John in NJ wrote about vaccinations:
>Hello, I have 3 fuzzies that I have taken to Petco for the past 2 years
>for their shots.  Petco has an outside vet come to their store in
>Deptford, NJ every other week.  I would like to know if anyone has ever
>had bad results from this.  Please reply to as I'm about to take them
>again.  The vet there always seems reluctant to administer the distemper
>and rabies shots.
 
I would say, don't risk it.  Just last week i took my two babies to their
vet to get their distemper shots (this vet prefers to give the shots
at least a week or two apart).  They are 4 and 5 and have gotten this
vaccination every year of their lives, without there ever being a problem.
 
About 10 minutes after getting his shot, my little Pattertwig suddenly had
a massive anaphylactic reaction.  He almost died.  The vet said it was the
worst reaction he had ever seen, in any animal.  Luckily, he had all the
equipment, medication, and trained support staff necessary to save my
baby's life.  Even so, Pattertwig spent the rest of that day and the
next at the vet's, on IV's and oxygen in an incubator, and he had to be
transferred to the emergency hospital overnight so they could keep watch
over him.
 
I would strongly suggest that you take your babies to an experienced ferret
vet for their vaccinations.  Apparently, you never know when something
ghastly like this could happen.
 
This is no slight to PetCo, but anyway, if the vet doesn't feel comfortable
doing it, i guess there's a good reason for that!
 
I don't know where Deptford is, but there is an absolutely fantastic ferret
vet in Oakhurst NJ (sort of near Asbury Park).  His name is Dr Michael
Doolen and he practices at the Oakhurst Veterinary Hospital.  We took our
fuzzies there for 2 years when we lived in Trenton, clear on the other
side of NJ.  He's worth it.
 
Good luck!!  Dooks and dances,
Elena, Pattertwig, and Pixie
[Posted in FML issue 3331]