Attention Veterinarians and Ferret Owners Dr. Z. Mills, Senior Staff Veterinarian with Veterinary Services of Rhone Merieux, Inc., asked if I would post the following information for veterinarians and ferret owners. It may be re-posted on any other board providing it is posted in its entirety and no changes are made in its content. Although vaccine reactions in ferrets associated with the administration of currently available canine distemper and rabies vaccines are very rare, they can be very serious. Anaphylaxis, with severe diarrhea and collapse can occur with any biological agent. Because of this, Rhone Merieux believes that any vaccination should be performed under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. In order to reduce the potential for an allergic reaction, Dr. Mills recommends administration of rabies and distemper vaccinations at separate time intervals. He suggests a minimum of two (2) weeks between each vaccination. Should a ferret show symptoms of an allergic reaction to any vaccination the owner/veterinarian should weigh the benefits against the risk of any future inoculations. If the decision is to have vaccine administered, the owner should make sure the veterinarian is aware of the previous reaction. The veterinarian will likely premedicate the ferret prior to a vaccination. Afterwards, the ferret should be kept at the veterinarian's office for observation for the remainder of the day. Rhone Merieux is always interested in collecting data on any apparent vaccine reaction. Veterinarians are asked to fax Dr. Mills at (706) 543-1667 with the following information on the ferret. Age Sex Intact or altered Early or mature before alteration Weight Color Past history of vaccination Serial number of vaccine Concurrent vaccinations or medications given Date administered posted by: Dick Bossart 4 Li'l Paws Ferret Shelter Merrimack, NH [Posted in FML issue 0982]