First off - I want you all to know that I am NOT picking or flaming Lydia!
Fact is, I really like her, but thought I should give you all my opinion
on vaccines ... I just couldn't help myself!  <g>
 
>From:    EI - Lydia Russell <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: petco for vaccinations
>... the vets here gave Benedryll pretreatment 30 minutes before the shot,
>I thought it was standard practice.
 
This is absolutely not standard practice.  Some vets don't know about the
common reactions that ferrets can suffer from after CDVs.  Many owners
pretreat themselves with Children's Benedryl before heading to the vet's
clinic.
 
>After Bubbas horrible reaction I won't ever do a distemper at Petco I
>take a chance.
 
But that could have happened at your vet's office as well.  At ANY vet's
office.
 
>Both babies had to have 2 shots of Benedryll to calm them down.
 
Benedryl does not "calm them down".  It acts as an antihistamine and
counter acts the reaction they are having from the vaccination.  But we
knew what you meant (just wanted to clarify for others).
 
>From:    HL Russell <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: petco
>There must be some problems with the Recto Shots.
 
This is unlikely - unless they do not store them properly or the shipper
did not handle them correctly.  This can happen even at a vet's office.
 
I once had a vet tell me that she could not include on a health certificate
that I had given a CDV.  When I asked her why, she gave me a very excellent
answer.  What she told me made me really think about vaccinations and
reactions (and really respect her for it - even if I never went back to her
because she didn't meet my ferret "basic knowledge" standards).  She told
me that #1 - to protect herself, she couldn't verify that I had even given
that animal the vaccine (even though she saw the stickers from the
bottles).  And #2 that she couldn't know if the vaccination was handled
correctly by the sender, the shipper, or by myself.  She told me that has
an effect on how effective the vaccine is.
 
So what if the vaccines sat in a hot truck all day long - or all weekend
long?  The CDVs are supposed to be kept at certain temps.  - what if that
is not done?  Does that help create reactions?  How about the expiration
of the vaccine?  Or how about the length the vaccine is mixed and sitting
in the syringe waiting to be injected?  Most offices mix them prior to the
visit (makes the visit shorter and lets the vaccine warm up to room temp
which is more comfortable for the animal).  But do you know how your vet
handles their vaccines?  Or the shipper?  Or how about the location where
you or the vet got the vaccine?  Probably not.  And neither does PetCo,
your vet, a breeder, or a shelter.  And how does stress effect the
vaccination process?  Many animals get stressed out just by riding in the
car, let alone going to the vet's office and getting poked with a big
needle.
 
When I gave vaccines, I knew how they were handled on my end, that the
animal's stress level was minimised, and that I was giving the vaccine
properly.  In the whole time giving CDVs, I have had two reactions and they
were both from the same batch/10 pack container.  Both animals had never
had a reaction before - or since.  I strongly feel that this was due to the
fact that I did not order straight from United, but as a one off from a
different location.  At least I know United knows the correct storage for
the vaccines and I can get them shipped next day and they arrive in a
"cooler".  The other company I used was cheaper (go figure) and arrived in
a "cooler", but I do not know how the vaccines were stored and handled.
Was that the reason for a reaction?  I do not know.  Luckily, the reactions
were not too serious and an oral dose of Benedryl brought them back from
the reaction.
 
Just something to think about.
 
Best Regards!
 
Amy Flemming
Flemming Farms
Perth, Western Australia
[Posted in FML issue 3087]