From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2010-06-14 15:31:50 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: ferret vaccines
To: fhl <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
All of this information is already in the FHL Archives.
Also see the archives for information on avoiding
reactions, and treating reactions when they occur.
Merial did test Purevax for effectiveness and knows
that it lasts at least a year. IMRAB 3 was one of three
rabies vaccines tested for effectiveness in ferrets,
but it, too, was only tested for one year. (Both of the
other rabies vaccines worked but one only covered for
6 months in ferrets, and the other produced a lot of
bad side effects in ferrets so they were both dropped
from the trials. Sorry but it has been too long to remember
which vaccines they were.)
It is not known how much beyond a year these vaccines
may last but two studies on that score have been going on,
one which is by Dr. Ruth Heller is open for public
participation and can be read about here:
http://www.ferret.org/news/07-april-titer_study.html
while the other, by Dr. Bob Wagner looks at the problem
in a different way, making both studies very important. Then
a challenge study will be needed.
To find out how much the rabies vaccines may go beyond a
year, with official acceptance of those results, would be far
more complicated since very few places are okayed to work
with rabies challenge studies, so hard to do, much more
expensive, etc. On the other hand, I was told last year that
rabies titers for humans have become more reliable now,
but have no data on that, nor references, nor do I know
if that would be a reliable statement for any other species.
There is one other vaccine people use for Canine Distemper,
but the manufacturer does NOT list it as a rabies vaccine
which means that if they wanted to change the cell lines they
work with then the vaccine could even become dangerous for
ferrets. That vaccine is Galaxy. Many people have had good
result with it so far. Galaxy has been tested for short term
effectiveness in a few male kit ferrets. The older vaccine from
which it was derived was a vaccine which had been tested in
ferrets.
Several years ago there was yet another CD vaccine, no longer
made but widely used, which was far more prone to causing allergic
reactions in ferrets, and which may also have been related to
cases of myofasciitis/DIM.
Try to give the rabies and CD vaccines at least 2 weeks apart
and any vet who is used to treating ferrets will know methods
of reducing vaccine reaction risks, and how to treat them
when they occur. There obviously are exceptions, but with
epi, fluids, etc. deaths from serious reactions are very rare,
and reactions themselves are lower in rates with the current
vaccines. If you are leery of giving CD vaccines then read
about the Mongo Memorial study and download the papers.
Then have the titers run. Be SURE to send the specimen
to the right testing lab, and copies of each of the completed
data sheets to Dr. Ruth Heller because otherwise the testing
will help no one.
Remember that ferret kits need a series of CD vaccines and that
they have to be old enough before they can have the rabies
vaccine. Pet store kits typically only have the first of their CD
vaccines on board and no rabies vaccine.
Again, all of this information and more is readily available in the
easily searched FHL Archives:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
which can also be linked to from multiple places on the FHL
website, for example, in the introduction and in the list of
addresses near the bottom of the homepage:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
A recently mentioned book, _Ferret for Dummies_ also
has a clear section on vaccines and their timing.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
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