Message Number: YG6986 | New FHL Archives Search
From: katharine
Date: 2001-09-05 05:34:00 UTC
Subject: Premedicating with Steroids

Dr. Alice Davis send me an answer to my question
about premedicating with steroids, and its
purpose. She gave me permission to pass her
information on. I appreciate her taking the time
to answer this question. Now.....I understand
why. Makes perfect sense.

<When you have a ferret who reacts to a vaccine,
their immune system is
basically in hyperdrive with respect to that
vaccine. When it encounters
it, it mounts a massive and sudden response to it,
releasing all sorts of
inflammatory items to beat it down. (inflammation
is one of the body's
responses to a problem, that's why scratches get
all red and itchy or you
get a fever etc)

The purpose of pre-medication with a steroid is to
"take the edge off" the
immune system and calm it down as well as effects
to decrease general
inflammation that may help "set off" the
reaction. I hope that helps!

Alice Davis DVM<

Katharine