>I personally have seen a handful have reactions...I'd say around 5 out
>of the 500 + vaccines I've seen given... I've seen 1 ferret die from the
>vaccine. But to this day...it's the only one I know of. But can think
>of 100's which I have known to die of distemper itself.
We've had a higher rate, but deaths have not happened. Like you I have
heard of either no death, or maybe one or two, and we've had ferrets in
our family for 20 years and been in internet ferret groups since before
the FML began so I guess at least 15 years. It would be great if as few
humans who go into anaphlactic reactions died, but with humans very few
happen right in a hospital setting so that is a rougher situation despite
epinephrine, steroids, antihistamines, and rapid transportation because
hospital level care too often is not acquired fast enough.
Having our ferrets stay in the vet's office for about a half hour after
their vaccines is like the way that I stay in my allergists office after
my allergy shots, and for the very same reasons. Both waits save lives.
I am speaking as someone who has had ferrets have anaphylactic reaction,
and whose hubby has had them three times, and who has had them herself a
few times.
Like you, I hear of way too many who die of canine distemper. This year
has been particularly bad that way so far. Many of those have been
ferrets of newbies who were misinformed about the kit shot series, but
some just didn't have vaccinations for other reasons. CD is so
avoidable...
BTW, the runs with blood that happen with such reactions don't hurt extra
beyond the strong cramping of marked swelling and diarrhea. The reason
the blood is there is that the reaction causes such rapid migration of
fluid from the capillaries (the same aspect that drops blood pressure
acutely and causes sudden passing out) that blood cells get dragged along.
That's the cause -- not a scraping or a sloughing. (There is a different
and very rare form of allergic reaction that does kill mucus membranes and
skin, but I have never heard of it happening in ferrets. It's exceedingly
rare -- tiny fraction of a percent -- and it is not so limited; had a
neighbor die of it during the second stage of a marrow transplant after
she lost too much skin to stay hydrated.
Have heard of too many ferrets doing fatal things like throwing clots
after getting true licorice to take any herb's safety for granted. Alicia
recently mentioned that she has seen blood glucose levels drop after
Essiac. Herbal meds are like any other: the risks have to be weighed
against any possible effectiveness. Sadly, herbs and supplements aren't
quality controlled and don't come with handy info inserts that discuss
their down-points: uses that don't work as opposed the those that do,
medical conditions that preclude use, medication interactions that be
dangerous, etc. It's really too bad because there are some useful ones
out there, as well as some real crocks of "it". If a person wants to use
herbs then the responsible thing is to buy a good reference such as the
_PDR for Herbal Medicine_ which gives all the good and bad known at
publication and research each ingredient BEFOREHAND. I have a book on
poisons here; MOST (the vast majority) are naturally occurring poisons.
Don't forget that things like aconite, hellibore, belladona, arsenic,
hemlock, assorted venoms, and thousands of other poisons are not human
constructs; they exist in nature as a protections from grazers or
predators, or weapons of plants and animals, or simply as bi-products of
metabolism. I personally have seen a handful have reactions...I'd say
around 5 out of the 500 + vaccines I've seen given. Then from other
shelters I've seen as well as just other ferret loving friends...probably
again...the same 1 in 100 seem to have a reaction. I've seen 1 ferret die
from the vaccine. But to this day...it's the only one I know of. But can
think of 100's which I have known to die of distemper itself.
[Posted in FML issue 3841]
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