|
|
Post by brightstar on Mar 8, 2016 16:52:26 GMT -5
I took Penny in to the vet today for her annual checkup and shots. About 5 minutes after they gave her her Benadryl shot, her back right leg (the one where they injected her) became paralyzed. It dragged along the ground, with foot and toes curled in. Has anyone encountered this happening? The vet didn't seem concerned, and Penny wasn't distressed, but I found it distressing to see. About an hour later, and movement was partially returned to the leg. I'm keeping an eye on her and will take her to see a more experienced exotics expert if I'm worried it isn't improving. I've never seen this happen in any of my other 4, and I've never seen mention of it by other ferret owners. Anyone else know anything about it?
|
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Mar 8, 2016 22:19:10 GMT -5
It's a risk that people don't talk about but should be aware. No injectable is entirely safe...it's the needle, not necessarily the injected substance(though this can be a factor). If given on a nerve temporary damage to complete paralysis can be the result.
I hope that she will be fine
ciao
|
|
|
|
Post by brightstar on Mar 9, 2016 0:48:31 GMT -5
Thanks. She seemed much better when I let her out to play earlier --- just a bit drowsy, due to the Benadryl.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2016 1:29:50 GMT -5
I'm glad she is feeling better! Heather , I had no idea that could happen! That is a scary thought. |
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Mar 9, 2016 2:51:21 GMT -5
It can happen to anyone, pet or human. The risk is low, very low but it can happen and the size of a ferret or cat means that the chance is higher. Think acupuncture....the ability to heal or to destroy in a fraction of a centimetre. Most injections are sub-q....the chance of damage in minimal, once you start giving IM, the risk becomes greater.
ciao
|
|
|
|
Post by brightstar on Mar 9, 2016 21:16:51 GMT -5
Is there any risk of long term complications due to this? If it happened to Penny once, should I be wary of letting her have a Benadryl shot again next time? I don't know if she is prone to reactions from her shots; I just usually prefer to give the Benadryl prior to the shot because Mel had a reaction once, and it was upsetting to see. I wouldn't want to put any of my others through that. But I dont' want to put them through a paralyzed limb due to Benadryl shot either!
|
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Mar 9, 2016 21:58:32 GMT -5
This actually has little to do with the drug and everything to do with the placement of the needle. I would consider taking an actual look as to whether further inoculations are necessary (titres). This becomes your choice of risk management.
ciao
|
|
|
|
Post by brightstar on Mar 24, 2016 1:49:55 GMT -5
I've begun to wonder whether the vaccinations cause more danger than the risk of disease. My newest, Caz, is due for his booster and rabies shot, and I can't decide whether to go ahead with it.
|
|
|
|
Post by abbeytheferret6 on Mar 24, 2016 8:38:28 GMT -5
I don't do either.
If ferrets are housed inside, it is very unlikely that your ferret will ever get rabies. Your animal has to be in contact with rabid animal fluids. More likely for unvaccinated dogs that are allowed to wander.
As far as distemper, my dogs are vaccinated. And it is possible while walking them, they can step into a contaminated area as well as me tracking it in house. Since there has been no outbreaks here, I do not worry about it that much. My vet and her tech puts the pressure on at times
Have you talked to vet about the partial paralyzing of your animal ?
I know in humans you got to be careful about where you place needle in hip for hitting sciatic nerve , which can leave some paralysis.
|
|
|
|
Post by Heather on Mar 24, 2016 11:36:00 GMT -5
The problem with making the decision about whether to use a vaccine or not is comfort zone and risk. I do not vaccinate. Does vaccinations have it's purpose, yes it does. What one has to do is understand the process. Most do not. Even vets and Drs are not honest about the process. Most people use vaccines as a preventative or worse a cure. If I give this vaccine my pet won't get this disease.....this is not the case. What they are is a chance, to be able to fight the disease. In the case of distemper....the chance is still very high that your pet will die from the disease if contact is actually made. Rabies is mandated by law and it's up to you if you're going to break that law. Ferrets die from rabies, faster than they can give it to another animal. They have a very high susceptibility, meaning if they contract it, chances are they will be dead within a very short time. They contract dumb rabies so they will not bite, they curl up and die.
I studied this subject for a long time and if you're looking for honesty and true answers on the web...forget it. The information is limited and there is a lot of BS on both sides. Know what a vaccine can and cannot do for you then you can make an honest choice. There are certain vaccines that are required for your ferret to move from state to state, country to country and limits on the length of time that is considered acceptable. Just remember that vaccines are big business, really big business and are worth a lot of money to those that administer and sell them (that's not the same group of people)
ciao
|
|
|
|
Post by unclejoe on Mar 24, 2016 17:49:31 GMT -5
Back in 2010 I saw a study that said the incidence of rabies in domestic ferrets in the US was 1-2 per year. Ferrets are illegal in California, but an estimated 500,000 live there. it's estimated that ferrets are the # 3 pet in the US after kats and dogs, so figure the odds form there. rabies is transmitted by a bite from an infected animal. not by mosquito or by casual contact. if your unvaccinated ferret bites someone, you could have it confiscated. to me, it is not worth the risk of complications from the vaccine. distemper is a different story, but it's almost impossible to find the vaccine and a ferret vet in the same place. on the flip side, the incidence of distemper is considerably lower than in years past. And yeah, it's almost always fatal.
|
|
|
|
Post by kattadragon on Dec 5, 2016 10:52:10 GMT -5
My first rescue, Jake, was about three years old when I got him and had never been to the vet. After his first vaccine he vomited. His next year he had no problems with his rabies vaccine. I have two new rescues about five years old now, who once again have never been to the vet, we gave them the Benadryl shot with no side effects, so I do not think it will be necessary to repeat the Benadryl.
Summary: I would use it the first time if their body is not used to it, but I have not seen a need to continue the Benadryl in the future.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Dec 5, 2016 11:39:39 GMT -5
Summary: I would use it the first time if their body is not used to it, but I have not seen a need to continue the Benadryl in the future. The issue with this is with each year of revaccination the odds of reaction increase. The benadryl is what can give the vet time to work on the ferret as it will decrease the severity of a reaction if it DOES occur. And it wasn't the benadryl that caused the issue with the OP's ferret, it was the syringe itself. I had the same thing happen with a couple of mine over the years with lupron injections. touch wood it always resolved itself. |
|
