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FOCUS ON MEDICINE
by Dr. Rene Gandolfi, DVM
 
DISTEMPER VACCINES
   Distemper infection in ferrets is reported to be almost 100% fatal. The
virus, spread by direct contact and aerosolized (airborne) droplet, is the
same one that causes distemper in dogs. There are many distemper vaccines on
the market, some of which can be, and have been, used to protect ferrets.
   However, as of this writing, there is only one FDA-approved distemper
vaccine for use in ferrets-FerVac-D, produced by United Vaccines, Inc. of
Madison, Wisconsin. A second commonly used vaccine-Fromm-D, produced by
Solvay Animal Health, Inc. of Mendota Heights, Minnesota-is no longer
available and has been replaced by Solvay's Galaxy-D.
   Almost all other distemper vaccines on the market are packaged in
combination with other disease agents for dogs, such as parvo virus and
hepatitis. These other vaccines are neither needed for ferrets, nor have they
been proven to be safe for use in ferrets.
Fromm-D was never adopted by the FDA for ferrets, but years of use in
thousands of ferrets demonstrated its safety. Galaxy-D is produced from the
same seed strain of canine origin distemper virus, and is attenuated on chick
embryo (the same as Fromm-D). In the final step of growth for packaging, the
vaccine is produced in tissue culture instead of egg culture as was done for
Fromm-D. Therefore, Galaxy-D os exactly the same as Fromm-D except for this
one last step.
   While Solvay does not claim Galaxy-D is the same, the company does expect
it will perform just like Fromm-D and that similar "third party" supporting
evidence will be developed.
 
CALIFORNIA FERRETS CAN BE LEGALLY TREATED BY YOUR VETERINARIAN
   California veterinarians have received verbal assurance from the
California Department of Fish & Game (DFG) that veterinarians may hospitalize
and treat ferrets without being considered "in possession" of the animal.
This assurance from DFG clarifies past policy which previously put the
veterinarian at risk of liability if the owner of the ferret was not with the
animal.
   Previously, DFG felt that if the client was not physically present (in the
same room as the ferret and doctor), that the veterinarian was "in
possession" of the animal and liable for fines and prosecution. This meant
that many veterinarians would not treat ferrets requiring medical supervision
or hospitalization for fear of DFG's threats of prosecution.
   The current understanding is that, while possessing any ferrets without a
DFG permit is still illegal, veterinarians will not be cited or fined if
ferrets are found in their hospitals. Nothing in this new interpretation
changes the laws regarding private possession of ferrets in California, or
DFG's stated position that they will enforce the ban.
   Also note that DFG has no authority over licensed veterinarians as to what
type of care they can provide, nor can DFG require veterinarians to report
clients who bring ferrets in for care.
 
Questions for Dr. Gandolfi can be sent to: Focus on Medicine, c/o Image
Design Studios, 4061 E. Castro Valley Blvd., Suite 151, Castro Valley, CA
94552-2840.
 
 
RE-PRINTED FROM "FERRET FOCUS," January 1995
 
(c) Copyright 1995 the California Domestic Ferret Association and Image
Design Studios. Persons wishing to re-print this article must contact the
Public Relations Director at (510) 538-6642.
 
For CDFA membership information, call (510) 886-4210.
[Posted in FML issue 1079]