FML'ers -
 
Over the last several days I have seen an alarming trend in the number
of posts by people who are either questioning the need for distemper
vaccination for ferrets or have decided not to get it at all.
 
The current number of allergic reactions to Fervac-D is indeed distressing
(possibly up to 2%), but should not prevent people from vaccinating against
distemper.  Fervac-D is the only tested distemper vaccine for ferrets,
but is not the only distemper product available.  Galaxy-D, if your
veterinarian can get it and is willing to use a non-approved product, is an
excellent alternative to Fervac-D, with a far lower incidence of reactions.
There are a number of other products available for use in dogs - while
these are multivalent vaccines while contain other non-ferret related
viruses, even these are preferable to non-vaccinated ferrets.  Years ago,
it was all we had to use in ferrets, and I never saw either a reaction to
the vaccine or distemper in a vaccinated ferret.
 
Why is vaccination against distemper so important?  Simply put - distemper
is 100% fatal and a miserable way to die.  You may forget the urban legends
of treating ferrets for distemper - it doesn't work.  (Perhaps one in 1000
may survive as a miracle which we don't understand - but will suffer
debilitating long-term neurologic disease as well as serve as a shedder
of this virus to infect others.)
 
If your vet is using Fervac -D - there are things that you can do to lessen
the chances of a severe reaction - 1) Pretreat with an antihistamine such
as Benedryl.  (No, prednisone is NOT as good - a steroid helps lessen the
severity of reaction but does nothing to prevent it.  As histamine is the
chemical in the body which is responsible for the allergic reaction - the
bronchoconstriction, the vascular dilation, the hemorrhage into the gut,
the shock - only an antihistamine, administered BEFORE the event, has any
preventive reaction.) 2) Wait 30 minutes after any vaccination before
leaving the vets.  Anaphylactic reactions most commonly occur during that
time period.  3) Vaccinate only at the vets - if you are using Fervac at
home, without access to emergency treatment if needed, you are courting
disaster - I don't ever vaccinate at home.
 
Distemper is heartbreaking - it is a disease that claims the young (for the
sins of the industry) - and the innocent (for the sins of their owners).
As educated ferret owners, we must do everything to prevent the occurrence
of this terrible disease in the lives entrusted to us, even if it involves
taking educated risks.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM
[Posted in FML issue 3237]