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Post by rmzsuzuki89 on Jan 1, 2011 21:16:45 GMT -5
I was wandering what the yearly vaccinations are. I know what all of the vet stuff was but I can't remember for the life of me lol. Basically how often should I be going into the vet for a check up and vaccinations and whatever else may be needed there?
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Post by Heather on Jan 1, 2011 21:40:09 GMT -5
My guys see the vet annually, or when needed by what diseases they may have. I don't believe in vaccines, so they never see that side of the needle. It used to be that distemper and rabies were an annual. This is now an outdated thought but rabies is manditory in some states, so it depends on how many laws you want to break . Titres are suggested these days considering many have revised (including many vets) their point of view about annual vaccines. Dr Ruth has a special study on distemper vaccines and titres going on, you can google it. The other problem that has come up is that the distemper vaccine for ferrets is no longer being manufactured. You now have to use a multiple level vaccine for dogs (parvo, distemper and???) ciao
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Post by Jackie on Jan 1, 2011 21:58:51 GMT -5
The "standard" vaccines are rabies and distemper. In order for your pet to get rabies, it needs to be bitten (or come in contact with fluids or tissue) by a rabid animal. To me, the chance of that is very slim. So I don't vaccinate against rabies ever. Your pet is more likely to have a bad reaction to the shot than get bitten by a rabid animal. Now that the distemper vaccine is not being made, I probably won't get that shot again either. There are no studies on how effective, if at all, the dog version is on ferrets. If your vet can get ahold of the ferret version, and you live in an area where canine distemper is a concern, I might be tempted to get the vaccination. I read somewhere that getting shots for a young (8 weeks or so) kit is almost pointless, because the mothers immunity that is passed can block the effects of the vaccine. Just know that there is always a risk of a bad reaction. Also before vaccinating yearly as normal recommended by vets, get a titer done instead to see if it is actually necessary. Why risk over vaccinating and a bad reaction?
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Post by rmzsuzuki89 on Jan 1, 2011 22:01:24 GMT -5
My guys see the vet annually, or when needed by what diseases they may have. I don't believe in vaccines, so they never see that side of the needle. It used to be that distemper and rabies were an annual. This is now an outdated thought but rabies is manditory in some states, so it depends on how many laws you want to break . Titres are suggested these days considering many have revised (including many vets) their point of view about annual vaccines. Dr Ruth has a special study on distemper vaccines and titres going on, you can google it. The other problem that has come up is that the distemper vaccine for ferrets is no longer being manufactured. You now have to use a multiple level vaccine for dogs (parvo, distemper and???) ciao O, so yours just go in for check ups annually and no vaccines basically...And I'm gonna google that in a little hand have a read.
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Post by miamiferret2 on Jan 1, 2011 22:46:55 GMT -5
I was not a fan of vaccines until I saw a ferret with distemper at the vets office. Where I live the county laws require that all dogs and ferrets be vaccinated for rabies. I will not vaccinate an old or sick animal. But the law requires a letter from the vet indicating that the animal cannot be vaccinated due to old age or illness.
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Post by Heather on Jan 1, 2011 23:00:44 GMT -5
Distemper is a horrible disease and even with the vaccine always fatal to ferrets (to survive the neurological damage done by distemper is just as ugly). So before you make the discision not to vaccinate know the rate of the disease in your area and weigh the possibilities. Some areas the chance of infection is much higher. The possiblility of having a severe reaction to the vaccine is huge and getting much higher with the use of the multiple level vaccines. Think about it....RC found themselves in deep trouble because they couldn't get the ferret vaccine (or were too cheap) and it was discovered that their kits weren't covered at all against distemper. They had used a mink vaccine against distemper. I decided that according to my idea of risk was that I wouldn't vaccinate. Please do not go on my thoughts, decide and make your own choice. I researched the pros and cons for a couple of years before I finally decided that I was going to play it in this manner. I've not vaccinated any of my furkids in over 10 yrs This was my choice, it may not be yours ciao
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Post by rarnold18 on Jan 2, 2011 5:18:44 GMT -5
I don't vaccinate my fur kids...and the only time I have is when my wack-a-doo neighbor called animal control...and the cops...and the news channel (looong story!) and I had to get my dogs, (didn't have ferrets at the time) licensed and that requires a rabies shot...but since then no shots here....
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Post by sunnyberra on Jan 2, 2011 16:47:33 GMT -5
Standard vaccines for ferrets are distemper and rabies, and like others said whether you do/don't is really a personal choice that you should make after you weigh all the pros and cons.
I get the first year shots, and don't mess with vaccines *after* that. I initially was going to - up to about 3 years old, but my youngest girl had a reactions to each and every shot. Even pretty mild, it's not pleasant, and I decided, for these guys, not to revax.
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Post by Jackie on Jan 2, 2011 17:58:08 GMT -5
Another thing for people to remember is that, unless you live in an area where distemper is a concern, your risk of catching distemper may be very slim. It doesn't survive long in air and sunlight exposure (somewhere around couple hours at room temp. Survival time increases in cold weather). So you definitely have to weigh the cons and pros for yourself, and base your decision on that.
Personally, I don't care about breaking stupid vaccination laws. My vet and I have talked and if it came to be necessary, he'd write me an exclusion for the rabies vaccination. He has seen the bad reactions more than once.
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Post by rmzsuzuki89 on Jan 2, 2011 23:46:48 GMT -5
The bad reactions would worry me. I need to see if there is a lot of distemper in my area. Would I just ask a vet about that? I'm in Tampa Bay, FL if anyone is familiar with that area.
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Post by Heather on Jan 3, 2011 0:08:58 GMT -5
You should be able to google it. Many vets either aren't honest about it or don't know ciao
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Post by rmzsuzuki89 on Jan 3, 2011 0:24:28 GMT -5
You should be able to google it. Many vets either aren't honest about it or don't know ciao I googled it and saw that there have been some cases in some of the shelters in counties around me, but not in my county...Is it something that could get into my house even when no dogs or any other animals come in?
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Post by Jackie on Jan 3, 2011 0:29:25 GMT -5
FL has had some outbreaks of distemper in the last couple years. The issue now is that the ferret distemper vaccination is no longer being made. So vets are giving the dog version, which is usually a combo shot like Heather said. Definitely talk to a ferret knowledgeable vet about it. If I were you, I'd consider vaccinating once for distemper, and then doing yearly titers to see if they are still immune to it.
I think one reason fl has had issues with distemper is because we have a lot of wildlife that carry the disease (raccoons, foxes, etc) and they spread that to the dogs. They are working on a long term vaccine for wildlife, so that may be promising. The vaccine was also tested in ferrts, so that may promising for ferrents.
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Post by Jackie on Jan 3, 2011 0:33:25 GMT -5
Canine distemper is transmitted by coming into contact with aerosol droplets (like when sneezing) as well as feces, urine, bodily fluids, etc.
Look at it this way. A wild animal pees in your yard. That animal has distemper. Your ferret comes into contact with the pee, and now your ferret has distemper. It is very possible for it to happen. That's why I recommend vaccinating against it (if you can get a hold of the ferret vaccine). Vets are unsure if the dog version is even effective in ferrets.
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Post by rarnold18 on Jan 3, 2011 0:42:03 GMT -5
I don't know if distemper can get into your home with out an animal... but I do know a few people that work in breed specific rescues in your area and I can ask them if there has been any outbreaks. I do know that we had a bad outbreak this past spring in the Orlando area at the Orange County Animal Control. I also know that right before Christmas Citrus County Animal Control had an outbreak too and Hernando County had a parvo outbreak not too long ago...
I know that you can do titers for dogs and cats...can you do them for ferrets too? And if so are they as expensive as the ones for dogs and cats? If so you can have titers done and know exactly what your ferrets immunity to distemper and then can decide whether or not to vaccinate if their immunity is low.
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