Does the rabies vaccine work for ferrets?

Question

I know there is a rabies vaccine made for ferrets. I also know that one of the reasons they arent legal here in California is they say the vaccince isnt effective.

Answer 1

My answer has more links than they like so for full info also look in the source section.

IMRAB 3 is the only rabies vaccine which has been tested in ferrets that worked for a year and did not cause nasty side effects, BUT ONLY A FEW WERE TESTED.  That work began before 1988, with 1980 about when the vaccine was officially accepted for effective use in ferrets, with later improvements to the "Compendium for Animal Rabies Prevention and Control" nationally in effect in 1998.  None of the vaccines were tested to see if they could work for over a year in ferrets so that is all that they are okayed to be used for.

Information I sent earlier for others elsewhere:

Remember that changing a rabies vaccine gets very complicated in relation to approvals so manufacturers don't like doing that, and IMRAB 3 has multiple mammals capable of using it:

http://www.nasphv.org/Documents/RabiesCo...

The one that is approved for use in ferrets is IMRAB3 but it is repeated annually because it  was never tested in ferrets to see if it might be effective any longer than for one year.

There have always been a few individuals who have been allergic to IMRAB 3. We've had ferrets since before IMRAB 3 was approved for use in ferrets in 1990 and in the 17 years that IMRAB 3 has been used we have had two ferrets who reacted to that vaccine (quite a number of years ago, actually). We also had one who was very reactive to a number of things including each distemper shot tried for her so we stopped vaccinating her for

anything in case some common component in vaccines was involved for her.

So, allergic reactions to the rabies vaccine are nothing new; they just are not often seen.

BTW, like any other vaccine if there has been improper handling anywhere along the line that can raise the incidence of assorted problems.

also something I originally sent elsewhere and pulled from an archive:

Another answer given in FML that needs to be in both archives so am carrying to the FHL...

IMRAB 3 is rated for 3 years in some animals that it has been TESTED in for three years of effectiveness (which is why "3" is in the name and that often causes confusion).

Ferrets have NOT been tested on that score so it is considered to be effective for ONE YEAR, POSSIBLY more but how much more remains unknown.

Vaccines do NOT always behave the same in different species. Example: When rabies vaccines were

first being tested starting back in about 1988 or so in ferrets one of the OTHER vaccines that worked a more than one year in some other species provided only 6 months of protection for ferrets. After 6 months when they were challenged with rabies virus they were able to

contract rabies.

(It took 10 years to get from that point to having many ferret lives saved by improvements in the compendium after thorough CDC work on rabies in ferrets had been completed. This year is the 10th anniversary of that success being enacted in the U.S. for the ferret community.)

Rabies info:

http://www.nasphv.org/

(National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians)

Here is the latest (Dec 2007 and it will being the Jan 2008 JAVMA

(Journal of the American Medical Veterinary Association)

Compendium of Animal Rabies Control and Prevention:

http://www.nasphv.org/Documents/RabiesCo...

...

Notice in Section III for IMRAB 3:

>Ferrets 1 ml 3 months Annually SC

which is species, dose, age of first vaccination, how often to repeat, how to give the vaccine. Ferrets are NOT considered to be vaccinated if more than a year has passed.

The animals for which IMRAB 3 is 3 year vaccine are dogs, cats and sheep. Cattle, horses, and ferrets need it each year.

More rabies info:

http://www.avma.org/issues/policy/rabies...

(Guidelines for ordinances)

http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/

(Loads of info at many different reading levels; even good ones as

resources for a kid's school composition)

http://www.microbiologybytes.com/virolog...

http://www.vaccineinformation.org/rabies...

http://www.lawrencefire.com/safety_tips/...

This is not the first time that the "3" in the name of IMRAB 3 has caused some confusion and it won't be the last...

Sukie (not a vet)

Answer 2

Im not sure but you could try to look it up on google. I always do that.

Answer 3

The vaccine is effective.  The reasons are actually because they are afraid of ferrets running loose and reproducing and destroying the environment and because some people dont take their ferrets for vaccines.