>From:    "Ilena E. Ayala" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: vaccine reaction
>>My sister who is a studying to be a vet thinks it is a case of too much
>>live virus in the shots (distemper and rabies)
 
>I hope your sister is just *beginning* her studies.  Rabies vaccine contains
>only killed virus.  The only exceptions here in the US are special vaccines
>for wildlife administration.  I doubt it's an issue with distemper either.
 
Distemper vaccine is a live virus - but a modified virus.  It might be a
case where the vet student is over-simplifying the terminology thinking it
might be clearer to a non-vet (or vet student).
 
>I think (anyone know?) that the problem might not even be the viral content
>of the vaccine, but the ?suspension?  ?vehicle?  (not sure what the correct
>word is) they mix it with.
 
Distemper vaccines are typically a freeze-dried vaccine that is mixed with a
sterile liquid called a diluent.  There is little in a vaccine other than a
virus, a diluent that is pretty close to distilled water and in Fervac's
case a preservative - gentamicin.  Its all on the label (looking at the
paper tucked in with the ten vials not the vials themselves at this point.
 
Fervac-D used to be available in 50 dose vials already in liquid form but
they had only one customer as far as I can discern.  Some ranches including
from what I've heard Marshall's "cheat" and use Distamink which is the
vaccine Fervac was derived from.
 
>If Jake got both shots at once, they won't know which shot he reacted
>too.  Next time he is due for a booster he should be premedicated and get
>one or the other, but not both together.  Wait at least 2 weeks before
>giving the second shot.
 
This is good advice - matching everything we've heard.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
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[Posted in FML issue 2298]