Dear Kathy:
 
>My question is: When do I know a baby needs vaccinations if i have adopted
>from someone who isn't sure themselves and can't find their paper work...
>Shall I have shots done bi-yearly or only once in a lifetime?  Shall I
>assume they were given a basic set of vaccinations and then proceed to
>have them done every 6 months after we receive them?  ...
 
Never assume tht a baby has had any vaccinations.  At this point, you need
three distemper shots 3-4 weeks apart.  While most pet store kits have
already had one set of vaccinations, if they wree not followed up on, the
ferret has no incipient immunity to boost.  So, as distemper is deadly in
ferrets, let's start at the very beginning.
 
After the initial series, then we boost every year, both distemper and
rabies.
 
Always better to be safe than sorry.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM
[Posted in FML issue 3228]