Hi all!  I've seen recent postings of ferrets having bad reactions to their
vaccines and felt a need to post my experiences.  Some of you may remember
last fall my post that my Snoopy had a bad reaction to his distemper
vaccine.  I assumed that he was just one of those ferrets that reacted (it
was his 2nd booster shot) and I would have to think long and hard about him
having another shot.
 
In Jan. 97 I took Meeko (female) for her yearly shot.  She has never had a
reaction so I figured she would be ok but I still waited in the office for
30 min.  Suddenly she had a reaction and once again we went the whole route,
epinephrine, fluids, oxygen and praying.  I almost lost her.
 
Now these two are NOT related, not even from the same breeder.  It seemed
too odd that I would have 2 react, especially when Meeko had never reacted
before so I started grilling the vet.  When I saw the bottle the shot had
come from I knew something was wrong so I called my previous vet in
Massachusetts and she confirmed it.  The EXPERT vets who had seen MANY
ferrets (I found them on STAR's list - no flame against STAR, they are a
great service) were giving my babies A COMBINATION DOG VACCINE - WITH PARVO,
ADENOVIRUS AND DISTEMPER!
 
I will be going to another vet and from now on I want to see the bottle (in
fact as I am in school to be a vet tech I will only treat them in my own
clinic so I can do it myself).
 
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR BABIES ARE GETTING ONLY THE CANINE DISTEMPER
VACCINATION.
 
I hope this helps somebody.
Melissa
Meeko, Snoopy and Percy (who needs his shot this month)
[Posted in FML issue 1899]