linda Iroff
Oberlin OH