Adverse reaction to vaccinations

[RedVelvetLynx]

Hi -

I'm a bit of a mess over what has happened within the last 24 hours & need to hear what anyone may know or suggest. I took Trinity to the vet yesterday evening to see about the large amounts of goo in her eyes. Well, that wasn't even a real issue & the vet suggested we give her the yearly booster shots since she was due in October anyway. I agreed, telling the assistant I did not want to oveload her little body with a bunch of stuff & to administer only what was safe. I trusted them, had no reason not to, especially since her first round a year ago had happened without incidence. When I came home, Denver was a mess - peed everywhere & was going crazy. I was so pre-occupied with cleaning up the mess - carpet, crates - that I didn't notice anything strange going on with Trinity. She ate dinner just fine, but shortly after, she began to frantically run around the house, roll around on the floor, scratching, whining…I looked at her & the area where the shot had been given was quite swollen. I watched her for a minute & within that minute, her face swelled up & she broke out into serious hives. The nearest emergency clinic is legally about 40 minutes from my house & I made it there in 30. They took her to the back & fixed her right up. About an hour later, her lumps & bumps were gone, just a swollen face. It was so bad the people there swore she was part shar pei. She was out for a while & like another post on here, went spastic about 4 hours later. Her temp. was 103.4 - gave her 10 mg of hydroxyzine & stood her in a tub of lukewarm water - evened things out quite nicely & she was asleep an hour later. Today she is back to stealing dish towels & running the B500. The emergency vet frowned on the lepto vaccination & after researching what it's about, I understand why. I'm very angry about my naiveness & about the negligent vet. Why are they jamming all of these shots into dogs at one time? I'm concerned about what may come from this lepto vaccination - I've read of several cases of kidney failure, resulting in death, even a couple of days later. Not very many good reviews on the internet about this suff. I'm very worried about Trinity. Can anyone tell me she'll be okay? Or should I be concerned, even though she seems okay? I have never experienced such an unyielding feeling of panic.

[tanza]

I would bet without a doubt it was the Lepto…. I have never given mine Lepto.. I did have one person with a pup of mine that the Vet gave her Lepto (she was 16 wks at the time, oh and never returned to that Vet) after the owner said NO... but did it anyway.. just about the same reaction that you saw.... But she is going to be 9 this November and she is just fine... I am sure that Trinity will be too... Just know that next time make sure they don't give her Lepto... ever....

[lisastewart]

I agree no lepto and only killed parvo, each shot single, never combos, I have had 2 basenjis have very bad reactions to combo shots, too much for some of them. Keep benadryl on hand too, because they can really have bad reactions to spider or bug bites.

[wizard]

Gossy had reactions to every vaccination she received this year (she didn't get lepto) - and I spaced them out every two or three weeks too!
The first couple of vaccinations caused minor infections and the rabies only caused swelling (not as bad as Trinity had it).
My vet was very concerned and made a note to do something different (give benadryl first I think he said) next time. At least he does not do boosters every year like some.

[Quercus]

I usually give my dogs a benadryl prior to annual vaccines. We haven't had a problem since I started doing that. And, yep, we never do lepto.

Be aware, that if they gave her cortisone to stop the allergic reaction, she will probably need to be revaccinated later…unfortunately, the cortisone stops the innoculation process, and the vaccines can't work they way they are supposed to. Talk to your vet, to see what they recommend. But in general...separate any vaccines that you can, and dose with benadryl in advance, and she should be fine.

[renaultf1]

I've never heard anything good about the Lepto vaccine and have had 2 vets tell me to never give it to my pups - that is enough for me. Also I've been told by a vet friend of mine to never do the combo vaccines. He actually said to only have rabies (because it is legally required every 3 yrs) and distemper - skip everything else. And there is even debate about whether to do distemper.

I'm sorry to hear about Trinity but glad she is doing better. I'm sure it was really scary.

[Rita Jean]

You can get a three year rabies here but you have to ask for it otherwise it's one year rabies. When we got Jaycee they told us to not get her rabies with any other shots. Her father's face became all swollen when they did his rabies with other shots. My vet said he never gives rabies with anything else. Also my vet only likes to give one year as some people do not come back for three years. Vet says way to long so this way they have to come back make sure all is well with the animal.

Rita Jean

[lvoss]

First of all, how old is Trinity? Was this her booster at 1 year or is your vet still using the old vaccine protocol and vaccinating yearly?

My vet has switched all their clients to the vaccine schedule that was published by Colorado's vet school which is a 3 year schedule for DHPP. My vet has also stopped giving lepto unless requested because of the higher risk of side effects and that it is not effective against the serovars found in our area. My repro vet who is at a different practice gives very similar advice. For animals that have a high risk of reaction, you can get titers done to check immunity rather than just vaccinating. Intervet has a vaccine that has been challenge tested to give 3 years immunity for Distemper and Parvo if your vet is uncomfortable about a 3 year schedule.

Rabies is every 3 years by law in California.

[lvoss]

@Rita:

You can get a three year rabies here but you have to ask for it otherwise it's one year rabies.

is required by your state and county? There is no reason to vaccinate yearly if it is not required by your local laws and every time you vaccinate you run the risk of having a vaccine reaction. It may be your vet's way to make extra money and get people into their office but that does not make it a good practice for the long term health of your animals.

[tanza]

@lvoss:

is required by your state and county? There is no reason to vaccinate yearly if it is not required by your local laws and every time you vaccinate you run the risk of having a vaccine reaction. It may be your vet's way to make extra money and get people into their office but that does not make it a good practice for the long term health of your animals.

And as it was explained to me, the one year and 3yr is the same vaccine?… Puppies are given one at around 16wks and one at one year... after that it is every three years.

Question for you lvoss, while most Vets around here are on the 3yr schedule for all vaccinations, I have heard different requirements. Some still say that the need the booster at 1yr and then after that every 3. Some say every 3yrs after the first puppy shots?

[lvoss]

My repro vet says there is one vaccine on the market made by Intervet that has been challenge tested to provide 3 years immunity if given after 16 weeks of age. No 1 year booster is needed as long as the last shot in the puppy series if after 16 weeks of age so that there are no more maternal antibodies present. Most vets don't stock that vaccine so the 1 year booster is recommended.

[tanza]

Thanks…. perfect information!!!

[Basenjimamma]

Wow, I am so sorry to hear about yours and trinity's bad experience with her boosters. I will make sure never to do lepto, although my vet have never mentioned it as something we should do…
I am really looking into doing titer with my dogs, but don't think my vet is all about it, means less business right? So I might look at different vets and see what they say.
As far as Rabies, here in Harris County, which is the county we live in they do yearly boosters unless you had your pup vaccinated young and then do it again before a years time is up, then they count as three year boosters..same shot though if I understand the vet right..Does that makes sense?

[Basenjimamma]

Wow, I am so sorry to hear about yours and Trinity's bad experience with her boosters. I will make sure never to do lepto, although my vet have never mentioned it as something we should do…
I am really looking into doing titer with my dogs, but don't think my vet is all about it, means less business right? So I might look at different vets and see what they say.
As far as Rabies, here in Harris County, which is the county we live in they do yearly boosters unless you had your pup vaccinated young and then do it again before a years time is up, then they count as three year boosters..same shot though if I understand the vet right..Does that makes sense?

[lvoss]

If your vet uses a DHLPP, the L is lepto. Mine does just DHPP without the lepto.

[lvoss]

Here is an article about the 2006 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines, http://www.treshanley.com/cic/vaccine_guidelines06.pdf

[Basenjimamma]

Well I was just told by my vet that I can chose to not get the Lepto, but as a resident in Texas I should, or better yet my dogs should..becasue of the humidity and rain amunts we have here, the risk of them contracting Lepto is much higher then the risk of a allergic reaction gone wrong..meaning benadryl before the shot..unless you own a dachshund..that is when I said…"I do have a dachshund for crying out loud and he sees you.." Now what? I have been getting shots with Lepto vaccines in it, I just didn't know until know, the ones Should I opt not to, what is your opinion..We are not due for shots for some months but once that gets here I want to be prepared..

[Rita Jean]

If Otis has all ready had the Lepto and nothing happen why would you want to change anything?

Rita Jean

[Basenjimamma]

That is true. I am however a firm believer that bodies can take things up to a certain point before reactions are visible, so why push the envelope if I really don't have to. That being said, maybe a reaction is safer then the dog contraction Lepto..or my children, since humans get it to.

[Rita Jean]

I understand about not wanting to keep doing soemthing "if" you do not need to. I used the word if since your vet say's you do. Yes a reaction I think would be better then dogs or the children getting it.

Rita Jean