on 1/11/03 3:00, Amy wrote:
>##Have to disagree with this too <g>, any reaction is dangerous.  From
>what I have seen it appears most ferrets have a reaction after they have
>been vaccinated a number of times.
 
These two generalizations are just plain wrong, and could lead people
into making bad decisions against vaccinating.
 
1) A mild vaccine reaction is NO WHERE NEAR as dangerous as a case of
rabies or distemper.  Both of these diseases are VERY dangerous, VERY
contagious, and VERY horrible, painful ways to die.
 
2) Ferrets DO NOT have reactions simply because they have been vaccinated
multiple times previously.  I have two ferrets, in fact, who HAVE had
reactions to their distemper vaccinations when they were younger, but
have NOT had subsequent reactions for several years now (due to proper
pre-treatment, I believe).  My other five ferrets (all elderly now; the
oldest is over eight) have never had any vaccine reactions at all, after
receiving yearly boosters all their lives.
 
Nancy and critters
(missing Alfalfa)
[Posted in FML issue 4025]