Sorry - this was held up at work somewhere on the net for several days....
 
To Krystal and Weehawk:
 
>After all of your posts about different kinds of vaccine for distemper
>I finally clued into the fact that you all listed three shots, while when
>I bought my first ferret I was told to get him one booster, and that is
>all!  He had one shot when I bought him (weehawk is a marshal farms ferret)
>and I got him another when he was about 12 weeks old, is he protected?
>Do I need to get him another shot now,  or is it too late?  He is now 9 mos.
>old.  He also received a rabies vaccine when he was about 15 weeks old, but
>that is all of the shots that he has had.  Should I be worried?
 
        I think in these cases it is always better safe than sorry.  I would
suggest one more shot to be on the safe side.  Weehawk may have full, or only
partial protection at this time.  Most MF ferrets are given their first shot
about 6 weeks, then he had to wait twice the lenth of time (another 6 weeks)
before his booster.  Since both the schedule was off, and the numbers were one
less than requisite, I'd suggest one more, and then his yearly booster right on
schedule.  Remember, distemper is 100% fatal in ferrets.
 
       Bruce Williams, DVM                 Department of Veterinary Pathology
       [log in to unmask]         Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
       (202) 782-2600/2602                 Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
[Posted in FML issue 1042]