From:
Linda Lowder
Date: 2007-03-05 07:02:49 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] rabies vaccines
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Hi Sue~
Concerning the frequency of rabies re-vaccination in ferrets...
Below is some additional information from Ron Hines, DVM posted April 24,=
2004. His statements are quite frank and honest....
=20=20
Excerpted from: http://www.2ndchance.info/fervacs.htm
=20=20
How Vaccines Work:
Vaccines stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies (titer) against =
a disease organism so that the ferret is protected against various pathogen=
s in its environment. If the immunized ferret is later exposed to the infec=
tious agent, these antibodies react quickly to attack and neutralize the di=
sease. Ferrets also possess =93memory=94 cells that mount a rapid attack ag=
ainst virus and bacteria that they were once exposed to=96 even when antibo=
dy titer is low or undetectable.
.
Determining parental immunity levels in ferret kits is expensive and rarely=
run. So because we do not know just when to vaccinate we give a series of =
three or four injections so that at least one of them will work. Another pr=
oblem is that the immune system of young ferrets is sometimes immature and =
incapable of mounting a good antibody (titer) defense to the vaccines.
Adult Immunizations:
Once we are sure we have a protected ferret kit we need to decide how often=
we should revaccinate our ferrets to keep immunity at protective levels. U=
ntil recently, veterinarians simply gave all ferrets booster shots every ye=
ar. This is what the vaccine manufacturers suggested. Besides, it brought o=
ur clientele back to our animal hospitals yearly, which increased our incom=
e and gave us the opportunity to detect other problems early before the own=
ers were aware of them. Most veterinarians do a thorough physical examinati=
on on pets at the time of their yearly vaccinations and we often detect pro=
blems during these exams. By law, most states require a yearly rabies vacci=
nation for ferrets - even though studies have shown that many of the rabies=
vaccines we use give us at least three years of protection.
Many veterinarians, myself included, were suspicious that the vaccines we=
used were giving much longer periods of protection than one year. We knew =
this because we never saw distemper in ferrets that had been vaccinated - e=
ven many years earlier. Part of the problem involves the typical fee struct=
ures of veterinary practices. We tend to undercharge for complex surgery an=
d subsidize those procedures with the money we earn on yearly vaccinations.=
I do not know how this practice came about but it has existed at least sin=
ce the 1950=92s. There was also an incentive for vaccine manufacturers to s=
ell more vaccine if boosters were recommended annually as well as a one-yea=
r mindset among the bureaucrats that staff the USDA Center for Veterinary B=
iologics that dictate vaccination protocols. These are the same deep thinke=
rs that mandate a two-year expiration date on a vial of water.
How Frequently To Immunize:
I know of no scientific studies that have been conducted on length of immun=
ity in ferrets. But for most dogs, cats and other mammals, vaccination indu=
ces a serologic response (titer) to both distemper and rabies that lasts fo=
r an extended period =96 in many instances over four years.
Based on these studies I recommend that ferret kits continue to receive the=
series of vaccinations we currently give and that they then receive booste=
r vaccinations against distemper the following year. After that, vaccinatio=
n every three years should protect them well. Indoors ferrets, which make u=
p about ninety-five percent of the ferrets I see, need less frequent boosti=
ng than ferrets that go out of doors unsupervised or cavort with unkempt do=
gs. . No two vaccine manufactures produce identical products so you should =
not assume that the brand your veterinarian uses induces this long an immun=
ity - but I suspect they all protect well over a year. An exception would b=
e ferrets living in large multi-animal household or that are under heavy st=
ress. Stress is known to depress the immune system. Then, of course, the va=
ccine does not work. Distemper can pass rapidly from carrier dogs and unpro=
tected dogs at animal shelters and groomers. This often occurs before their=
personnel
has a chance to vaccinate them or for incoming ferrets to have time to dev=
elop immunity.
There are other risks involved in too frequent vaccinations. For one, the i=
mmune system of your ferret is stressed by these shots. Occasional ferrets =
develop allergic reactions, facial edema, enteritis, lethargy, fevers, prur=
itis, nausea, coughing. We also suspect that vaccinations can trigger certa=
in autoimmune diseases. Occasionally these reactions are life threatening. =
Some vaccines (Not Merial) contain many ingredients besides the dried virus=
. Some of these, antibiotics and adjuvants (enhancers), are implicated in v=
accine reactions. In ferrets that have had prior history of vaccine reactio=
ns (Other than to United Products) I often do not give yearly vaccinations.=
I feel the risks outweigh the benefits and write a letter for the owners t=
o this effect. If I am suspicious that a ferret might have a reaction to a =
particular vaccine I pre-administer antihistamines (Benedryl) and give a mi=
nute test dose of 0.05ml. If the ferret is normal thirty minutes after the =
test dose I
give it the remaining one-milliliter. Other ferrets more at risk are those=
that attend shows, large grooming or boarding facilities. About one tenth =
of the ferrets I see fall into this higher risk category."
sue thomas <ferretsnfelines@earthlink.net> wrote:
Hi, I need some help, I am trying to do some extensive research i=
nto the rabies vaccine (Imrab 3) for several answers.
**One question is why does the company Merial suggest after first vaccine, =
a different amount of time for ferrets from cats and dogs? Cats & dogs can =
be done every 3 years since the shot is a 3 year vaccination and there is N=
O one year shot really. But for ferrets, they say do every year. I don't un=
derstand why, does anyone know?
**Also, have there been any documented cases of rabies in ferrets? If so, d=
o you know where to find it? Also,, once infected with rabies, how long doe=
s it take to see signs in a ferret? How long would a quarantine time be for=
a ferret compared to the 10-14 days for a dog or cat?
**Is there any research still going on with this vaccine for ferrets? If so=
, will they ever get to the same recommendation as cats and dogs(3 years)?
**Merial suggest giving only to healthy ferrets, cats & dogs, what is the d=
efinition for healthy ferret? What I mean is, a very high percentage of fer=
rets or older cats and dogs have some health problems and usually not good,=
as we all know, in ferrets it's adrenal, insulinoma, and the list goes on.=
So what health issues in a ferret or any cat or dog, will justify no more =
vaccinations for that animal?
**And, I read somewhere and can't find it now, that the site of vaccination=
sometimes has caused tumors and or cancer in animals, anyone ever hear of =
this?
thanks,
sue
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=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20
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