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Canine Distemper in FerretsCanine distemper in ferrets is a very serious threat so it's essential to vaccinate your pet against this disease, as ferrets are very susceptible to it. In America, the vets use a vaccination called Fervac-D and it is recommended that kits should be inoculated at 6-8, 10-12 and 14-16 weeks old respectively. After that ferrets should have a booster once a year. A new vaccine has come on the market – called PureVax, by Meriel. I've read that it may result in fewer allergic reactions and understand that some American vets have stopped using Fervac-D and only use the Meriel vaccination because of just that. Here in Perth vets give kits two injections, one month apart, and then the annual booster. The WAFFS vet uses Protech Duramune C3 and so far, not one ferret has had an adverse reaction. Some symptoms of canine distemper are:
These signs will show up around 7-10 days after exposure to the virus. In the late stages of this disease, the ferret will vomit, convulse and fall into a coma. It is highly contagious and is considered to be 100% fatal. Only very mild cases can be cured. Therefore make sure you take your ferret for its distemper shot every year.
However, please also be aware that some ferrets can have an allergic reaction to the distemper vaccine. It has been suggested that ferrets should be monitored for about 30 minutes after having their vaccination. There's an interesting article on Canine Distemper written by Dr Susan Brown on the VIN website, as well as one by Ron Hines, DVM PhD, who also talks about reactions to the vaccine reactions to the vaccine. DISCLAIMER: The information contained on this page is not meant to replace seeing a veterinarian if you think your ferret is ill. It’s only meant to supply general information on a particular illness which was obtained either from personal experience with my sick ferrets, or from books and/or the Internet. Return from Canine Distemper in Ferrets to All About Ferrets
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Diarrhea 
