Distemper Vaccination - Now Ferret Feels Sick

Question
My ferret is 8 months old. I just got his boaster shot, now he is not acting himself, for example he tires out easily, this morning he woke me up with a loud scream. Although, he is eating and drinking. Is this normal after his booster? I called his vet and the vet said it should wear off in 24 hours.  

Answer
Hi Brigitte:

I'm sorry to hear that your ferret isn't acting himself after his vaccination this morning.  It is common for ferrets to be a little feverish and cranky for approximately 24 hours after a vaccination.

I do question his loud scream tho.  I wonder if your ferret is possibly deaf?   I ask that because it is pretty common for ferrets who are deaf to be a little more vocal than hearing ferrets.  If you want to, you can read here about deafness in ferrets and how you can test him, etc. Deafness usually is seen in ferrets who have white around their head and at least one white toe. Here's the link:

http://www.geocities.com/wolfysluv/deaf.html

Back to your little guy today.....he may appreciate a little more *very gentle* snuggles and loving than usual today; on the other hand, he may appreciate a nice dark, quiet place to just rest with lots of soft blankies to snuggle down into until he gets to feeling himself again. You will just have to go by how he reacts to know which he prefers. He will let you know, if you watch him....if you try to hold him and he wiggles away, it means he'd really rather have that nice dark, quiet place with soft blankies (most likely this is what he will prefer). Check in on him now and then to be sure he's okay and offer him some cool, fresh water from your finger or an eyedropper. He might even appreciate a little warm chicken (meat only) baby food from your finger or some watered down apple juice (the little bit of flavor will encourage him to drink more and he should drink more than usual today; you may have to encourage him to do it tho)

You didn't say if you had him 'pre-treated' with Benadryl at the vets office before his vaccination.  Benadryl before any vaccination helps them to not have a reaction (which CAN be fatal....but he would have had seizures and blood shooting out his nose, mouth and anus within about 1/2 hr after the shot IF it was going to happen) after the shot.  Since more than an hour has passed, I think he's just not feeling well.  I would be double-sure he has a benadryl shot approximately 20 minutes before any future vaccinations AND be sure you stay at the vet's office for up to 1/2 hour after the shot, just in case he has a serious reaction, so you will be close to help if he needs it.  It's JUST A PRECAUTION, but one that every ferret owner should take.  If you ever see a ferret got into anaphylactic shock after a vaccination, you will know how important it is that they have a pre-treatment before any vaccinations.    I think your little one got off easy this time and just feels a little cranky - may be sore where the vaccination was or he may just be sore all over and just may not feel like being handled today, but by tomorrow he should feel better.

Best of luck - do keep fluids in him today (with as little handling as possible). If there is anything else I can do to help, please let me know.

Sincerely,
Jacquie Rodgers