Regarding doing your own distemper vaccinations:
 
While Dr Williams touched on some very important reasons for not vaccinating
your own ferrets, there is another VERY important reason for not doing it
yourself:
 
Along with the annual vaccination, comes an annual EXAMINATION.  Your vet
will feel for lumps and bumps, enlarged organs, and will listen to heart
and lung sounds.  Many diseases caught early enough, can often be controlled
or cured, extending the life and well-being of your ferret.
 
While many breeders often vaccinate litters (myself included), the average
pet owner should really be taking their pets in to the vet for annual
vaccinations.
 
I have just had a 3 year old ferret diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.  I would
not have expected this in a ferret her age - she was spayed in February of
this year and had a normal exam at that time.  I took her to the vet to be
examined for what I thought was "a cold" - he wanted to see because she was
congested and wanted to rule out heart problems.  Well, she has a murmur,
fluid in her chest, a rapid heart rate, and some abnormal blood work.  I was
shocked!
 
So PLEASE don't jeopardize your ferret's health and life to save a few bucks.
If you only have a couple of ferrets, are you really saving all that much
money by the time you add in overnight express mailing?
 
Please take them to the vet's for their annual checkups and vaccinations.
 
Debbie Riccio
WNYFLFA
Rochester, NY
[Posted in FML issue 1326]