Hello fellow FML-ers,
 
Rabies requires a fluid exchange in order to become infected, so your
ferret would have to bite or be bitten by a rabid animal to contract
rabies (like a bat, for instance).  Distemper however can be shed into
the environment by an infected animal, which means you can pick it up
on your shoes and bring it into your house.
 
Like my vet always says: Distemper is 100% fatal in ferrets, vaccine
reactions are almost never fatal.  If your ferret stays indoors and you
are careful not to let ignorant people handle them, you can get away with
not vaccinating for rabies.  However, it could be deadly to your ferret
to not vaccinate for distemper.  I work at my vet's clinic part-time and
we recently had an dog come in with end-stage distemper - boy, was I ever
glad my fuzzies are current on their vaccines!
 
I personally believe that, to go by the manufacturer's recommendations,
we are over-vaccinating our animals.  Some vet's also believe this, but
studies in cats and dogs have not be completed, and no studies in ferrets
are planned.  Once my ferrets are over 2 years old, I only vaccinate
every other year.  But that's me, you have to do what you think is best
for your own fuzzies.
 
That's my two cents...
 
Dooks to all,
 
Serena and the Wrecking Crew:
Conan the Destroyer "Who, me?"
Elvis the Bear "Can I help? Can I, huh?"
Little Miss Crockett "Give me a raisin and nobody gets hurt."
Mathayus the Scorpion King "Hey, I was playing with that!"
[Posted in FML issue 4115]