I'm sure by the time I send this in, Sukie will have posted with her usual excellent job of providing us with properly researched info. Until then I found this very informative, easy to read article: http://www.vetinfo.com/dencyclopedia/dedistemper.html Please note while the distemper virus is not exceptionally hardy or 'viable', its persistent enough to make it a serious threat if you as a Ferret owner or caregiver are exposed to it, if one of your other pets is exposed to it, and there are a couple of other not too difficult means of transmission as well. Personally I keep my kids well and properly vaccinated until at least their tiders are high enough to cover them and except for the occasional ferret who can't be vaccinated, I wonder why others don't as well. Even with tiders, on the rare occasion we have an outbreak here, everyone gets re-upped. Hope that helps someone ... Brenda, Momma to the FurpeopleWeyr [Posted in FML 7830]