>I was wondering what other methods are available to take blood out from a
>ferret for a blood test.  I was told that from yugular arteria in the neck
>is one option, although I don't know how safe is this for the ferret.  In
>Mexico some vets cut the nail in the pink area but that must hurt a lot.
>Don't you know other options for this procedure?
 
When Scooter had his two recent blood samples taken (We all were being
extra careful about results.) for his follow-up liver tests that turned
out so well they were taken from his neck veins on each side.  We provided
a little bottle with Ferretone as a distraction.  (He loves it but
normally can't have it now due to his allergy related digestive woes).
He not only never complained (except for the wet wipes on his neck to
sterilize it beforehand) but he actually began making happy noises during
the procedure.  Scooter says "mrrrppphhhh" a lot when he is happy; does it
for kisses, too, so he spent his time with the needle making happy noises,
having a lot of people, including Steve and me, touching him (which he
loves) and pigging-out.  Afterwards he licked his chops and cuddled.
 
>I got Pandora's rabies shot the other day and talked to my vet about
>Merial's Recombitek distemper vaccine that just came out.  She hadn't
>heard of it, but she checked out all the info on it.  We are trying to
>decide what to get for her.  Here's my question: I hear about reactions
>a lot on this list; is there about the same incidence of reactions with
>both fervac (which my vet currently uses) and galaxy?  And does anyone
>know how much lower the incidence is supposed to be with Merial's new
>vaccine?  She did tell me it was much different than the others, but is
>it really much better?
 
The vets I know who have used both over long periods have mostly reported
either similar rates or slightly lower rates with Galaxy than Fervac.
It looks, though, as if the Merial Purevax Recomitek Ferret CD Vaccine
might lower the rate as low as 1/8 of the existing risk level.  That is a
dramatic improvement if it holds.  In testing of around 400 ferrets only
one ferret reacted, and that was the rate found then.  Now, multiple
exposures increase reaction risks so perhaps the rate will go higher after
it's been used a long time, but since the spread (1 for every 8 with the
other) is so huge to start with it is entirely possible that even if that
happens it still will have a dramatically lower rate of reactions than
either of the two earlier options.  (Then again, it may turn out that the
one reacting individual was very unusual and the rate could be even better
for ferrets over time.) We have some ferrets who have never reacted to any
vaccines and one who had a mild reaction who will all get the Merial one
next year.  There are also two members of our four-footed family, Glueball
and Jumpstart, who have reacted to BOTH Fervac and Galaxy, so they will
not get any CD vaccines because of their histories.
 
BTW, people can read about things like vaccines and pretreatments (and
MUCH more) at:
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html
        and
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list .
 
>a medical book and said that Aes may have a rare form of distemper.  He
>was totally shocked, because he gave Aes his distemper shot (s) himself!
>Apparently the symptoms I mentioned above match the description of this
>virus.  The vet noted his fur was yellow, and I am shooting myself over
>this, Aes's fur has been yellow for a long time, and I thought it was
>just something natural in Albino's...
 
Please, get to a different vet who KNOWS FERRETS for a second opinion.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list/files/FML-shelter-list.html
lists vets as well as shelters.  Also there are vet lists at:
http://miamiferret.org,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list/files/FerretVets.html,
and other places.
 
Yes, their fur can be shaded yellow or red in response to food, vitamins,
hormonal changes, etc.  Ferrets with distemper go downhill very RAPIDLY;
they have SEVERELY crusty and raw eyes, noses and paws; they have
neurological symptoms.  You have a ferret with yellowed fur -- which is
NOT unusual.  It is shedding season and therefore time to itch a lot.
Sneezing can have an assortment of causes.
[Posted in FML issue 3566]