In response to the following post:
>>I just took my ferret to the vet yesterday for the first of his series of
>>Ferrvac-D. I was driving home and not 10 minutes later he started puking
>>and shaking...
Michael Dutton subsequently wrote on Dec. 9:
<...snip...> Ferrets do have a tendency to develop more allergic reactions to
vopposed to dogs and cats.
OK. Time out. I get really confused by discussions of allergy and allergic
reacon the FML, but I hear physicians, nurses, and other health professionals
misuse terminology, too. Maybe someone can clarify things for me here. I was
always taught that a TRUE allergic reactions occur only when an animal is
exposed to an antigen that it had been previously exposed to. My immunology
book characterizes allergic reactions (type I hypersensitivity) as follows:
"Hypersensitivity is characteristic of the individual and is manifested on
second contact with the particular antigen evoking hypersensivity."
[Immunology, Roitt IM, Brostoff J and Male DK, Eds. CV Mosby Company, St.
Louis, 1989, p. 19.1.]
By this definition, a ferret receiving its first exposure to Fervac-D or any
other vaccine, could *not* experience a TRUE allergic reaction. If this is
the case, then we are doing a disservice to ferret owners by erroneously
describing such reactions as "allergic." This may lead ferret owners to
believe that their pets are at risk of an anaphylactic reaction to a vaccine
following an allergic reaction. Ferret owners will then stop vaccinating
those pets. This may needlessly jeopardize the health of any animal who may
*not* be allergic to the vaccine and may not be sufficiently immunized
against distemper.
But the question remains...what *are* these first exposure-reactions to
vaccines? Is it serum sickness (type III hypersensitivity). Is this a mild
reaction to the attenuated virus? Is this the result of individual lots of
vaccine in which virus has mutated back to a slightly more infective form
for ferrets? (Fervac-D is not a totally dead virus. It has been adapted
for a non-mammalian host [chickens] and then freeze-dried. Some viruses,
notably influenza, routinely jump species from birds to humans in a
pathogenic form.)
So what's the verdict. None of the above? All of the above?
My apologies if this discussion is overly technical but I think we would be
well served to have a clear and highly specific definition of these
reactions rather than calling *any* response to a medication, vaccine or
food an "allergic" reaction. That may prompt us to make the wrong decision
to protect our fuzzbutts from infection.
Another issue altogether...Citrus. My goofball ferret Stimpy *loves* to
play with citrus fruit. I think he likes the aromatic oils released when he
scratches a lemon, lime or orange. He seems to like lemons most. He'll
climb on top of the fruit with his upper body mantling it, and with his
nails extended he'll scratch/roll the thing around the floor, usually trying
to maneuver it into a corner, under the sofa, etc. He has not yet tried to
chew up the fruit or get through the rind to get at the pulp inside. I
think most of this is a fascination with (1) rolling it (he'll do the same
thing with potatoes but loses interest sooner) and (2) with the smell. My
other ferret will play with a citrus fruit if he sees Stimpy doing it, but
he never initiates the behavior on his own.
It's quite funny to watch this and I wonder if anyone else has noticed this
or if anyone can think of an objection to allowing him to do this. I
vaguely remember that orange oil is mildly toxic (I used to read the Merch
Index for fun...I definitely know too much about science to go through life
in a care-free state of mind. *Sigh*). Any suggestions would be welcome.
--Jeff ([log in to unmask])
(See, not one pun :)
[Posted in FML issue 1409]
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