>From:    "Ferret Aid Society..." <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: FerVac Reactions-need your imput :o)
 
By now we've given nearly a thousand vaccinations with Fervac-D.  Ferrets
from 8 weeks up to 6 years old.  No reactions of any form.  None.  Not even
lethargy.  But we had the same percentage with FROMM-D when it was available
and the twenty or thirty Galaxy-D shots we gave (don't feel like diggin up
the notes for an exact count)
 
But thats just our experiences.  The breeders/shelter we work with have had
mostly the same results.
 
Many folks like to rag on Doug McKay in Ohio but with all the ferrets he has
he gives over a thousand vaccinations a year.  Last we'd heard he had never
had any reactions either.  This is not meant to start a debate about his
ranch - just using his number of vaccinations with no reactions.
 
Some vets seem to have reactions with every third ferret.  Something other
than just the vaccine seems to be involved.  We think it has to do with
stress.  Vet exams are stressful for ferrets, and our personal belief is
that vaccinations should not be dome immediately following poking and
podding and especially after a vet puts a thermometer where a ferret really
doesn't want a thermometer.
 
>From:    Sandi Ackerman <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Wood litters
 
>>"Stove Chow" and other wood stove pellets are hardwoods.
>Must be a demographic difference.
 
Dang left coasters... Must be that you folks have more BIG evergreens.  All
of our East coast BIG trees are hardwoods.  No way I'd ever burn pine in a
wood stove.  But the Kitty litter equivalents are better at odor control as
litter - but we just aren't sure about the effects of breathing it in by the
ferrets so we limit its use to road trips - when enclosed in a van (VW to
pique Ed Lipinski's interest) odor control grows in importance.  Limitting
the exposure to pine oils can't be bad - even if its unnecessary.
 
But now that I think about it, we did get offered Redwood pellets at one
point.  Oh well.  Never said we were perf3ct <grin>
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2369]