Message Number: YG1124 | New FHL Archives Search
From: M.Jo
Date: 2001-03-11 19:10:00 UTC
Subject: re:vaccine reactions-need info

I need some information about reactions to vaccinations. Yesterday we
held a ferret vaccination clinic where we had a lot of ferrets
vaccinated. I've done this many times with my ferrets and since I live
85 miles away and have never had any reactions, I've always had both
vaccinations, rabies and distemper given at the same time, wait 30 min.
and then come home. Never had a problem. My vet has had very few
reactions over the years.

Yesterday was a different story. We were waiting after our shots (I had
5 vaccinated) and someone noticed the one I was holding was turning
blue. Dumb me didn't even notice it as I was busy showing someone how
she was again starting adrenal and how it looked. This fellow member
had gone through this before a couple years ago and knew what was
happening. Well, I rushed Lady Star back into the back and they
immediately started working on her, the benedryl shots and the oxygen
and etc. and she came out of it after a good 1/2 hour but was pretty
worn out. She seems fine today.

But after getting her back out and watching her, another one of mine,
Pepper, started having convulsions. Someone else noticed he was
coughing funny so I drug him into the back room where they worked on
him. He is also fine now. But it was pretty scary there for a while.
His hit his GI where Lady's went right to the not breathing stuff.

A few min. later another girl had started home and came running back
with one of hers who had started vomiting. I just had a call from my
vet (she was calling to check on my guys) and that ferret also is fine,
but did suffer a mild reaction.

I told my vet I had read about a lot of reactions back east. So she is
trying to find out if there was a bad batch of something sent out. She
is going to do some calling to see what she can find out. What I am
asking, do any of you have any information about bad reactions on either
the distemper or rabies vaccinations recently?

Another question, would there be any problem giving either of the
vaccinations a few months early? That way I can get them on a schedule
of all the distemper at once, and a couple weeks later the rabies.

Thanks for any information you may have that I can pass along to my vet
about any reactions that have been seen back east, or in the west for
that matter.

mjo and the zoo, Lady Star, Topanga, Ragine, Bilbo, Frodo, Frito,
Pepper, Caesar, Frosty, and Sassy and the dogs Garth and Darwin (R.I.P.
Nipper, Lightning, EZ, Cleo, Phantom, and Duke)