Mercury
An article published in the July 2012 issue of the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine (Vol 21, Issue 3, pgs 243-247) by Robert Wagner, VMD, Dip. ABVP (Exotic Companion Mammal) and Nitin Bhardwaj, DVM, MVSc, PhD drew this conclusion:
“Our results suggest that ferrets maintain SN antibody titers of > 1:50 against CDV for > 3 years after being vaccinated at 14 to 16 weeks of age or older, and there is no significant difference in the ability of 3 brands of CDV vaccine to elicit anti-CDV SN titers.”
Two of the three vaccines mentioned in the article are no longer available, and the third [Purevax-D] is often out of stock. Currently, Dr. Wagner (and the Hide-E-Hole) are testing a couple dog vaccines to make sure they work properly (he thinks they will).
What this means to you:
- If your ferret was purchased as a baby from the pet store, and you never took it for shots, it needs to be vaccinated against distemper. You could have a distemper titer done, but odds are it is not protected.
- If you purchased your ferret as a baby from a pet store that said they vaccinated (a vaccination *in addition* to what the breeder gives them before they are shipped), you should have a distemper titer run and vaccinate if needed.
- If you got your ferret from someone else, and you don’t really know the vaccination history, you should have a distemper titer run and only vaccinate if needed.
- If it’s been more than three or four years since your ferret was vaccinate, you should have a distemper titer run and vaccinate if needed.
- If your ferret was vaccinated and it had a reaction, most vets say you should not revaccinate. You could have a titer done for your own peace of mind, but even if it is low, you should not have the ferret vaccinated.
Takeaway:
Your ferret should NOT be vaccinated yearly. If your ferret has been vaccinated after 4 months of age, they should not need to be vaccinated again for 3-4 years. To be extra safe, a canine distemper titer can be done to check how protected your ferret is, only vaccinating if needed. Ferrets are susceptible to severe (sometimes life-threatening) vaccine reactions, so we should only vaccinate if it is needed. On the other hand, distemper is nearly 100% fatal and can by carried into your house on your shoes, so we really should make sure they are protected.
