Both my ferrets are 6 years old and one just had her first reaction.  My
vet, who used to poo poo my related accounts of reactions from the FML now
says he sees reactions, usually to distemper (Fer-Vac) fairly frequently.
 
First let me say that I've noticed that their reactions always seem to take
the spunk right out of them.  This time they both went right back in the
carrier and looked like they zoned right out - quite a bit worse than
usual.  They did "wake up" after a bit while the dog was getting his shots
etc.
 
I was paying the bill when I realized that Giesela was throwing up, and I
mean really really throwing up - projectile vomiting non stop.  It took a
few minutes of me panic'ing to get the vet back (I'm still pretty po'ed
about that).  After waiting about half an hour the vet came out and said
that a cortisone shot didn't stop her vomiting as expected just slowed in
down so they had put her on an IV to prevent circulatory collapse and they
wanted to keep her and hour.  That was Thursday afternoon.  She more or
less slept till Sunday morning when she finally seemed more like her ol
self.  The only think I notice is that she doesn't seem quite as
coordinated or strong as she was - like she didn't come quite all the way
back and I wonder if maybe she had a teeny tiny stroke.
 
I haven't fully investigated yet but I think that at 7 yrs old she'll be
getting a titer test instead of shot if there is one.  Does it seem to
anyone else that these things happen with more frequency and severness as
the ferret gets older?  I wonder - do they really need the shots at that
high a does every year?
 
Mary
P.S.  FYI- they hadn't had any other shots within the past year, and they
didn't get any others that day either.
 
"Animals are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other
 nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time,"
 Henry Beston
[Posted in FML issue 3453]