From:
Caitlyn Martin
Date: 2004-12-01 21:19:19 UTC
Subject: RE: [ferrethealth] shots
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <20041201211919.25097.qmail@web50805.mail.yahoo.com>
--- Carol Rickel <CRickel@aecf.org> wrote:
> Hi
>
> After bad reactions in my babies time and time again
> (severe vomiting, diarrhea, etc.), my vet and I
> decided that my ferrets would NEVER AGAIN
> get any shots!!!!!
A reaction like you described can be avoided by
pretreating with benadryl and dexamethasone.
Nyssa went into anaphylactic shock (as in she
completely collapsed after vomiting, bloody diarrhea,
and turned red) after her rabies shot at age two. She
has gotten her rabies shot for the last four years
with out a single problem. Our vet gives her
dexamethasone injections for three days prior to
vaccination, and injections of dexamethasone and
benadryl before vaccination. Nyssa gets sleepy but
otherwise doesn't react.
In a county where I lived until two years ago the
local ordinances state that if a ferret is reported as
biting someone and you have proof of rabies
vaccination the ferret is quarantined. If there is no
proof the ferret is killed to test for rabies. I
wasn't about to have people stop visiting our home so
it was essential that Nyssa get her vaccination every
year.
There are two kinds of distemper vaccination. Our
Lady Ayeka reacts pretty strongly to Merial Purevax so
she gets Fervac-D instead. Problem solved. Distemper
is nearly 100% fatal in ferrets. I just am unwilling
to take that risk.
If a ferret is seriously ill or severely compromised
we do stop vaccinating. Podo had an anaphylactic
reaction to his rabies shot at age eight. By age nine
he had a host of medical issues including
cardiomyopathy. We did not do vaccinations beyond age
eight. We made a similar decision with Kodo at age
nine because of a host of medical issues that just
plain made it too risky.
I still believe that a young, otherwise healthy ferret
can be treated in a way to vastly reduce the risk of a
second reaction.
The usual disclaimer applies: I am not a vet, nor do
I play one on TV.
All the best,
Caity and the fearsome foursome
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