Remember that the Compendium guidelines are just that and not law.
States vary in how they observe it.  In some states an unvaccinated
ferret who bites someone will be destroyed unless a few states have
improved since the original observations of the Compendium changes.
In some others a long quarantine in a veterinary facility is needed.
 
BTW, IMRAB is not responsible for many of the vaccination reactions which
happen, and only a small minority of ferrets react to any vaccines.
 
So, unless a ferret has a reaction history that is not a reason to skip
the vax, and skipping is not necessarily a money saving or humane move,
either.
 
Two other comments on rabies accusations:
If a wound if to the head or face a medical professional or victim can
press for destruction easily, and even with other ones some still press
for destruction and testing of the brain.  Secondly, back BEFORE the
Compendium of Animal Rabies Control and Prevention was changed in
ferrets' favor there was a real problem -- which got mentioned more than
a few times -- of accusations based upon no real attack at all.  Instead
ex-boyfriends at least several times accused to get back at the old
girlfriend, and at least one neighbor feud erupted into such an
accusation.  There was no way to prove one way or the other so the
ferrets wound up destroyed.  (There were also some situations in which
sweet people who did have injured tried to stop destruction by getting
the shots back then.)
 
-- Sukie (not a vet)
Ferret Health List
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FHL Archives
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 4928]