>And can someone tell me why these tiny little animals have to have
>Distemper shots every year and dogs every 2 or 3 years?  Why is that?
>Necessity or a dumb law?
 
Necessity.  It's not known how long the vax last for ferrets.
 
There was a person in our area year ago who had canine distemper in
her household.  The ferrets who had not been vaccinated all died.
The survivors had been vaccinated either 2 or 3 years before.  I'm not
sure which or if it was ever clear which it was, esp.  since they were
switched over from a different hospital because our vet was considered
more capable for such marginal individuals.  They survived but with a
lot of damage.  Maybe it says in one of the posts I sent at the time.
Nope, I looked.  Also, I don't know which of the vax that was.  I assume
Fervac.  What works for one vax doesn't necessarily work for another.
(Illustration: when several rabies vax were first being tested in ferrets
some harmed the ferrets, and one tested worked -- but only for 6 months.)
 
Titers aren't helpful, either, because not enough is known about titers
in ferrets to accurately interpret them in terms of degree of protection.
 
Hope that helps.
 
I agree.  It would be GREAT to not have to vaccinate as often and reduced
exposures for ferrets would reduce reaction rates most likely since it is
through exposures that allergies happen (which is why food allergies,
though rare for true allergies, happen usually with foods the individual
typically eats except for a few items which simply are more likley to
produce allergies such as crustaceans).
[Posted in FML issue 4569]