Second first:
Carnivores have high enough nitrogen levels in their waste that they
can cause root burn, true for dogs, cats, ferrets, etc.

There were two very old epidemiological studies done on ferrets and
referenced in at least the first James Fox (ed) text on ferrets,
_Biology and Diseases of the Ferret)_ and perhaps in his second
edition. When 75% of the colony had effective CD vaccines on board
there was some spread but it was greatly reduced, but when 75% did not
have effective CD vaccines on board the infection swept through that
colony. That is from memory and i got very little sleep last night so
check me.

Shelters have two real problems: lack of reliable vaccination
histories, and animals who are already compromised enough that the
vaccines may not work as well as they would in a healthy animal (or may
not even be able to be given till health problems come under control).
There is also the timing issue because vaccines or extra vaccines on
board after infection spreads may not work on those who already have
contracted the infection but are not showing symptoms yet. Have someone
unknowingly throw a CD carrier into that sort of mix and there is huge
trouble.

The type of vaccine might matter, too. There have not yet been the
sorts of studies done on Galaxy which were done on Purevax.

We are very busy with Telemna; she is in a life threatening platelet
problem so we're at the vets' a lot these days and trying additional
meds which might work in conjunction with what she already has on
board, steroids and a chemo agent that decreases estrogen output.
Telemna's various medical problems add up to a difficult situation.
For those who want to know more see the messages in the FHL or the
FHL Archives.

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
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
On change for its own sake: "You can go really fast if you just jump
off the cliff." (2010, Steve Crandall)

[Posted in FML 7054]