From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-11-23 22:47:15 UTC
Subject: RE: PCR Helicobacter Testing for Ferrets
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5588885.1101250035129.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Well, a gastric swab is a stomach swab. I can't recall of hearing of any easy way to do that. (They also say that they do the test on stomach tissue.)
This is really one for those who have peformed gastric swabs and know what is involved so i hope they respond.
I'd also like to know how much independent testing has been done to see how accurate their testing method is in both directions. (Tests will have some sort of error rate, and in the past there was a lab which promised what it turned out to not deliver with a specifc test, resulting in a lot of noisy upset.) The vets mentioned are high respected but it isn't clear to me if they were also involved in desiging the test or if their data was worked from by others.
In addition they mention "real time" so I am wondering if this may be something for vets to use during surgery which would already be taking place, or if it is done endoscopically, or what.
Honestly, the write-up leaves me with more questions than anything else, but then again, I'm not a vet...