Mary this is a partial post I found on the AFA message board from last
December showing that Galaxy D indeed had been tested for use on ferrets
with mink, the ferrets cousin.
 
 Subject: Galaxy D
 
USDA, APHIS division regional inspector for Class C Exhibitors, Ms.
Williams, stated that she had discussed the use of Galaxy D with her
superor and this is the offiical response that USDA told her:
 
1. Galaxy D is an approved Canine Distemper vaccination.  (they do
not distinguish Galaxy D as a dog vaccine, ferret vaccine, etc.)  It's
approved, in order for it to be approved, field studies had to be done
(of which looks like mink where used, which is a cousin to the ferret
(states reason used is that mink along with the ferret have a high death
rate with distemper)).  So Once more, USDA does NOT distinguish Galaxy D
as not being safe or used on ferrets, just that it is an approved Canine
Distemper Vaccine.
 
2. Galaxy D is licensed as a dog vaccine.  As far as a list of licensed
vaccines, it will not state that Galaxy D is a ferret licensed vaccine,
only Fervac and Purevac are.  Fervac (as known to the USDA as being
previously Distamink) is a relabelled vaccine from the Mink vaccine
(very, very similiar to each other) that has been slightly altered since
it's original appearance.
 
3. Galaxy D from Fromm D of which had been solely used prior to the
introduction of Fervac D, has been around for an exteamly long time,and
used in many field studies.  When Galaxy D was being produced with mammal
cells, it was field tested on cousins of the ferret (mink, etc.) for
effeciency.  Fervac is from a mink vaccine also tested on mink.  So both
used cousins to the ferret intially to launch their vaccine.  The makers
of Galaxy D, know that people are using their vaccine for ferrets (off
label use) but they know this.  Galaxy D being a distemper only shot is
their least producing vaccine because for dogs, the DHPP is more
desirable to canine owners.  Money is a big deal for them as it's their
smallest grossing vaccine, so why would they spend an enormous amount of
money to prove an already aproved vaccine as effective for canine
distemper just to have a ferret label.  This would also mean that if they
labelled it as a ferret, they would loose their canine clients so leaving
things the way they are, they are getting both clients at minimum cost.
This does not mean their vaccine isn't safe because it's not labelled for
a specifically for ferrets.  This also does not mean that Fervac which is
labelled as a ferret vaccine is the best choice either.
 
In another post on the AFA message board it was posted that according to
the 1999 American Ferret Report that Schering-Plough did perform limited
antibody testing with Galaxy D to show reasonable safty & effectiveness
in ferrets but did not perform challange testing which is required for
USDA approval for licensing.
 
Your resonce was: "CORRECT, there was a test done at Tuskeege."
 
Now I appologize for not privatly e-mailing you with this, but that
would defeat the purpose of posting anonimously.
 
[DV]
[Posted in FML issue 5119]