Message Number: YG3137 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-05-02 13:57:00 UTC
Subject: Re: First Distemper Vaccine

--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Mike Janke" <mjanke@m...> wrote:
> Allergic reactions to the distemper vaccine usually occur pretty
> quickly... within the first half-hour or so, though I have heard
> some report delayed reactions. I don't believe a much delayed
> reaction is as common as the woman, whomever she is, told you.
>
> Taking his food and water away for 24 hours is probably not a good
> idea but one of the vets here would be a better choice to comment
on
> that.

Dear Priscilla:

This is not a typical vaccine reaction, and although contemporaneous
with vaccination, this particular set of events, with a ferret being
normal and playing all day, and then spontaneously vomiting does not
sound like a reaction, even a delayed one. Most true vaccine
reactions involve significantly more symptoms, including prostration,
shock, or at a minimum, being abnormal after the vaccination. Do you
know what vaccine was used?

I would also caution against removing food and water, especially
water from an animal who may be ill. Dehydrating the animal is an
added stress that it probably doesn't need.


With kindest regards,

Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
Join the Ferret Health List at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list


> --- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., evansmomp@a... wrote:
> > I took Hopper (9 weeks old) to the vet for his first checkup and
> distemper
> > vaccine today. He was playing and normal for the rest of the
> evening. It's
> > 2:30 am now and he just threw up all over my bed. Poor baby. I
> called the
> > emergency number in VA and the woman told me that this isn't
> uncommon with
> > ferrets. She suggested that I take his food and water away for 24
> hours and
> > observe him to make sure he is okay. I know it's probably no big
> deal but the
> > vomiting worries me. Is this a fairly normal reaction to the
> distemper
> > vaccine?
> >
> > Priscilla, Hopper, Spike, and Strawberry with a dash of Evan and
> Eric