ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 4, 1997 TAG: 9701070057
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK R. FINKLER
I WISH to clarify and expand on Sandra Brown Kelly's Dec. 27 news article, ``Wolf Hybrids 'nice' but''
Regarding pet ferrets, there is an approved rabies vaccine, contrary to the information stated in the article. However, controversy exists within the medical and veterinary professions regarding the handling of cases in which a ferret bites a person. In years past, the ferret was automatically euthanized and its brain submitted for rabies detection. This occurred even when the pet ferret had been raised in isolation from other animals and thus could not have been harboring the deadly rabies virus. Why weren't these ferrets simply quarantined? Let me explain.
If your cat or dog should bite your neighbor, the animal-control authorities would be contacted. If they determined that your pet appeared to be healthy and was current on its rabies vaccine, your pet would be confined and observed for 10 days. If your dog or cat remained healthy during this time, the chance of your pet spreading rabies to your neighbor would be extremely remote. In this case, your neighbor would not be advised to take the protective "rabies shots." This 10-day quarantine period was chosen based on research and historical data involving hundreds of dogs and cats.
Since rabies is a fatal disease, public-health officials have established guidelines for handling cases in which a person has been bitten by an animal. The guidelines vary depending on the species of animal that has inflicted the bite. Virginia, unlike Maryland, does not recognize a 10-day quarantine period for ferrets. Public-health officials in Virginia are taking a conservative stance, waiting for completion of more research studies. The research and historical data to date suggest that ferrets need not be automatically euthanized in every case of a bite wound.
Since rabies is quite rare in ferrets (fewer than 20 cases in U.S. history), ferret owners have been quite upset with the automatic euthanasia rule. Today, public-health authorities are encouraged to make an individual-case assessment of the bite injury, taking into account many factors. In the case of a ferret bite, they should ask: ``What is the likelihood of this particular ferret having rabies virus in its saliva?'' When the answer is "extremely remote," ferret owners will challenge the automatic euthanasia rule.
I disagree with those authorities who claim that ferrets are wild animals. While they may arguably be considered ``exotic,'' they are definitely domestic. Having been raised by man for more than 2,000 years, pet ferrets are unable to survive in the wild. Pet ferrets have individual personalities and bond with their owners, just as do cats and dogs. While not the ideal pet for everyone, ferrets can be delightful and entertaining pets to own.
Until Virginia establishes a 10-day quarantine period for ferrets, my advice to ferret owners includes the following: Teach your young ferret not to nip, have your veterinarian keep its rabies vaccine up to date, keep your ferret away from those animals most likely to carry rabies (in particular raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats), and do not have human infants unattended with your ferret. (Most veterinarians would agree that these same recommendations are also applicable to dogs and cats.)
Mark R. Finkler is a veterinarian at Roanoke Animal Hospital.
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