There was a post yesterday that described a horrible and frightening reaction to the rabies vaccine, the person made the decision not to risk another life-threatening reaction due to the rabies vaccine. Rational decision! I am only recently part of this group and have not seen any comments pro/against the 'distemper' vaccine, which also can have life-threatening side effects. Forgive me if this has already been covered, but I think its valuable for people to be aware of the clinical trial the 'Distemper Titre Study' - that is being run by Dr. Ruth Heller, DVM. The study is looking at determining whether ferrets remain protected against distemper one, two or three years out from their most recent vaccination. The reason this study is being run is because Dr. Heller believes that ferrets may remain protected for a longer period than currently believed and therefore, may not require annual vaccinations. Hence, reduce the risk of a bad reaction to the vaccine. She apparently has lost 2 due to vaccination reaction For more information on the details of the study - information can be found on the AFA website at: http://www.ferret.org/news/07-april-titer_study.shtm And for everybody's information, another plug for the value of homeopathy - Homeopathic Thuya 30C given immediately after a vaccination will neutralize all negative side effects of an immunization. I've used it on myself whenever I get a flu shot and my daughter has used it on my grandson since infancy following a vaccination. Only once she forgot it at home and had a screaming toddler on her hands until she gave him the Thuya when they got home. He was on a roll, but stopped crying as soon as mom gave him the Thuya. Still - if I had to choose, I'd forgo the vaccinations altogether for my fuzzies. After much discussion, weighing pros and cons, both my conventional primary veterinarian and my homeopathic veterinarian agree. Of note, in Canada both the rabies and/or distemper vaccinations are considered good for 36 months, although some veterinarians may vaccinate more often, most stick to the every 3 years - if given. Tressie A. Dutchyn, MA ID PhD student, Dalhousie University Research Associate Atlantic Interdisciplinary Research Network for Social & Behavioral Issues in Hepatitis C & HIV/AIDS Department of Community Health & Epidemiology Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine [Posted in FML 5771]