Message Number: YG5636 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Mike Janke
Date: 2001-07-19 13:20:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Isolating new ferrets

Perhaps I'm overly paranoid, but I wouldn't expose my ferrets to
distemper even with current vaccinations. The odds of a ferret
having distemper are probably extremely remote. Add that to the odds
that a vaccinated ferret would become infected would probably put the
odds at a million to one. Still, I personally wouldn't risk it.

Quarantine definitely requires some work. As it is an airborne
virus, one might not be able to effectively quarantine a ferret in a
room adjacent to the other ferrets. I'm certainly no expert, but I
believe any level of quarantine would be better than putting the
ferrets all together and hoping for the best. Having the ferret stay
in a different location would definitely be the best way.

mike



--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., shurcool@i... wrote:
> --- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Mike Janke" <mjanke@m...> wrote:
> > Canine distemper has an incubation period of up to 10 days, so I
> > would say a two-week isolation would allow you determine if
that's
> a
> > possibility. Of these three diseases, this is the only one that
> you
> > could probably say, "Yes, this ferret does not have this disease"
> > after a reasonable isolation period.
>
> Mike,
> What is the concern with canine distemper if the current ferrets
have
> all been vaccinated? This is the first time I've seen anyone
> recommend isolation against distemper. And, since distemper can be
> spread without direct contact, how would you isolate? At a
separate
> location?
>
> Just curious.
> Katharine