I took the ferrets to the vet tonight for their distemper shot. Before I could get the ferrets out of their carrier back home (we live two miles away), I heard one of them vomiting. It was Templeton--he's our deaf blaze. I got the others in their cage, came back for Templeton (who had thrown up a few more times and had a bottle brush tail), and took him right back to the vet. When I got there, the vet was busy with a lady and her sick cat (he's the only one there tonight, no help). I took Templeton out of the carrier (he'd had some runny diarrhea and more vomiting during the drive) and waited with Templeton in the waiting room for about five minutes before the vet came out to the waiting room. During this time Templeton was pretty limp and was feeling a little cool. He just lay in my arms. I told the vet that Templeton had a reaction to the shot. He was surprised - first, that there'd been a reaction at all (the most reaction he's seen personally is a little grogginess for 24 hours), but also how soon. It was 7:45 by this time - the shots were given probably around 7:20, but it could've been later. He had me take him right back to the examining room, where he checked his temperature. While he was taking the temp, Templeton's sides were heaving like he was going to throw up again. When the vet withdrew the thermometer, there was a bloody, watery puddle. He went in the next room (probably to check the temp and get some med), came back and gave him a shot of something, and left for a minute. Templeton passed another small puddle of bloody liquid, and wanted to go into the carrier. The vet came back and took Templeton out of the carrier and said he was keeping him overnight so he could keep an eye on him. :( Back out in the waiting room, he said 9 out of 10 times there's no reaction at all, but once in a while, there is a reaction. Once in a while, ferrets do die from a reaction. He said this was a pretty severe reaction. :( I'm to call him when they open at 9 in the morning (it won't come soon enough!) to see if he's okay. I'm just in shock because none of the ferrets have ever had a reaction to their shots. It would be awful to lose Templeton over something like this. Even worse than the fact that I might lose Templeton: I can't help thinking that he's alone, in a cage by himself in a strange place. The vet better be doing just what he said: keeping an eye on him tonight. He better not be leaving the office at 9 (or whenever) for home, leaving Templeton at the office, and coming back in the morning to check on him! If Templeton's going to die anyway, I'd just as soon be holding him right now, comforting him and holding him so he knows he's loved. It would be bad enough to lose him, but worse to have him die alone. I've got tears streaming down my face as I type this... It's already been about an hour since I left him - is he alone right now, or has the vet taken him home to keep an eye on him? I wish I knew how he was doing! It's an eternity until 9 in the morning..... I'll post tomorrow with an update. I sure hope it's not a sad post. Debbie, Becky and the fab foursome: Brae, Templeton, Sally and Phoebe [P.S.] I just called the vet to see if I could get an update on Templeton. When he left the office about ten minutes ago, Templeton was fine, but he's going back about 11 to check on him. Debbie, Becky, and the fab foursome: Brae, Templeton, Sally and Phoebe [Posted in FML issue 3006]