Jerry O'Stern wrote:
>In the absence of other animals, with a ferret-proofed home (so nothing
>bigger than a ferret can get in either) where is the risk of rabies?  If I
>have bats in my attic, my risk for rabies is as great as my ferrets.  So
>why is vaccination routinely recommended?
 
As you have reasonably concluded, the risk of ferrets getting rabies is low
indeed.  But you can't assume they won't ever get loose outside, or be
exposed to some other animal outside the home (ever take yours outside for
walks?) Basically it's to make a low risk lower still.
 
From a reality standpoint the threat is not so much (not NEARLY so much!)
rabies disease as the probability that they woud be killed and TESTED for
rabies.  Before the new Compendium this was the rule rather than the
exception (commonly without regard to their vaccination status!).  Now this
is starting to change.
 
So to keep your ferret safe from rabies and reduce the risk of death by
testing(!), vaccinate your ferret.
 
(BTW Jerry, if my memory serves, you live in the southern NY area and we DO
have a rabies problem around here.  As does much of the east coast.)
 
-Ilena Ayala
[Posted in FML issue 2188]