PETS: What vets need to do - ferrets
Rabies vaccination
Ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies in accordance with the recommendation
on the vaccine manufacturer’s data sheet.
An authorised inactivated or recombinant vaccine should be administered
if available. If there is no authorised veterinary medicinal product available,
you may use another product under the “prescribing cascade”
which is detailed in EC Directive 2001/82. Further guidance is available
from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) guidance note “AMELIA
8” which is on the VMD
website.
Further information can be obtained from VMD on telephone 01932 338320. Before vaccinating the animal, you must read its microchip. You can vaccinate any time after the microchip has been fitted.
If an animal has been vaccinated before it was microchipped, it will have to be vaccinated again.
21 day wait
For EU countries where more stringent entry requirements do not apply, the EU has introduced a wait of 21 days from the date of the first rabies vaccination before a pet can enter those EU countries. However, if the vaccine manufacturer’s data sheet requires more than one vaccination to complete the primary vaccination protocol, the 21 day wait applies from the date of the final vaccination of that protocol.
Record of vaccination
Enter the following details in section IV of the ferret’s passport or official third country veterinary certificate if the animal is being prepared in a non-EU listed country, and vaccination record:
- its date of birth/age
- the microchip number, date of insertion and its location in the animal
- date of vaccination
- the vaccine manufacturer, product name and batch number
- the date by which the booster vaccination must be given (the “Valid until” date) (calculated by reference to the vaccine manufacturer’s data sheet).
Booster vaccinations
After an animal has been vaccinated, it must be given booster vaccinations to remain qualified for PETS. This must be done by the "Valid until" date on the animal’s EU pet passport or official third country veterinary certificate and recorded in section IV of the passport or certificate and on the ferret’s vaccination record. Read the microchip before revaccination.
Records of initial rabies vaccinations and their subsequent booster(s) must be signed by an Official Veterinarian OV (panel 2) / LVI (panel 2) in a colour other than black, and stamped with that OV/LVI stamp in a colour other than black.
Missed boosters
If the revaccination date is missed, the ferret will have to be vaccinated again. The 21 day wait, and the 6 month rule, if appropriate, will apply from the date of the new vaccination.
Ferrets that always have their booster on time will not be subject to a further 21 day or 6 month wait.
Next steps
The next step is to issue a passport or third
country official veterinary certificate.
Page last modified: September 15, 2008