Angela, until there is research proving a longer efficacy of IMRAB 3 in
ferrets it remains a one year vax in ferrets.
 
How long a vaccine works varies from species to species, and the only way
to know is to get the funding for the research to find out how long a
given specific vaccine lasts, and it sure would not hurt if there was
research top find out what titer numbers in ferrets signify because at
this point the levels which actually do indicate protection are unknown.
That needs to be done for each of the vaccines because they do vary.  For
example, one of the rabies vax first tested for ferrets -- which lasts
far longer in other species -- lasted all of 6 months in ferrets.  It
simply didn't give longer protection.
 
It could be useful for you to provide BOTH the info from the AVMA site
(which also appears in JAVMA) at
http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/rabcont.asp
That info is directly from the National Association of State Public
Health Veterinarians.
 
I believe the Indiana state public health veterinarian in charge of state
rabies policies may (my reference which does not have a printing error
affecting those pages is from early 2001) still be either: Dr. Brett
Marsh, State Veterinarian, 805 Beechway Drive, Ste.  50, Indianapolis, IN
46224, phone 1-317-227-0300, fax 1-317-227-0330 or (probably far more
likely) Dr. James F.  Howell, State Public Health Veterinarian and
Epidemiologist, Indiana State Dept.  of Health, 2 N.  Meridian St., 6th
Floor, Indianapolis, IN 46204, phone 1-317-233-7272, fax 1-317-233-7805
though this may have been one of the few states in which one office
handled some aspects and the other handled others.  You could find out
which office handles it, verify the timing and then call the vet's office
with info on where they can call to see the timing if seeing a copy of
it from the AVMA site isn't sufficient.
 
We'd sure all love to be able to give vaccines less often, but until
there are studies which show effectiveness AND approval by the USDA and
the NASPHV the vet who is issuing the 3 year certificates is making a
large error which could place ferrets at risk.  Show the vet this:
http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/rabcont.asp#part3
and point out that for horse and ferrets IMRAB3 is annually.  For dogs,
cats, sheep and cattle it is a 3 year vax.
[Posted in FML issue 4650]