Re: Anaphylatic reaction
>Last night within 30 minutes of receiving his yearly rabies/distemper
>vaccine (3rd year) my ferret buddy Cocoa went into anaphylatic shock and
>almost died.... Please remember to stay at the vets (I personally recommend
>30 minutes) for any type of reactions from vaccines.
 
This is a *very* important reminder for everybody - especially folks new to
the FML that may not have seen this before.  We went through a very similar
experience with our oldest Squirt.  It was his first yearly booster for
rabies/distemper and he too went into anaphylatic shock.  We almost lost him
as well.  (My husband was already on his way home with Squirt when the
vomitting started.  By the time Squirt was back in the Vet's office, he was
limp and his gums were white to blue.) We've got the whole story on our
webpage, if you are interested.  You can find it at:
 
        http://www.servtech.com/public/greenman/ferrets.html
 
One thing you should know is that next year's vaccination of Cocoa should be
an experience.  Since you got two vaccinations at once, your vet won't be
sure which vaccination was the problem.  You'll have the rabies and distemper
vaccines given on two separate office visits.  You'll also probably have
Cocoa pre-medicated before the vaccinations.  That's what we had to do to
find out that the problem vaccine was the rabies one.  And Squirt no longer
gets any of those!
 
Because of our experiences we Squirt, we wait in the vet's office for nearly
an hour after any vaccination and we have the rabies and distemper
vaccinations given on separate office visits.  Both of these actions helped
us to prevent serious problems when our other boy, Atlas, reacted to a
distemper vaccination.  He was taken care of immediately and we knew exactly
what vaccine he reacted to.  Atlas came out of the experience much better
then Squirt has.
 
I don't mean to scare anyone....I think we've just gotten cursed when it
come to vaccine reactors.  As I understand it, vaccine reactions are quite
rare.  But if you do ever experience a vaccine reaction, you will be *EVER*
so glad that you made the minor effort to make two separate appointments and
waited in the vet's office.  :)
 
-kim, squirt (I HATE SHOTS!), pippi (Ouch! Hey! Something bit me!), atlas
 (Mommy, take me home! This place is scarey!), and 'Jinx (Yuck! The metal
  table is cold and smelly!)
 
Kimberly Burkard     |             _    Everything I needed to know in life,
Eastman Kodak Company|      _____C .._. I learned from my ferret:
Rochester, New York  | ____/     \___/  Frolic and dance for joy often, have
[log in to unmask]    |<____/\_---\_\    no fear or worries, and enjoy life.
[Posted in FML issue 2146]