Merial introduces Purvax Ferret Distemper vaccine. The product is designed to control canine distemper in ferrets. The company says that it saw an unmet need for this vaccine and that is exactly why it was developed for veterinarians.

Distemper is considered a serious viral disease in ferrets with mortality rates approaching 100 percent. Currently, treatment of ferret distemper consists of supportive therapy, fluids and antibiotics, which are ultimately of little value, the company says.

With the United States Department of Agiculture approval of this vaccine, the company is the first to offer a complete line of vaccines for ferrets. This vaccine was developed with Merial's state-of-the-art recombinant canarypox vectored technology, in which only the portion of the virus or bacteria needed to stimulate an immune response is used, the company explains.

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