From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2002-11-16 04:48:30 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] 1 in 1000?
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-Id: <a05200f03b9fb7e62cc88@[10.0.1.23]>
The rate here for severe vaccine reactions has been 25%, if my memory
serves. Of those all but one were allergic to multiple vaccines, most
to both Fervac D and Galaxy D, but one of those allergic to IMRAB 3
as well.
***** This is one reason we have been so excited about the
development of the new Purevax CDV vaccines because of the reduced
risk of vaccine reactions reported by laboratory tests, then by field
tests, and more recently by several vets here. *****
I know that anaphylactic reactions are scary, but even though they
can be fatal when untreated (and rarely when treated) I think that
they are far more frightening to observe than they are to go through.
Besides the ferrets reacting like that both Steve and i do. In the
last year and a half I guess I've done it 5 or 6 times to various
degrees because I am going through allergy shots which have really
been helping me, but now and then I react to the shots, which is a
risk factor that we knew that I had going into this since I'd already
done it for some other things. Honestly, unless there is a panic
response to the reaction itself or to the meds, or unless breathing
becomes seriously impaired it looks a lot worse than it feels. Even
the bloody runs are not painful beyond what severe diarrhea feels
like. The reason they look bloody is because the fluids pass so
rapidly from capillaries that they carry along blood cells. It's not
any great internal rending. I've had asthma attacks that feel worse.
What is far more frightening to me is canine distemper. I realize
that if folks haven't seen it first hand that it may not seem as
terrible as it is, but it is far, far worse than the reactions are.
That said, we do not personally vaccinate ferrets with a history of
multiple vaccine reactions and we do not vaccine ferrets with
vaccines to which they have already reacted, and we do not vaccinate
ferrets with certain types of health problems such as ones who are on
chemotherapy. Otherwise -- for most of the ferrets in our household
-- we do vaccinate every single year.