Amy wrote as a non-vet: >Comment on lapsed vax advice (The reason I am pointed out "non-vet" in this instance is because of the use of the highly debatable and loaded word "lapsed".) Making choices about how to vaccinate an adult ferret who has missed vaccinations is also something that a knowledgeable ferrets vet is best equipped to know how to approach with an eye toward the best health risk balance. When Dr. Murray writes: >Distemper a series of 2 to be on the safe side. It comes complete with knowing things like the dangers and horrors of canine distemper. If a person hasn't encountered canine distemper in an animal it is right up there with seeing JL or seeing the new mystery disease, and actually may even be more of gut and heart wrenching experience for human observers who love the animal infected given the level of suffering the animal goes through. If an animal is up to being vaccinated then vaccinations make sense but with logical precautions, esp. waiting at the vets' office for a long while afterward in case a life-threatening reaction occurs (because in all but a handful of cases immediate care with Epi, fluids, steroids, antihistamines, and sometimes respiratory or other support will prevent death when an anaphylactic reaction occurs), not having both the CD and rabies vax given at the same time, etc. If an animal can't be vaccinated -- too ill, having chemo, etc. then it is best to take precautions. (Actually, for the most part I really appreciate my foot and ankle braces, but they have required me to wear shoes so often that I do worry about increased exposure for one of our ferrets who can't be vaccinated for health reasons, so I simply no longer walk in some areas which I loved because of them being frequented by raccoons and eastern coyotes which is a loss since we have ferret graves there, I love the critter watching there, and I had been following some patches of wild orchids and a patch of wild ginseng (more and more rare due to wild harvesting) and hoping that it thrives and increases but now I just won't know. Oh, well. Probably just as well given how insure the foothold is in that swamp.) Anyway, the back and forth on vaccinations and what is guess work vs. what is known, what precautions make sense for different situations, what the vets say, etc. is all old-hat here, so folks can easily get the entire thing in http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html [Posted in FML issue 4595]