Our Policy on ADV
and ADV Testing…
Several people have asked why we aren’t requiring ADV
testing for our show. Along with the rest of the ferret community, we are
concerned with this potentially devastating disease, but after consulting
with our treating veterinarian and a review of the available literature,
we’ve decided not to require testing at this time. The primary reasons for
this position is that, for now:
- the reliability of the tests available isn’t very good.
- no one knows how this disease is transmitted, but it
does not seem to be through casual contact.
One of the few things we do know is that ADV has been in
the ferret population for years. One of our leading ferret veterinarians,
Dr. Susan Brown (DVM), stated what we consider a sensible position on shows
and ADV.
Shows — As discussed, ADV has
been in the general ferret population for years and it would be nearly
impossible to prevent all ADV positive ferrets from entering a show area.
The problem with requiring ADV testing prior to
the show is that it still does not ensure that ADV will not enter the
show, due to the possibility of false negatives and the possibility of
ferrets being exposed to the virus after being tested and before coming to
the show.
The best prevention is for owners attending ferret shows
to use good sanitation practices. Owners should clean their hands after
handling other ferrets, not hold other people’s ferrets against their
clothing (which could become contaminated) and not allow their ferrets to
intermingle with other ferrets at the show.
Ferrets under 6 weeks of age are at a higher risk of contracting many
infectious diseases and should not be present at a show. This is more for
their protection than the concern that they will be the source of disease.
It is the authors’ opinion that ADV is not a reason to shut down ferret
shows. (Emphasis in original)
She also points out, “However,
it remains a fact that in the ‘big picture,’
when looking at the ferret population as a whole, AD still makes up only a
tiny fraction of serious ferret diseases and thus AD does not warrant the
‘panic status’ that it
has recently achieved.” (Quotes from: Aleutian
Disease in Ferrets, Small Mammal Series at www.VeterinaryPartner.com)
In light of this advice we will, of course, be providing
spray disinfectant, as well as hand disinfectant and aprons for our judges.
In addition, we’ll be setting up a “cleaning
station” with disinfectant for anyone who needs
it, as well as distributing bottles of hand disinfectant throughout the
hall. The games area will be disinfected in the same manner as the judge’s
stations, and all toys will remain covered until given to an individual
ferret to keep.
A final issue that we haven’t seen addressed in the ADV
literature is that testing for ADV prior to every show increases the cost of
showing to such an extent that it precludes people with modest incomes from
attending shows, and threatens to turn ferret shows into elitist events only
affordable to the wealthy. While our ferrets’ health is the most important
consideration to us, we won’t require ADV testing until the above stated
problems have been resolved. |
