Distemper vaccination of farmed fur animals in Finland

The most important farmed Fur animal species in Finland are the American mi nk (Mustela vison). blue fox (Alopex lagopus), silver fox (Vulpes vulpes) a nd raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides); ail are susceptible to canine di stemper. The only distemper vaccines currently available are for mink, alth ough they also have been used for fox and raccoon dogs in emergency situati ons. The efficacy in eliciting neutralizing antibodies and the safety of th ree mink-distemper vaccines were studied under field conditions with mink a nd silver fox. Two of the vaccines were also studied with raccoon dogs and blue fox. All three vaccines elicited a satisfactory antibody response in m ink. whereas the response varied in the other species. No side effects were observed in any species tested. One of the vaccines was safe and immunogen ic in all four species. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.