Melissa,
 
You asked several important questions in your post.  I'll do my best to
answer.
 
What types of reactions can you expect from vaccinations?  Usually none.  In
rare cases, the ferret will be allergic to one of the ingredients in the
vaccine.  These usuall occur within 30 minutes or less, although I've heard
of reactions occurring 45 minutes later, and strongly suspect some that do
not appear for up to 2 days.  Generally you'll see the ferret either turn
very pale, lose control of its bowel, perhaps try to vomit; or the fur will
'poof' out (bottle brush), the skin turn bright red; often loss of of bowel
control, and sometime difficulty in breathing.  The vet needs to take
immediate action with antihistimine, and steroids.  Sometimes an incubator is
needed to stabilize body temperature, and IV. to rehydrate.  It's very scary
to have happen, but is rare.
 
Rabies?  Yes, it is rare in ferrets, and all data to date indicates that the
ferret will die before it can pass on the virus.  The virus is normally
injected by a bite of a rabid animal that has the virus in its saliva.  The
virus from the bite wound travels to the nerves and eventually to the brain
where it reproduced very rapidly.  In many carnivores, the virus also at
this time enters the salivary glands and the saliva.  The animal is driven
mad from the pain and confusion of the virus in its brain.  It may lash out
at anything nearby, biting and passing on the virus for the cycle to repeat.
Ferret can develop rabies, but if the virus never enters the saliva, it can
not pass it on through a bite.  Studies in France, Germany and recently in
the US, have shown that the ferret does not "shed" the virus ( have it
present in the saliva) before it dies.  Dogs, on the other hand, can shed
the virus for days (recent studies have found it to be years in rare cases)
before they even show symptoms of rabies - hence the 10 day quarantine
period in order to see if the dog does develop symptoms.  Most studies on
the dog show that if they dog does not show symptoms within that time, then
they did not have the rabies virus in the saliva at the time of the bite.
(They still could have rabies, just that they would not have been
"contagious" at the time.
 
Ferrets getting along?  Usually takes several weeks for ferrets to begin to
accept one another.  Just make sure that there is no blood drawn.  What you
are seeing may be a dominance demonstration, overzellous play, or even
normal ferret antics.  It should settle down.  If there is blood, separate
for a while-perhaps cage the aggressor for 5-10 minutes where it can see the
other out playing.  Then try again.
 
Flea spray with Ovitrol?  If it say that it's kitten safe, it's probably
safe for ferrets.  We use Vet Kem with Ovitrol, and find it very safe and
effective.  Do start with a ring of the spray around the neck first to keep
the fleas from migrating to the head, eyes, nose, and ears.  Then do the
body, legs, tail.  Finally spray some on your hands and rub it in the
ferret's head, muzzle, ears.  WAsh the bedding in hot bleach water.  Get a
kitten safe area spray for the carpeting and furnature.  Fleas spend most of
their lives off of the animal.  You have to get them where they are hiding.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 1726]