>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...
 
Taking a cue from Dr. Williams comments earlier about how he thought all
the other vets have taken a low profile on the FML, I ll try to give a good
answer for this one.  Ferrets do have a tendency to develop more allergic
reactions to vaccines as opposed to dogs and cats.  The reaction is a
histamine release related event.  For that reason, antihistamines (such as
Benadryl) do help minimize (but not eliminate) allergic reactions.  Once a
reaction has started, most veterinarians use a steroid to rapidly reverse
the allergic symptoms.  The problem with steroids is that they can reduce
the immune response to the vaccine (i.e., the vaccine might not protect as
well as to be expected).  As a general rule, steroids should not be given at
the same time as a vaccine.  In a life threatening allergic reaction, you
use the steroids to save the ferret and don t get too concerned about the
immune response.  As to mixing the vaccine and medication, that is
potentially a problem for two reasons.  The first is that some medications
chemically interact with vaccines when in the same syringe and may cause
problems (such as a precipitate).  The second is that medications such as
Benadryl or even steroids take time to work.  The ferret should receive any
medication to prevent an allergic reaction at least 10 minutes before the
vaccine.  I have owners whose ferrets have had bad reactions give their
ferrets pediatric Benadryl (1/10 of a milliliter) 45 minutes before the
vaccine.  Another way to reduce reactions is to separate out the rabies and
distemper vaccine by at least two weeks.  I personally have not seen this
reduce the amount of reactions I see in ferrets, but it makes sense in
theory.  For all ferrets, I have the owners wait for 10 minutes after the
vaccine (I have an egg timer I set).
 
If your ferret has had a very severe reaction, you need to consider whether
you should vaccinate your ferret at all.  In a single ferret household with
no dogs (i.e., no exposure threat to distemper), vaccination may not be
needed.  In regards to rabies vaccination, a lot depends on any legal
requirement your State or municipality has for ferrets.
 
In healthy ferrets with no history of prior vaccine reaction, I routinely do
not pre-medicate. Allergic reactions are still uncommon and the extra
medications do add to the cost. I do discuss separating out the vaccines by
two weeks to all new clients and I do explain the higher tendency (compared
to cats and dogs) for allergic reactions.
 
Mike Dutton, DVM, DABVP
[Posted in FML issue 1407]