From:
mistressofpuppets666@yahoo.co.uk
Date: 2005-03-22 20:35:45 UTC
Subject: RE: DISTEMPER VAC.
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5870527.1111523745845.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Author wrote:
> In ferrets of unknown age [over 1 year] and unknown care , would you still give them a second booster shot in 3 weeks for distemper ?.........Robert [Ferret Rescue Assoc. of Central Maine]
I find this a very important question since I already thought about this myself in the past, and never found a satisfying answer.
"My theory":
In analogy with puppies and kittens, ferret-kits need a booster after the initial shot, because of the maternal immunity. With the first shot, the antibodies they received from their mother are becoming lower, hence why they need this first shot. BUT these maternal antibodies haven't entirely disappeared yet, so there still is interference with the first shot of the vaccine, hence they need the second shot.
This is why I would conclude that in an adult ferret -who doesn't have maternal antibodies anymore- one shot (annually) would suffice.
I've talked about this with several vets, and some of them agree, some don't, but the latter ones can never give me the reason why this would not be true. The veterinary virology professor at our university does agree with this theory though.
I would be glad to read the opinion of some knowledgeable people on this list about this!