I have been vaccinating ferrets with Fervac-D for 4 or 5 years now at Especially Ferrets Inc. in Colorado. In all those years, Ive had one, count'em, one reaction which consisted of a small amount of swelling at the injection site and within a few days, some hair loss at the injection site.. Some of you who have experienced the severe reactions described so frequently on the fml have had to bear an unbearable it seems burden and much grief dealing with the reaction that your beloved fuzzie has experienced. My heart goes out to you. Many may be thinking that I just havent done enough vaccinations or just that I'm lucky? Let me say honestly that every ferret that does not have proof of vaccination for distemper when it comes through my front door, get stuck. I have gone through so far this year over 35 boxes of vaccine and am getting ready to order another 5 boxes. For those of you who do not know, that is over 300 vaccinations that I have administered this year alone. So far, this year, no reactions.(knock on wood) I am questioning in my mind the following, A) My choice of injection site vs. evrybody elses B) IM or SQ? C) Technique of injection D) Storage of vaccine and lastly the procedure for loading the syringe. Some of these items are pretty basic and just common sense, but please allow me to explain why these questions have entered my mind. Keep in mind, my questions to myself do not in any way insinuate an inability or incompetence or even blame any one for anywrong doing here, they are simply this...questions in my mind. My choice of injection site is in the back of the scuff, through the layers of skin and SQ not IM. I have witnessed vets and vet techs give distemper vaccinations while the ferret squirmed and screamed and the vaccination was an ordeal for all involved. The injection may have become an IM injection at this point instead of SQ. My technique is to penetrate the skin at an angle the completely ensures that the muscles in the neck area and the spine are never in danger of penetration by the needle and as soon as the needle "pops" through complete the injection. I keep my vaccines stored at 38 Degrees in a frig that has meds only and never expose them to heat. You all know the Fervac-D comes in two parts. the dilutant and the vaccine which is dry powdered and this is important, vacumm packed. When you fill the syringe with the dilutant(steriile water) and then stick the needle in the bottle of vaccine, it should suck the dilutant out of your syringe. I have had many batches of Fervac-D where several bottles in a box of ten were "flat" and lacking in that vacumm seal. Once, I had most of a box that I considered to be " no good" and got credit from where I purchased the vaccine. Rarely does a ferret that I'm sticking(vaccinating) ever squirm, sqeal, scream or otherwise show any discomfort when getting stuck by me. I watched them closely for 15 to 20 minutes afterwards and have observed no problems with the shelter kids and with clients who bring their ferrets to the shelter , I have them hang around the shelter and go out in ferretland or do something around here for awhile afterwards. I caution them to watch closely for any reactions and so far so good. Lately, the last two months , I have been premedicating with oral Benadryl just as a precaution. Honestly, I am at a loss to explain my lack of witnessing a reaction here at the shelter as bad as the ones I've read about. I am keeping track of the vaccines that I administer this year and expect my total to reach well past 700 this year. I hope and pray I don't see a reaction., but still I wonder,.... am I properly vaccinating my ferrets??? hug your kids, two and four legged and let them all know you love them. However long they live it is not enough. ferretguy [Posted in FML issue 3039]