From:
"Sue Liszewski"
Date: 2004-03-05 09:08:08 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: reactions to two shots
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <BAY15-F17tV6hjEOYmD00052bfa@hotmail.com>
Roger,
I think you misread the original post, I belive Caity said for 3 days
(giving dex daily for 3 days before) not just a single dose 3 days before.
I don't know if all 3 days are needed but definitely with the day of the
vaccination. If I am doing housecall vaccs or in a place I don't have
access to O2 etc. I will ofter premedicate as a precaustion, but I always
wait and watch all ferrets for 30-60 minutes after a vaccine, it can save
precious time. Fortunately I have never lost one from a reaction but have
had enough react bad enough that I hospitalize and treat aggressively. I
will sometimes see these in dogs but not seemingly with the frequency or
severity I see in ferrets..
I also agree that you need to assess risk vs benefit. If they have been
routinely vaccinated for a few years there is a good chance that the vacc's
carry longer then a year duration. Don't know if the labs are titering
ferret vacc's yet but it might be worth looking into and this way you might
be able to extend time between at least Distemper vaccs. Rabies well until
the law changes and it doesn't req yearly for your ferrets safty it is worth
doing (not that they are likely to contract rabies, but because if not
current it might justify the law to euthanize if a bite or scratch occurs
which we all know is a useless waste of life). Hope this helps.
Dr. Sue
>From: "Roger Vaughn" <rvaughn@pobox.com>
>Reply-To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
>To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
>Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: reactions to two shots
>Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2004 23:01:33 -0500 (EST)
>
>Hi Caity.
>
> > The vet in question has been treating ferrets (and
> > other animals) for 34 years and has taught (and I
> > believe still guest lectures) at the local
> > university's veterinary school. I trust his
> > judgement. I can ask him the "why" question if you
> > like at the next appointment.
>
>I always like to know "why"; like to know a person's reasoning. I'm
>just not one to take things on faith. No disrespect to your vet -
>I'm sure he knows his craft very well - but I'm just curious how he
>arrived at this protocol as I haven't heard it before, even from
>other very experienced ferret vets. I find that the answer is often
>"because I have always done it this way and it seems to work" rather
>than anything more compelling. Not that that's necessarily "wrong"
>either - I'm just curious how he developed that protocol.
>
>As I said, it was particularly the three-day prior dex that caught
>my eye because, by human measures, that would leave at best only one
>third of the original dose in the body by vaccination time. (I did
>originally think the half-life was lower, which colored my thinking
>- before I actually did the math on it, I suspected the first dose
>would be approaching zero by vacc time.)
>
>I'm not doubting your vet; I'm just curious.
>
>On a side note, does anyone know if corticosteriod half-lives vary
>from the human standards in ferrets?
>
> > I think the decision to vaccinate or not vaccinate
> > depends on the benefits vs. the risks. The point of
> > my post was to show that it is possible to pretreat to
> > avoid an anaphylactic reaction, though it takes fairly
> > aggressive and long pretreatment. If someone has a
>
>You did an admirable job at that, and it's very valuable
>information. I'm not contradicting you at all, I'm just curious how
>your vet arrived at that particular protocol.
>
>Thanks!
>
>roger
>
>
>
>
>
>
>--
>If you want to share pictures, use the calendar, or start a vote
>visit http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
>
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