Sukie, My vet and I, too, do the 18 months between my kids distemper shots because I have almost lost my kids many times to reactions. We think that they probably still have some of the vaccine still in their little bodies if you do it exactly 1 year from last shot. So far so good, my vet also used the Galaxy this last time and all was well. I keep reading about how people swear by the Purevax but in 2003 when my Gizmo got his distemper, he had the worst reaction(was Purevax used) that my vet, Dr. Katrina Ramsell, had ever seen. They worked on him for almost 3 hours and then I took him home, they were pretty sure they were sending him home to die but I babied him got him to drink and eat some a/d and within 2 days he was eating again. But I was so scared, he was pooping out big puddles of blood and couldn't even stand when I brought him home. It did affect him bad though because he never really played again, just wasn't his old grumpy self. He was a little past 5 when this happened, so I am afraid to use that one again even though each ferret is different it is hard to let go of the image in your mind. He is at the bridge now, I came home from work in aug. 2004 and he was already dead, looked like he had a convulsion cuz there was food on his mouth like he threw up some and then choked, was a bad time since his sister Sissy had just died 3 weeks before. Anyway, as you say, it is every persons personal choice on how and what they use but I sure wish that they would get something with NO reactions, maybe if we pray enough, will happened one day. I too don't show my fuzzies so don't have to have the proof of each year shots but do get the rabies since my Sammy likes to nip on occasion!! Julie, Sammy, Noni & the 3 at the bridge [Posted in FML issue 5158]