(I really hope this doesn't start some big huge debate and flame wars
because quite honestly, it's too early in the year for that!  And no
matter how many people throw out their opinions (and maybe even include
some factual data probably taken out of context), the mystery of 'to
vaccinate or not to vaccinate / to pre-treat or not pre-treat' will
not be solved at this point in time.  There is simply just not enough
research and medical documentation to support either side yet.  So
un-tie the knots in your panties and delete that FML post with all of
its flaming, please.)
 
And to DEBI, who authored yesterday:
Subject: Re: ANY Vaccination: PRE-TREAT
 
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STOP GIVING THIS ERRONEOUS ADVICE so
blatantly!!!!  NO WHERE - absolutely nowhere - have I EVER EVER read
this kind of advice from any veterinarian, ESP.  a "ferret knowledgeable"
vet!!!  (and I've been reading up on this very subject for quite some
time now!) Vets, ferret owners, and ferret shelter operators all have
their own *OPINIONS* about what works and what doesn't (based primarily
on their own respective experiences) but that is all they are - OPINIONS
- and without sound medical documentation and proven research facts (not
much out there unfortunately) your 'ADVICE' about pre-treating and about
vaccinations in general is TOTALLY MISGUIDED!!!!
 
"As a safety precaution: ALWAYS PRETREAT for ALL vaccinations"
 
Allergic reactions to Purevax and Imrab-3 are less common but HAVE been
known to occur.
 
SAYS WHO / WHAT ?????  Less common that WHAT ?
 
And WHAT VETERINARIAN worth his degree would support these statement,
let alone recommend this protocol????  There is NO hard and fast rule
about pre-treating because the results of pre-treating have been so
varied across the board with each individual ferret, in so many different
cases - there's just not nearly enough consistency for you to so
BLATANTLY and DIRECTLY state such hypotheses and there certainly isn't
nearly enough CONSISTENT research results to support your statements
either!!!!!
 
I'm sure you "mean well" but I don't care if you've been working with
ferrets longer than I've been alive - that doesn't automatically qualify
you to give this kind of DIRECT "advice"!!!  You are entitled to your
*opinions* as to how to care for ferrets and you may certainly choose
to treat your ferrets any way you wish when it comes to administering
medications and vaccinations but PLEASE DO NOT state your information
like it is THE gospel truth because you have stated some HIGHLY ERRONEOUS
information that could really steer ferret owners in the wrong direction!
 
Not to mention that there is no absolute as to whether or not the
vaccines are even NECESSARY (or at least necessary every year!).  How
do you explain the healthy longetivity of hundreds (maybe even thousands)
of ferrets whose owners have made conscious and educated decisions NOT
to vaccinate their ferrets????  Or at least not pump them with vaccine
toxins every year - did you ever stop to think that maybe the
veterinarians who support NOT doing annual CD vaccines have legitimate
and valid reasons for NOT doing so?
 
* * * I have yet to meet a veterinarian who believe 100% in yearly ferret
vaccinations for canine distemper (and rabies for that matter, too).
Most of them have been BRUTALLY honest by stating that they administer
yearly or bi-yearly CD vaccines in ferrets mostly because it's the
'expected protocol' and not because they truly believe it is necessary
or that there is ample medical evidence available to support the need
for annual ferret vaccinations.  Heck, even some have admitted that the
yearly vaccines are also a good, reliable 'money makers!' * * * ARGH!!!!!
 
I've also spoken with NUMEROUS ferret vets in the past several years who
are dead set against giving ferrets annual vaccines because it's still
not been medically proven that ANNUAL CD vaccines are necessary and these
veterinarians are more than willing to back up their reasonings with
their own conclusive medical evidence and experiences as veterinarians.
AND none of them have any documented cases revealing that a ferret which
they did NOT vaccinate died as a result o 'lack of vaccinations!' (I'm
not saying it CAN'T happen; I'm merely stating that those veterinarians
who support NOT vaccinating the ferrets in their care annually have not
experienced any ferret deaths related to the ferret NOT being
vaccinated).
 
Debi, I'm ABSOLUTELY FLOORED at the "protocol" you follow which entails
dumping into your precious furkids' systems so much medicine - WHERE HAS
IT BEEN PROVEN THAT IS REALLY NECESSARY????  Documented research, please!
Just the facts, ma'am!!!  Where are the facts that support that protocol
is necessary????  Man, you're practically DROWNING your ferrets in toxic
medicine!!!!  Give their teeny little bodies a BREAK, PLEASE!!!!!  Did
you ever think that dumping that much medicine in them over 2-3 days
might be the REAL problem??????
 
There is FAR TOO MUCH debate and not NEARLY enough proven medical
instruction surrounding the vaccination issue to be giving the advice
that you have.  If you REALLY want to truly help people 'do the right
thing' for the benefit of their furkids then kindly direct them to where
they can find the research and available information about each vaccine
(both the pro's and con's) and the vaccines' research study results and
THEN let each person decide for themselves which vaccine they want to
use or if they even feel that CD vaccines are even necessary !!!
 
PLEASE PLEASE STOP THE INSANITY until you can back up your 'opinions'
with conclusive medical documention and research results!!!
 
And for those of you out there who are confused about which vaccine to
use or even if you should be vaccinating your ferret(s) at all, it is
YOUR RESONSIBILITY as a pet owner to take the time to do your OWN
research on the vaccines that have been spoken of, and to ask your vet
about his/her knowledge of ferret vaccines and their opinion(s) about
vaccinating.  If you are confident that the vet you are using is "ferret
wise" then you should solicit their opinions.  Then put all of the info.
together and draw your OWN conclusions.
 
OK, enough said.  I'm just asking that no one make such direct (and
erroneous) statements about anything that make their opinions sound
like "gospel truth" - THANKS
[Posted in FML issue 5120]