Jessica, it was exactly due to the levels of severe allergic reactions to
Fervac D and to Galaxy D that Merial developed a newer vaccine which has
an extremely low allergic reaction risk.  Reactions still can happen with
the new Merial CD vaccine, of course, but are barely ever heard of.  The
vaccine is their Purevax Recombitek CD Vaccine for Ferrets.
 
I know that you already know to separate vaccines (not give rabies and
CD vax at tyhe same time, but it's always good to mention that for those
others who don't know.
 
Ditto, I know that you know that the addition of having Benedryl in the
ferrets before vaccines helps reduce allergic reactions -- like the way
that allergists makes sure that someone who is likely to react strongly
to allergy shots has taken antihistamines beforehand.  Some vet prefer
the use of injectable Benedryl and others prefer to have the plain (no
additives of other meds) oral pediatric elixir form used beforehand.
 
There was a shelter in the midwest in the past which had a a bad batch
or either Fervac or Galaxy and had a number react.  They decided that
the difficulty may have been with the distributor handling the drug wrong
and began making sure to bypass the distributor.
 
Oh, some types of medical problems -- like the use of chemo mean that vax
should not be given, and some ferrets just are too prone to reacting.
Glueball reacts to both Galaxy and Fervac, and Jumpstart who passed away
this last year also used to react severely to both.
 
Without problems like that, though, ferrets should get their vaccines.
Actual deaths are rare with treatment for anaphylactic shock, but canine
distemper is a horribly dangerous disease and this year there were quite
a few cases we at the FHL heard about either publicly or in (sometimes
panicked) private contacts.
 
Some folks are trying going with titers instead of vaccinating every
year; the needed titer levels aren't firmly established the last i heard,
so they are paving the way to options if what they are trying teaches if
it works on challenge with CD exposure or if it fails on challenge with
CD exposure.
[Posted in FML issue 3963]