I want to thank those who wrote regarding pre-treating before a distemper
vaccine to avoid a reaction.  I think I responded to everyone.  Everything
went fine at the vet's Thursday night.  Templeton was given an injection of
vetalog (2mg/ml) about 10-15 minutes before his distemper shot.  I don't
know how vetalog compares to benadryl - I'd never heard of it before.
Templeton did fine - no reaction to the distemper shot!  Just a few minutes
after getting his distemper shot, the vet gave him an injection of
ivermectin for his itchy skin.  Vet said that shot stings a bit.  Well,
Templeton sure didn't like that!  He was trying to squirm away from the
needle/sting, when suddenly he laid flat on his back and played dead!
Freaked me out!  I'd never seen him do that before.  Even waving the
"smelling salts" (Linatone bottle) in front of his nose didn't bring him
out of it.  The vet jokingly said that he was playing dead so maybe we'd
stop sticking him with needles.  That lightened the moment, and in about
ten seconds or so Templeton decided we were done with needles and "came
to." I laugh about it now every time I think about it, but it did freak me
out when he did that!  We also waited 30 minutes before leaving the vet's
office.  Very relieved that there were no reactions this time 'round!
 
I'm pretty sure Templeton has adrenal disease.  Vet confirmed that his
symptoms (naked tail except for a mohawk, sudden thin hair on both flanks,
itchy skin, large abdomen, more aggressive to the other ferrets--mainly to
our smallest female--although no sign of sexual behavior) seem to suggest
adrenal, but because his hair came back on his tail and is starting to on
his flanks, vet said it's probably not adrenal, but Cushing's Disease?
From what I understand, hair can grow back and still be adrenal though,
right?  He said the best way to check for adrenal is ultrasound, which they
don't have the facilities for.  According to the FML, ultrasound is NOT
the best way.  Very confusing.  This vet wouldn't be able to do the surgery
if it came to that, either.  We would have to take Templeton to Cornell
University (about a two and a half hour drive).  They are also very
expensive - we're talking hundreds just for the diagnostic.  I would love
to find someone closer who is experienced and not so expensive, but I live
in a very rural area (New Berlin, NY), and even though the new vet I'm
going to has a modern, state-of-the-art facility (probably tops for the
area), they still aren't equipped to treat adrenal.
 
Debbie
Brae, Templeton, Sally, Phoebe and Klondike
Remembering Jamie - with us such a short time, but special because she =
was our first
[Posted in FML issue 3325]