Excerpts from mail: 10-Jul-92 Ferret List Issue 276 by Ferret Mailing List@ferr > for the summer) took it very well. The squirmed quite a bit, > especially when I started to inject the vaccine. Not so much when > I pricked them. Afterward Percy laid down about 2 feet from my legs I vaccinated my two little girl ferrets last night and was shocked at how much fussing they did! This stuff must sting. I thought it might have been from the alcohol on the fur, but maybe not. My calmest, Skittles, usually squirms for a second as I pierce the skin and then just hangs there (I grasp them by the scruff to make them still). This time, as I injected the vaccine, she squirmed so violently, she pulled the needle out and I had to jag her again! Keesa (who is normally squirmy) got stuck *4* times before I was successful! Sheesh. And I've been vaccinating all my animals (1 dog, 3 cats, 2 ferrets) for around 3-4 years now. The entire time I was injecting the vaccine, Keesa did that annoyed "R-R-R-R-R" sound. I sure hope this stuff is good ... One thing that wasn't mentioned in the instructions on how to give the shot, was to be sure you're not in the muscle, pull back on the plunger a bit -- if there is blood, you're not in a good spot. If you're under the skin, nothing will be there (I guess it's a vacuum ... ?) Oh, by the way, I managed to prick *myself* in the process of doing Keesa ... I've done this before and I just wanted to let you know that nothing happens. I suppose you might be in trouble if you somehow managed to *inject* yourself, but just jagging yourself doesn't do anything. I don't even have a red spot and I jagged myself hard enough to bleed a drop. I cleaned off the needle with the alcohol swab, though ... I suspect the ferret would have more problem with MY germs. :) Thanks for the detailed instructions on giving a shot. I had a friend help me when I was first learning who did people all the time. Turns out animals are a lot harder. :) Then of course there's my silly dog ... she doesn't even flinch. Just stands there. --Barb-- [Posted in FML issue 0277]