From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-03-05 19:22:33 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: reactions to two shots
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <3767493.1078514553255.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
> I also agree that you need to assess risk vs benefit. If they have been
> routinely vaccinated for a few years there is a good chance that the vacc's
> carry longer then a year duration.
I can add a little to this but need to contact the vet who was treating at the time to see if he recalls the spacing or if he ever firmly knew the spacing.
Years ago someone in our area lost several ferrets to canine distemper and had some older ones who were ill but who made it (though they had serious premanent damage. The treating vet referred her to the vet who was our vet till he moved to a different state.
The surviving ferrets who did have damage and did get greatly ill had received real vaccines either 2 or 3 years before. (I do not know if it was ever determined if it was 2 years or 3 years.). After that they and the younger ones had received only sometihng which was presented to the owner as being a "holistic vaccine". I do not know who presented it as such (except, of course, that it was NOT our vet) nor what it was.
So, the older ferrets did have some level of protection. It was just not at the level of a more recent vaccination.
We have had ferrets who could not have vaccinations during years with bad CDV or rabies levels here, and although it is impossible to ever provide 100% protection there are things like not letting ferrets near shoes used outside, not taking ferrets outside, etc. which help reduce the risk for such ferrets.