Hi All,
 
Yesterday our Gabby reacted to the Merial distemper vaccine.  She's all
right, but still wobbly and sleepy.  She'd reacted mildly (some vomiting)
to Fervac two years ago and last year did fine with Merial (you rarely,
if ever, see reactions the first time out).  This year she was
pre-treated and a few minutes after the vaccination, her little nose went
bright red and she became lethargic.  A shot of epinephrine and some IV
fluids brought her back very quickly (compared with other reactions I've
seen).  This was the first reaction our vet has seen with the Merial
vaccine.
 
Regardless of the vaccine you're using, make sure you wait at the vet's
office at least 20 minutes after your ferret is vaccinated.  We usually
wait 30 to 40 minutes, but most reactions occur within the first 20.
We've had one delayed reaction -- about 8 hours after the vaccination.
It was a mild reaction (vomiting only), but did require a trip to the
emergency vet.
 
It's also a good idea to try to schedule vaccinations early in the day --
just in case.  Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time for your
appointment.  We work from home, so we're always flexible; those who work
outside the home will want to give themselves the day (that is, it's not
a good idea to schedule a vaccination during your lunch hour).
 
Because ferrets can have delayed reactions to vaccines (though it's
not common), you should keep an eye on your ferret for a day after the
vaccination.  Ferrets will generally be a little low energy after a
vaccination, but if you notice anything else out of the ordinary or
lethargy, it's a good idea to check with your vet.
 
Oh, and it's probably not a good idea to schedule vaccinations the day
before a holiday (this goes into the "do as I say, not as I do" file --
I know better now).
 
Hope everyone has (had) a wonderful 4th!
 
--Mary & the Fuzzies
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Mary R. Shefferman, Editor, Modern Ferret Magazine
Trixie, Koosh, & Gabby, The Modern Ferrets
Read my blog! http://www.modernferretblog.com/mary
See my cool stuff! http://www.topicaltees.com
[Posted in FML issue 4199]