Jessica, it was exactly due to the levels of severe allergic reactions to Fervac D and to Galaxy D that Merial developed a newer vaccine which has an extremely low allergic reaction risk. Reactions still can happen with the new Merial CD vaccine, of course, but are barely ever heard of. The vaccine is their Purevax Recombitek CD Vaccine for Ferrets. I know that you already know to separate vaccines (not give rabies and CD vax at tyhe same time, but it's always good to mention that for those others who don't know. Ditto, I know that you know that the addition of having Benedryl in the ferrets before vaccines helps reduce allergic reactions -- like the way that allergists makes sure that someone who is likely to react strongly to allergy shots has taken antihistamines beforehand. Some vet prefer the use of injectable Benedryl and others prefer to have the plain (no additives of other meds) oral pediatric elixir form used beforehand. There was a shelter in the midwest in the past which had a a bad batch or either Fervac or Galaxy and had a number react. They decided that the difficulty may have been with the distributor handling the drug wrong and began making sure to bypass the distributor. Oh, some types of medical problems -- like the use of chemo mean that vax should not be given, and some ferrets just are too prone to reacting. Glueball reacts to both Galaxy and Fervac, and Jumpstart who passed away this last year also used to react severely to both. Without problems like that, though, ferrets should get their vaccines. Actual deaths are rare with treatment for anaphylactic shock, but canine distemper is a horribly dangerous disease and this year there were quite a few cases we at the FHL heard about either publicly or in (sometimes panicked) private contacts. Some folks are trying going with titers instead of vaccinating every year; the needed titer levels aren't firmly established the last i heard, so they are paving the way to options if what they are trying teaches if it works on challenge with CD exposure or if it fails on challenge with CD exposure. [Posted in FML issue 3963]