[shadowsfamily]

Shadow had her last distemper shot tonight and about an hour after she came home she's been very lethargic, crying a bit and is limping.

I'm guessing this is probably normal - but since she didn't have problems after her other shots - I guess we need a little reassurance. We've been checking her gums and they're still pink and her face isn't swollen or anything - but I'm still a little concerned. Has anyone had a similar experience with their pup?

 

[TikisMom]

So sorry I didn't check in last night! Hope Shadow is doing better this morning.

In my reasearch I found that some animals have a systemic reaction, including a low-grade fever or muscle aches and pain. This reaction is more common in young and toy breed dogs and causes them to eat less and sleep more for 24-48 hours. This reaction was true of Tiki, but he didn't cry, mostly slept.

If shadow isn't showing a little improvement this morning I would call the vet. If you don't end up calling, make a note of her reactions and let the vet know the next time you bring her in. I believe an antihistamine can be added at the time of subsequent vaccinations to help prevent a reaction.

Please let us know how she is doing,
Judi

 

[shadowsfamily]

Happy to report that Shadow seems to be feeling much better this morning. Probably still not 100% - but she's back to play biting so that's got to be a good sign, huh? She also ate a little this morning which made me feel a little better. Poor thing was just pathetic last night. She would be laying down/sleeping and just wake up suddenly and start crying and yelping. It was awful. I'll let the vet know her reaction and see what he says. She has to go back in next week for her Rabies (she was supposed to have that shot yesterday too, but since her last distemper/kennel cough shot visit - she got sick a few times - he figured we should only do one shot this week. I'm SO glad he did! Thanks for your response, Judi.

 

[kit001]

Morgan had the same reaction to his shots when he got them...all of them. I told the vet and he told me it was common. I did some reading up, (AFTER the shots were done). what I came across time & time again, was people saying that they used the wrong size needle for the dog. (Different size needles for different size dogs, sound logical to me) Smaller needles for smaller dogs. According to what I read, this will cause the tenderness and limping and wincing when touched in the area they received the shot. How true it is, I really don't know. I was, at the time using the vet that he had been going to before I got him. He has since been swapped over to the vet I have been using for years for my other dog...I am much happier, don't know about Morgan yet, as he has already had all of his shots and hasn't had to deal with much more than that since then. So all I can say is take this info with a grain of salt, ask you vet maybe about it.

 

[Colette'sMom]

The vet told me when she gave Colette her rabies shot that she might be sleepy and lethargic for a while. So far she's been zooming around the house as though she's on caffeine! :lol: I'm so glad to hear that Shadow is feeling better!!
Gail

 

[Maxismom]

Maxi didnt have a reaction right away it was like 5 hours later, he was sleepy and achy but than the next day he was fine...the night he had the rabie shot i laid with him the whole night i put a wee weepad on the bed and i bottle fed him his water because he had a hard time getting up it was the same when he had the distemper shot
but than they bounce right back THANK GOD

 

[pico's parent]

I would wait at LEAST 2-3 weeks before getting the rabies vaccine. AND I would make sure it is the vaccine brand that gives the fewest problems. If you'd like, I'll ask my vet. He has 3 Maltese and said that many dogs react allergically to the medium the rabies virus is grown in for the vaccine and he gets a brand that causes the fewest reactions in his practice.

Also, I suggest waiting 30 minutes to an hour after the shot before leaving the vets office. Shadow has already reacted to the other shots and that makes me think the chances are high that he may have a problem with the rabies. ALWAYS give vaccinations separately, space several weeks apart. Give Shadow a 1/4 tsp of benadryl one hour before the vaccination.

Pico had a terrible reaction to his last Rabies and went into shock 15 minutes later. He was rushed to treatment (yes, I was hanging around with him after the shot, just in case and I thank God I did) and given Benadryl intravenously, was put on oxygen and given another injection that I don't recall the name of. It was 30 to 45 minutes before he came out of it and I was a wreck such that i almost passed out seeing him laying there limp and unresponsive.

My vet will no longer vaccinate Pico for rabies. We get a waiver due to his severe reaction. I don't mean to scare you, just to inform you.

 

[TikisMom]

I must agree with Pico's Parent!
I had a cat (Cher) that was indoor only I had to take her to a new vet for a rash. He insisted on giving her the annual shots, though she had never had them (only pet, indoor only since birth) in her 6 years of life.

The rash she had was from licking a spot on her arm, the vet said it was nothing and sent us home with a topical ointment. She seemed ok for a while and crawled into my bed and went to sleep, quite normal for a cat. When I was going to bed I found her wheezing and listless. I drove her to the emergency vet, by the time we arrived it was to late.

I will never forgive myself for not following my instincts and waiting for her own doctor to see her for the rash. I should have insisted that he not give her the shots, but he told me reactions were minimal and the shots were necessary for him to see her at all.

Some will say that the annual shots can not cause this type of reaction, but I must disagree. After it was all over I did some research on the web and sadly found that many people had the same experience. I called the vet that administered the shots and explained what I found and how I felt. The nurse said she was sorry for my loss, but she doubted that the shots were the problem.... I no longer use this vet and told many of my neighbors what happened.

Judi