Hi,
Just wanted to share a very frightening experience I had yesterday with one
of my fur kids.  I took Jonesy to the vet for his yearly distemper and
rabies shot.  All went well until I got home.  I went to get him out of his
"bye bye" cage and lo and behold he was limp and vomiting yellow froth.  I
grabbed him and raced back to the vets.  On the way there, he stopped
breathing.  Being a nurse, I gave him mouth to mouth breaths.  He did start
breathing again and luckily for us all his heart did not stop.  His body
temperature increased to 104 degrees.  Brain damage occurs at 105 degrees.
The vet rushed him to an oxygen tank gave him a large dose of prednisone
and a large shot of epi to get him going.  He spent the next three hours at
the vets.
 
He is back home and almost his former self again.  He is constantly eating
to make up for the energy loss from yesterdays crisis.  He also at times
acts like he doesn't know certain people in my household.  (Brain damage?
I sure hope not).
 
I just want to warn all you ferret lovers and owners NOT to get a rabies
and distemper shot at the same time.  Anaphylaxis can occur up to 24 hours
later.  Watch your babies closely during this time.  From now on Jonesy
cannot go outdoors.  A bee sting or bug bite can be fatal now (according to
my vet) since his reaction to the shots was so severe.  Also, from now on
he has to wait at least a month in between shots and must stay at the vets
for several hours after each shot.
 
Please take this warning seriously...I almost lost my little guy.
 
Sue and the 5 furballs
Jonesy-Hey I'm tuff and still around
Fiesty-Watch, I can get out of anything
Abigail-The one and only
Templeton-Who me?
Gidget-Hey I'm just a princess
[Posted in FML issue 2729]