On Dec. 12, Lori Howerton wrote in FML 1410:
>...  My ferret did have an allergic reaction.  She got her first vaccine
>from MF (over a year ago) but her previous owner didn't follow up and
>finish the series like she was supposed to.  So I took her to the vet (a
>year after her initial shot) to give her the series ... So, in essence, it
>was her second shot
 
Lori--That does help a lot.  Also one of the private posts I got by email
suggested that many ferrets are vaccinated with Fervac-D before they leave
the breeder.  I was actually aware of this and neglected to mention it in my
own post.  Here in central North Carolina, one of the local breeders
vaccinates with Fervac-D just before the kits leave the facility.  The
breeder also told me that he does not always tell the pet stores this
because he cannot really claim that the kits are protected against distemper
being vaccinated so young.  That's probably true.  Very young mammals don't
mount a strong humoral immunity until they're several months old.
Nonetheless, ferret owners should know whether their ferrets have received
Fervac-D before because this can be important information if the ferret
develops an allergic reaction to it.  But if the breeder doesn't tell the
pet store owner, how is the owner to know?  Most owners don't know how to
contact the breeder or wouldn't think to do so.
 
Yet another person suggested that reactions may be due to the vehicle or
other things in the vaccine such as adjuvants.  Adjuvants are agents added
to a vaccine that potentiates the body's ability to make antibodies.  Some
of these are antigens themselves, and other times they're simple chemicals
such as alum (i.e., the main ingredient in most epsom salts and used in
pickling food).  Sometimes the adjuvants can cause severe reactions, and
some of these are banned from human vaccines but allowed in veterinary
vaccines.  Unfortunately, I have no idea what else is in Fervac-D besides
the freeze- dried virus.  I don't even know what sort of chick proteins may
be in there.  Has anyone talked to United Vaccines about this?
 
Finally, there are still reactions to first-time vaccinations.  My two fur
balls haven't reacted to Fervac but Stimpy had a mild reaction to the rabies
vaccine.  (He seemed cold, shivered and was lethargic and sleepy for about
36 hours.) I know for certain that he had *not* received the rabies vaccine
at the breeders.  Ren goes in for his rabies vaccine Friday.  I'm crossing
my fingers that nothing untoward happens.
 
--Jeff ([log in to unmask])
[Posted in FML issue 1411]