In the recent newsletter of the Baltimore Ferret Club (Nov. 28, 1994) there
was a reprinted letter from Dr. Susan A. Brown, DVM.  In this letter she says
that Solvay has stopped producing the distemper vaccine Fromm-D and has
replaced it with Galaxy D, which uses simian (monkey) rather than avian (chick
embryo) cell cultures.  She says: "No one knows the significance for the ferret
of this change.  It may not be a problem at all, but until it is tested, we are
recommending not to use it.  The veterinarian I spoke to was clear that the
vaccine HAS NOT been tested in any  exotics since it was tested in and designed
primarily for dogs so they CANNOT recommend it for ferrets at this time."
 
I think this means that we will stop vaccinating our older two ferrets Ben and
Jerry against distemper.  They had a severe reaction to FervacD last May.  I
think that further FervacD vaccinations would probably kill them.
 
Does anyone have any more information about this?  I know that Dr. Brown is on
the FML but don't recall seeing postings from her recently.  Dr. Brown, are you
still there?
 
Bill Sebok      Univ. of Maryland, Astronomy
        Internet: [log in to unmask]     URL: http://www.astro.umd.edu/~wls/
[Posted in FML issue 1033]