Lorraine:
>Maybe I'm wrong, but I have to follow my own instincts.  However, it
>seems to me more ferrets suffer from bad reactions to shots then they
>ever do from getting distemper or rabies.  LSK
 
On that you are right but if you will forgive me taking some of your
words and inserting further info: More ferrets suffer DEATH from
distemper and rabies than they do from vaccinations.
 
In fact, ferrets almost never die of vaccine reactions because vets and
clients DO know to take precautions.  (Those here who don't are asked to
read in the Archives of the FML and FHL.)
 
Rabies and Canine Distemper, on the other hand, KILL, and they do so in
one of the most horrible, most torturous ways imaginable.  Plus, when
they hit entire four footed families are lost.  I have seen CDV once (a
rescue dog from a pound a friend adopted and immediately took to the vet
for shots but who was already infected) and I have seen rabies once (a
bat) and I hope to never have to see those illnesses in any creature
again.  When you consider that remember that I HAVE seen (and been
though) anaphylactic reactions in humans and ferrets, and through 21
years have been the following (not a complete list) with ferrets in our
family: severe deformities and other handicaps, Juvenile Lymphoma, A/V
heart Node Block with insulinoma, lympho, cardiomyopathy, gastric
ulceration which bled out, sepsis and celluitis, pneumonia with pluerosy,
etc.  Believe me when I say that what I saw with CDV and rabies was
worse, and that is saying a lot.
 
If a ferret can't have vaccinations due to past severe reactions,
advanced illness, or chemo then it makes no sense to vaccinate, but
otherwise the risk being taken is not worth it.  I've seen both
alternatives.  It just is not worth it.
 
Meanwhile, Ill repeat myself:
>BTW, there are some tips for reducing the risk which get repeated a
>lot including:
>- Do not give more than one type of vaccine at a time.
>- Use a vaccine which has a reported lower reaction rate such as
>   Purevax CD vax for ferrrets.
>- Pretreat as per the vet's recommendations
>- Stay at the vet hospital for a long time afterward so that treatment
>   can be given promptly if a reaction occurs.  (BTW, this is why
>   allergists have people stay 20 or more minutes but people can tell
>   you if they are beginning to not be able to swallow or have other
>   worrisome symptoms and ferrets can't so stay a decent while longer.)
 
Tony wrote:
>On another note have you tried to find a vet that uses a homeopathic
>approach to vaccines.
 
In my area years ago there was a woman who tried that.  Then canine
distemper came into her household.  Most of her animals died and they
died horribly.  A few had been vaccinated with actual vaccines something
like 2 or 3 years before so had a bit of protection.  Those few survived
in very compromised conditions after enormous and long efforts by the
family and by the vets because having had real, working vax in the past
their immune systems were still a bit educated about CDV.  The last I
heard the person was considering suing the holistic practitioner for
costs incurred due to false representation of something which provided no
protection at all as being a holistic CDV "vaccine", and the surviving
ferrets had brain damage and other damage and were not expected to live
full life spans even with a great deal more medical care than otherwise
would ever have been needed -- not something anyone would wish on anyone
else, four or two footed.
[Posted in FML issue 4309]