Wayne:
 
LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE!!!  She's right!!!!  Farrah needs at the minimum, a
canine distemper vaccination yearly.  A 5 year old ferret is considered
'old' and she should also have a fasting blood sugar at her age to check for
insulinoma.  In fact, at her age, a complete blood panel wouldn't be such a
bad idea.
 
Since you're not even sure if the previous owners took her to a vet, it's
even more important that you get her for a checkup.  It probably would be a
good idea for you to have 2 distemper vaxs, about 4 wks apart this first
year, since you don't know her vax history and you'll want her to be fully
protected.  Then one vax annually.
 
If ferrets have a fault, it's that they're so stoic...they can tolerate a
lot of pain and discomfort before showing it - and a good vet exam should be
able to pick up things that may help to prolong your ferret's life.
 
I understand there is an outbreak of distemper in one ferret shelter in
South Carolina, and those ferrets had all been vaccinated (remember, no
vaccine is 100 percent effective), so the concern is very real - and very
lethal.
 
Debbie Riccio
WNYFLFA
Rochester, NY
[Posted in FML issue 1498]