# What's a normal vaccine reaction?



## Blue Chi (Oct 12, 2011)

And what is not normal? The reason I ask is that I've been following the vaccine related threads on CP. I just read through the thread about the pup who had a really bad reaction with pics of the face swollen (Chloe, I think?) 
So it's got me to thinking. The last round of vax that Gunner got made him feel really bad, he would screech if you moved him or touched him where he got the shot, and he slept alot. I gave him baby Tylenol and that seemed to help a little. He seemed fine by the next day though. No swelling or anything like that.

So now I'm just wondering what is normal and what could be a sign that they've had a bad reaction?
I'm also going to be looking into this titer thing more.


----------



## pjknust (Oct 26, 2011)

First off, I dont think you are supposed to give a dog Tylenol !! Google "Over Vaccinating Pets" and you will find LOTS of stuff to read. I groom several small dogs that have had reactions to shots, especially rabies , that lose the hair down the shoulder and it never grows back, but the vets dont seem to care, or link it to vaccination. That rabies shot is supposed to be given in the back leg muscle, NOT in the neck, which is where all the vets in my area give it nowdays. That vaccine sits there under the skin and runs down the shoulder and kills the skin and hair. In the muscle it is moved thru the body with the blood pumping. Either way, I dont give rabies anymore to my small dogs, and reduced amounts of core vaccines. 

pam in TX


----------



## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

Normal for most dogs is pain at the injection site, slight fever and tiredness. Some get a small lump at the injection site that goes down over a few days to a week. Swelling, high fever, vomiting, extreme lethargy is not normal.


----------



## Blondie87 (Jan 10, 2011)

My girls never had any reactions to their puppy shots, thank goodness. Possibly sleepiness.. but its hard to tell when they are puppies sometimes, and a sore injection site of course. I'm scared for Rabies shot tho!! I'm pre-dosing them with Benedryl JIC.


----------



## Blue Chi (Oct 12, 2011)

We haven't even given the rabies yet. So this was just the last set of the 3 puppy shots. And it sounds like he had a normal reaction then. 

Interesting what ya'll said about rabies causing hair loss and such. My last chi would get her booster and rabies shot in the same shoulder. It was really bad. Two years in a row it caused a huge boil that oozed, hair loss, obvious amount of pain. So I quit vaccinating her altogether. I had no idea which shot it was. Sounds like it was the rabies. 

I def want to look more into pet vaccinations. I run more with the crowd who is a little more leery of vaccines (even for my kids). I think they can be good and bad. So my main questions are, at this point, what is necessary? Gunner was bought with the intention of getting to travel with us (we have a travel trailer). So he's going to be exposed more than maybe the average dog. How do you decide what is necessary?


----------



## Pixie Luna (Jan 11, 2011)

Im not sure whom Chloe is on here, but if you see my posts on Puppy Strangles - this is what my Luna had and I believe it can be caused as a reaction to the inoculation. 
Her face swelled up, I came on here for advice and everyone urged me to go to the vets immediately - I did and I was told if Id have left it, it would have been very serious! She had to go on steroids for 5 months.
Check out Puppy Strangles on Google for images of the swellings.


----------



## LostLakeLua (Sep 6, 2009)

Do a search on the most recent Dr. Jean Dodds Vaccine Protocol. She's a veterinarian that I believe made the first "protocol" which at the time mentioned boostering yearly but has since actually *retracted* that; and revised the plan to where after the initial "puppy series"; that any vaccine OVER THE AGE OF 6 MONTHS will provide a lifetime immunity. So it isn't just some random person who came up with it.. it's the SAME person that initially "declared" the original vaccine protocol that most veterinarians follow to this day. But of course no vet is going to suggest that as they'd likely never see half their clients again. And really, a yearly exam is still a good thing as they might notice differences where as the owner, who sees the dog daily, may not pick up on the gradual changes. I am just so surprised at how (many) vets will try to approach those who are cautious of vaccines as it being some kind of new-age theory.. when it's the SAME VET who gave them the outdated protocol they still follow. They trusted Dr. Dodds then, so why not now? Doesn't make sense.
All that said; none of my dogs are going to get another vaccine ever. I will do titers whenever necessary. As for vaccine reactions, there isn't anything too significant that is normal. Some dogs/puppies are reported as being a little sleepy; when the actual reason behind it isn't usually the injection but moreso the activity/excitement of going out to the vet, lol. And the tiny bump at the injection site which can take a while to be absorbed.


----------



## sjm (Mar 7, 2011)

hm i am going to look that up, kittynkahlua

does she say bordetella has lifetime immunity as well? i can see dhpp, corona and maybe lepto would give lifetime immunity but i feel like bordetella wouldn't give lifetime immunity since its just the flue

but the rabies vaccine is so nasty. i work for a vaccine clinic and for cats at least we have two different types of vaccines bc the rabies contain adjuvants that causes tumors and cancer. ive even heard of some dogs getting cancer from the rabies vaccine. thats probably why they make it good for 3 yrs after the first time they get it (in ca at least)

on the topic of reactions we also say to look for swelling of the face, difficulty breathing and excessive vomitting. mostly anything else is just common


----------



## bean (May 18, 2011)

Our little Frodo was given benedryl before his second shot but when he had his last puppy shots( rabies) we had forgotten about the benedryl thinking he was bigger. His poor little face blew up like a prize fighter and his breathing was very raspy for days with vomitting.We are not comfortable with his reaction and may never vaccinate him again.


----------



## Blue Chi (Oct 12, 2011)

KittynKahlua said:


> Do a search on the most recent Dr. Jean Dodds Vaccine Protocol. She's a veterinarian that I believe made the first "protocol" which at the time mentioned boostering yearly but has since actually *retracted* that; and revised the plan to where after the initial "puppy series"; that any vaccine OVER THE AGE OF 6 MONTHS will provide a lifetime immunity. So it isn't just some random person who came up with it.. it's the SAME person that initially "declared" the original vaccine protocol that most veterinarians follow to this day. But of course no vet is going to suggest that as they'd likely never see half their clients again. And really, a yearly exam is still a good thing as they might notice differences where as the owner, who sees the dog daily, may not pick up on the gradual changes. I am just so surprised at how (many) vets will try to approach those who are cautious of vaccines as it being some kind of new-age theory.. when it's the SAME VET who gave them the outdated protocol they still follow. They trusted Dr. Dodds then, so why not now? Doesn't make sense.
> All that said; none of my dogs are going to get another vaccine ever. I will do titers whenever necessary. As for vaccine reactions, there isn't anything too significant that is normal. Some dogs/puppies are reported as being a little sleepy; when the actual reason behind it isn't usually the injection but moreso the activity/excitement of going out to the vet, lol. And the tiny bump at the injection site which can take a while to be absorbed.


Wow. That's so interesting. I'm gonna look that up. And may even print it out. I want to be prepared with this when I hit my vet with my "new age" thoughts. My pediatrician already thinks I'm weird just for asking questions (that she couldn't answer) about vaccines for my kids. Why not have my vet think I'm weird too?


----------



## sjm (Mar 7, 2011)

bean, when he got the rabies was that the same time he had his last dhpp vaccine?
giving those 2 vaccines in little dogs can increase the chance of a reaction so its ALWAYS a good idea to wait 2-3 weeks between those.

also what was the first vaccine he had a reaction to?


----------



## LostLakeLua (Sep 6, 2009)

@Blue Chi LMAO!!! Honestly, I truly believe that an educated pet owner is a veterinarians worst enemy haha... I actually worked at 2 different vet clinics as an assistant for over 7 years.. ugh.. I just couldn't stand it, because I knew better. I do trust my vet for surgeries, diagnosis, & labwork.... but as long as they keep trying to tell me Science Diet is Healthy and that my dog needs shots every year; I'm gonna stick with doing my own research lol!


----------



## bean (May 18, 2011)

@SJM Frodo got his rabies at the same time as his last dhpp.
He reacted at his second set of shots so I am sure it was a combo ( sorry I dont have the paper work to what exactly), the breeder took him for his first shots. We are picking up our new chocolate tri on Saturday and his first shots were cut in half by the vet as the breeder was against full shots. So because of Frodo's reaction I will make sure to not have the rabies shot at the same time as the last dhpp.


----------

