From:
"Tressie"
Date: 2010-08-29 18:56:28 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: people/ferret germs
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
This sounds like a very responsible pet store manager.
Last winter when H1N1 was making its rounds I acquired a kit from a local pet store and within a couple of weeks several of my ferrets were showing signs of influenza. I had been vaccinated for H1N1 as had all the staff at my veterinary clinic, the only other place he had been since arriving. H1N1 was confirmed and the whole gang was put on Tamiflu.
We were able to trace the infection back to the pet store and speculated someone with H1N1 must have handled the kit and infected him. He brought the virus with him.
I wrote the pet store manager and advised him what had happened and suggested that he put a sign up that anyone with symptoms should not handle the ferret kits and to have a hand sanitizer available for everyone else to use before handling kits.
You might suggest to the pet store manager that you would be willing to use a hand sanitizer or wear gloves.
As to the biting issue, I know in some states a ferret that bites could legally be euthanized and tested for rabies.
It seems that the store policy is designed to protect the ferrets. This is a good thing.
Tressie
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
ferrethealth-digest@yahoogroups.com
ferrethealth-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ferrethealth-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/