People are going to believe what they want -- right or wrong. There is
a very disturbing trend in beliefs about vaccinations (for animals and
humans). People are convinced that vaccinations are voodoo or are just
a scheme by big pharmaceutical companies to make money. Or they believe
that because the disease is not rampant that it's all right to forgo
vaccinations. I know someone here (forgive me, I can't remember who --
I should look it up, but I'm tight on time right now) explained how
vaccinations work. There's no voodoo. It's no scheme. The reason
certain diseases are not rampant is *because of* vaccinations. If you
stop vaccinating, you give the disease an "in." Viruses (virii) are
living things -- they have the "instinct" (if you will) to survive.
They will look for the opportunity and take it.
I'm down to one ferret now and she has been vaccinated most of her life.
Because she's had reactions to both Fervac and Purevax, I will not
vaccinate her anymore. That and the reasons Sukie cited yesterday
(illness, current chemotherapy, extremely advanced age) are the only
valid reasons I see for not vaccinating against canine distemper. I look
at it this way: canine distemper is 100% fatal, vaccinations are not.
I've had several ferrets react to Fervac, including one who had two
severe reactions (she had one uneventful vaccination in between the
reactions). None of the ferrets died. If those ferrets had gotten
canine distemper they would have died -- that's a guarantee.
[log in to unmask] wrote:
>One of my ferrets who had a distemper shot (because I was told I should
>for their sake) was hurt by the vet who administered it. He bled from
>where the shot was given.
This happens. Sometimes the needle nicks a capillary -- it can happen
to humans, too. We used to see it occasionally in our white or albino
ferrets (I'm sure it happened in the darker ferrets, but you can't see
it). Considering how roughly they grab each other when wrestling, a
little needle stick is nothing to them. (One of our ferrets actually
bent the needle because his skin was so thick!)
>I have brought home 2 fuzzies since who have never had a vaccine, except
>for the one MF gives them. My first 2 ferts are UTD on theirs, with no
>reactions, but I am not about to tempt fate. I love my boys too much to
>be responsible for their early and unnecessary deaths.
Death from canine distemper is unnecessary -- more so than death from a
vaccine reaction because canine distemper can be prevented. IMO, you
are tempting fate by not vaccinating. But you're the one who will have
to live with yourself if your ferrets die from distemper. (That's not
a wish or a flame, just a statement of fact.)
>Also these vaccines don't always work, so why risk it?
Because not vaccinating *always* leaves your ferrets vulnerable. The
rate of vaccine failure is far lower than the rate of success -- and
farther lower still than the rate of death from distemper (100%).
Benjamin Franklin's son Francis died of smallpox at age 4. Although
inoculation was available for it, Franklin didn't trust it (you know, "it
makes people sicker" "it doesn't work"). For the rest of his life, he
regretted not inoculating his child. The child's death could have been
prevented -- the smallpox was sure to kill him, the inoculation was not.
In fact, Franklin became a staunch supporter and advocate for
inoculation.
The only sure thing is that canine distemper kills -- 100%. IMO, it is
negligent to not take the available steps to prevent it.
--Mary & the Fuzz
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Mary R. Shefferman and
Gabby, The Lone Modern Ferret
Ferret Information: http://www.ferretnews.com
Read My Blog! http://www.modernferretblog.com/mary
Depression Information: http://www.depressionplace.com
Neat Stuff: http://www.amysdesigns.com
[Posted in FML issue 4618]
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