If people who have encountered unusual levels of reactions don't share
the batch numbers and serial numbers then there is too little data to
help people, and worse it could even lead to under-vaccinating which
might result in a ferret's destruction. So far NO ONE who has mentioned
seeing an unusual number of reactions to rabies vaccines has given that
essential information; only one has said that she would ask the vet
for it. Also, we don't know if these are within the normal bounds for
reaction rates for this vaccine since millions of ferrets are
vaccinated each year. Nor do we have any idea if there may be a
distributor or transporter in common (but that is something we usually
won't know, though the manufacturer and federal people tend to check
on that score).

Like others we've been waiting for those ID numbers. The veterinary
records WILL have them since most states require that the
identification numbers for vaccines be present in vet records.

I know of no deadline for veterinarians reporting reactions.

While rabies vaccines MIGHT last longer than known there is currently
NO sufficient titer info to make any judgements on that score for
rabies vaccines and no current ferret vaccines of any type have been
tested to see if they suffice for longer than 1 year in ferrets. (It is
only recently that there has been rabies vaccine titer info for humans,
BTW, and i know a vet who took advantage of that.) There are currently
two CDV studies ongoing to see if and when canine distemper vaccines
can last beyond a year. One is open for participation and these will
need to be followed by a challenge study. To participate and to learn
more:
http://www.ferret.org/news/07-april-titer_study.html
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL9127
latter parts of:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL9108

Those are Canine Distemper Vaccine titer studies, not rabies ones. The
other study is looking at a large number of ferrets in one location so
each of these looks at the data from a different perspective, meaning
that they can be especially important when taken together.

Rabies vaccines require very special facilities that are permitted to
work with that virus. Most are not. As far as I have heard, no one has
been seeking funding at this time to see if IMRAB3 may last longer than
a year, so if an incident occurs (or is FAKED -- as happened too often
with people's ex-SOs before there was the documentation and before
ferrets were treated just like cats and dogs in the "Compendium of
Animal Rabies Prevention and Control") then the ferrets can die (in
some states death is more likely than in others).

Information:
http://www.nasphv.org/Documents/RabiesCompendium.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/

Reporting vaccine reactions:
Report to the manufacturer. For IMRAB 3 that is Merial.
1-888-MERIAL-1
may still be the right phone number (or not)

Also, report federally. If the gov't gets too many reports it does
make sure manufacturers follow-up.

http://www.ferret-universe.com/health/resources/pharmacobrochure.pdf

http://www.ferret-universe.com/health/resources/vetadversedrug.pdf

http://www.ferret-universe.com/health/resources/animaladverseevent.pdf

Center for Veterinary Medicine
1-888-FDA-VETS

Center for Veterinary Biologics
APHIS/USDA
1-800-752-6255

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/vet_biologics/

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/default.htm

<http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/ReportaProblem/default.htm>

If people don't report the ID numbers with just a small handful of
people mentioning multiple ferrets involved in reacting to the rabies
vaccine recently I personally would have to conclude that is possibly
within normal bounds, or involved mishandling by someone along the
line. Seriously, without those numbers it's pretty useless...

Without those ID numbers given the reports really are not helpful at
all for anyone. Sorry, but that is just so. Please, get them. Just a
phone call and callback, or a quick look in in the affected ferrets'
charts will get them; some will have the info right on a rabies
vaccination certificate sheet depending on the state's design for
those where they exist. There should be the question asked also if the
reactions were reported and the reporting info can be shared to make
that easier so look for it above. Reporting saves lives. If too many
are affected by a given batch it is investigated and can be recalled.
We all already know that pet med and other pet product recalls do
happen from following the FDA and USDA recall sites:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/2008_news_releases/index.asp
and
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm
and on rare occasion other pet product recalls can be found in
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html
I still need to search to see if they also appears at all in
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 6359]