Hello everyone,
 
today I brought Sam and Shadow in to the vet to get their yearly shots.
We let Sam go first since he is a bit older (4 1/2) and such a delicate
flower (he thinks he is anyway).  Put them back in the carrier and asked
my boyfriend to watch them while I finished talking to the vet, was
waiting around anyway since Sam as never had distemper for as long as I
had him which is only since august (I guess the other owner had never
done distemper or she would have told me about this).  As I am paying the
receptionist my boyfriend says "hummm Michelle, Sam's acting weird, he
looks like he wants to throw up".  I rush to the carrier and pull Sam out
and his nose was bright red and so are his paws.  I tell the receptionist
to get the doctor and get her quick.  By then Sam went limp and the doctor
ran out grabbed Sam and took him to the back and I could see them working
on him.  I am pacing nervously and trying to peep trough the window.  They
were back there for what seemed hours (only about 20 minutes, but they
felt long), he was given oxygen and some shots (I can't remember but i
think she said benedril or something like that).  They are also giving
him fluids and they want to keep him until this afternoon to monitor him.
 
So, you hear about this but it's not real til it actually happens to one
of yours.  At this time I could strangle the previous owner because this
tells me that she either never gave him his shots or "forgot" to tell me
about him being allergic to the distemper vaccine.
 
If you are a new fert owner, please make sure you wait the extra 15 to 20
minutes at the vet after vaccination.  I am so glad I did (the doctor even
told me to wait before leaving, this is a sign of a decent doctor.  The
one I went to before told me not to bother because reactions are rare.
Glad I don't go to him anymore.  This vet was amazing and knew exactly
what to do and did it fast (hard to find a good ferret vet in California).
She worked on Sam for as long as it took to stabilize him even when her
clinic was filling with patients waiting to see her.
 
My heart was in my mouth the whole time and even my boyfriend (mr. Vulcan
himself) was fidgeting while Sam was in the back.  Sam loves my boyfriend
but he always acted very cool about the ferrets, never really admitted he
was attached to them til today.  As we left the vet my boyfriend wanted to
know in a very stern voice "why the hell did we give him that shot and why
did he almost die?"  Had to explain it to him that this can happen with
ferts and now he has announced to me that he doesn't think Sam should have
those shots anymore. :-)
 
Question is, do they "realllllyyy" need that distemper shot?  What is the
pre-treating procedure and does it really work?
 
Sheeshh, it's only 12:45 here and I already feel like I've had a full day.
 
Michelle
[Posted in FML issue 3678]