Jeff Johnson wrote:
 
>Debbie Riccio mentioned the importance of yearly distemper boosters.
>Actually, it's not known if ferrets really need them annually...
 
Sorry Jeff, but realistically even USDA money has to come from somewhere.
It's hard to justify that kind of expenditure simply to save a ferret owner
around $20 a year.  Besides, it gives vets a chance to give the ferret a
yearly checkup and find problems before they're too advanced to correct.
 
>BTW, some veterinary vaccines are now given nasally, and I'd wager that an
>intranasally administered form of Fervac would work better than the IM d ose
>currently approved.  One conversation I had with United Vaccines indicated
>they are interested in this approach...
 
Actually, intranasal vaccines produce IgA which protects best against
viruses that are mainly intestinal or respiratory.  Condsidering the
systemic nature of the Canine Distemper virus, it is doubtful that anything
or than IgG (injection) would be protective.
 
>One comment suggested that young animals lose the ability to absorb
>antibodies from the mother shortly after birth and questioned whether late
>weaning provided extended protection against infection in the kits....
 
In most animal studies, the baby loses its ability to absorb antibodies from
the milk within the first few days or life.  It's doubtful an extended
weaning will have any effect whatsoever on a kit's acquired immunity.
 
>I believe Bill Killian asked about transmission of rabies in utero.  I have
>also seen that paper but I don't have a copy of it.  The paper basically
>showed that rabies could be transmitted to skunk kits.  I don't remember if
>the transmission occurred through the placenta or at birth.  Placental
>transmission of rabies seems very unlikely...
 
Actually, the rabies virus DOES pass through the placenta to the fetus in
skunks.  However this process has only been demonstrated in the skunk
species.
 
>In any event, I doubt it can be used as a valid argument to kill & test
>ferret kits since from all existing studies, rabies-infected jills wouldn't
>live long enough to give birth to or rear the kits... I find it hard to
>defend the actions of public health officials when they disregard scientific
>and medical reason.
 
Finally, something we both can agree upon.  The risk of rabies in a lab
bred animal like the ferret is EXTREMELY low.  Ferret bites should be
treated like bites from any other domestic anima--with quarantine!
--
 
Bruce Levine DVM
[Posted in FML issue 1618]