Kent,
I spoke with a Marshall Farms veterinarian just YESTERDAY (Sept. 30)
regarding their policy for vaccinations, neutering, etc.  Needless to
say, I was VERY impressed with their policy of care and they offered to
send me a set of health records for the latest group of kits that were
born.  They vaccinate twice as kits for distemper, once for rabies, and
twice for bordatella (subcut vaccine, not modified live intranasal).  Animals
that are not to be sold as kits are neutered later--they recognize that
neutering later is probably better.  The vet's comment was that males
neutered early have more feminine body shapes as adults--something I
find in all my males that were neutered early.  I was given two males
that were sold at 7 mos from MF who were neutered at 5.5 mos.  The difference
is striking; this is a finding I have seen played over and over at the
ferret shelter here.  I am able to pick out the early-neuter males easily
from the later.
Finally, they keep ear mites and Ivermectin well under control by dosing
every 3-3.5 weeks with Ivermectin for non-breeding animals and have a
specific schedule set up for breeders.
After all of the hype I have heard about MF, I have to say that I was
impressed at least with the veterinarian I spoke with; it was obvious
that her interest was for the well being of the animals and not for
simply keeping them healthy under sold.
 
Amy Cada
[Posted in FML issue 0970]