Allergic Reaction to Vaccine (weird)

[~Jen~]

Yesterday Lil Gwen had her 4th and last puppy vaccine she has never had a problem with them before she had NOTHING new (NO lepto). The same brand even out of the same box. About 30mins after her shots she was swollen like a sharpei (sp) had to rush her to the vet (im a bit neurotic about my dogs as you can tell.. i freaked) They gave her 3 different shots one in the vein and 2 in the muscle. Have any of you ever had a dog have a reaction to a shot even it if wasnt their 1st?

Thanks
Jen

[Krista]

YEP!

Rudy had no reaction to any of his puppy shots (no lepto here either, since dachsies are prone to allergic reactions with that one). However, when we went for his booster back in decemeber, his entire head swelled up and had hives on it. He had Rabies, Distemper, and Parvo. Rabies is good for two years now, but next december, I'm either going to titer or do the distemper and parvo shots at least 10 days apart. I need to know if it was either one of those.

Since the reaction I have learned that the best way to give vacs is one at a time and at least 10 days apart and at least 10 days before/after heartworm preventive meds too. I guess too much at once is more taxing on the immune system and may be more likely to cause problems. Most vets don't promote this for several reasons: 1) your average joe dog owner would think its a hassel and might not vaccinate if they didn't do it all at once 2) it makes scheduling more of a hassel for their office or 3) they just don't believe too much at once is hard on the dogs systems. Would you do all your child's shots in one day?? Never, we all know the kind of reactions kids can have, even with one vaccination. The same applies to dogs.

I just wish I had known this before, so Rudy didn't have to go through that. BTW - about 11 ml of liquid benedryl fixed him right up, thank goodness.

[Lili's Mama]

Jen, The same thing happened to Lili when she went for her last puppy shots. She had hives all over and was so pitiful, and yes, I'm an overprotective mommy too, so rushed her back to the vet and a shot of benadryl did the trick. He also told me to to get the liquid at the drugstore and after one more dose she was her usual fiesty self. The vet wrote it in her chart so when we return for her shots this year he will know. Of course, you can believe I won't forget it!

[dutchman]

It appears this is not an uncommon event at lest not in our dschshund frineds. That's one of the reasons I try to always make it a point to get shots at a time when I will be able to spend the next several hours around the dog.

Tom

[Mandy]

Liquid baby benadryl seems to be a good thing to have on hand for our dachsie friends.....Jakey has allergies, and when they get bad (i.e. he is sneezing his poor little head off), he gets baby Benadryl. Our vet told us just to scale the portion to his body weight. BTW- does anyone know a flavor they like? We bought the bubble gum flavor because we thought it would hide the medicine taste.....but Jakey isn't that fond of it....I think next time, I will ask the vet if he can have a portion of the chewables so I can hide it in his cheese.

Getting that medicine squirted to the back of his tongue is sometimes hard with a wiggly worm...and I have to be careful because I am allergic to benadryl.....

Jakey doesn't get the Lepto either, as we were told that several dogs in his line had problems with receiving it too young. Henry does get the Lepto.....luckily, we haven't had any problems with vaccines yet.

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Mandy on February 16, 2001 at 09:29 AM</font>

[pkmiddler]

Years ago I found out about Doxies and this problem with Lepto (never had it with the Shepherds) I also have had reactions over 24 hours later.I had taken Guy-Guy in for a booster.It was a Monday morning and a new vet tech drew up the shot got done went home it was about 9:00 am . At about noon the next day I looked at Guy and he looked odd he asked to go out he came in about 15 min. later I looked at him and he was really swelled up. Threw the other dogs in their crates,gave him benadrl and took off he was coughing I pulled over took him from the crate and lokked at him again he was starting to pass out put him in the front seat of the van so I could do mouth to mouth if I had to.Got to the vet and another new vet tech said "YOU have to sign in and wait" I went off on her and yelled for Doc he came out and we rushed Guy in back 2 hours later and 1 big antifalicte shot later we could go home.Guy looked like a shar-pei he was one sick boy.My vet(and it was noted on my charts)knew NO LEPTO!!! but this new vet tech drew up a booster with LEPTO and almost killed my baby boy.I agree with the stagered shot program that is what I do if you have a reaction with several shots you will never know what it was.By the way the girl was fired for not looking at charts of dogs before drawing shots.

[pkmiddler]

Opps, forgot to say I know of 3 litter mates 2 males and 1 female in Fla,Conn and NY that all had reaction to 3 differant brands of Rabies shots also 2 of my girls back in 1989 had a problem with ingectiable Bordatella.

[~Jen~]

Thanks for all the input. Gwen didnt have any Lepto in her shot at all. They gave her Dexamethasome injection. and something else to bring down the swelling. Luckily only her head was involved in the reaction. Scared me to death though. From now on she will remain at the vet for at least 2hrs after her vaccines but we dont have to worry about it til next year. Shes done with everything for now. *whhheeeeeeeeeeew*

Jen

[LisaH]

Annie had a problem with injectable bortedella (sp?) once. She got a lump on her shoulder, which over the course of a week gradually traveled down her back and then disappeared. Of course I was afraid she had cancer and rushed her right in to the vet! If she ever needs that immunization again, she'll get it orally.

[Mandy]

Do a lot of you get injectable bordatella? Our guys have always gotten it up their nose....which they tell me is horrible! But, our vet said that giving the bordatella vaccine up the nose was the best way to do it, since the bordatella virus enters the dog's system that way.....just curious!

Glad to hear that little Gwen is better!

[Owen's Mom]

This is why I only titer and then boost accordingly one vaccine at a time now. I'm terrified of a reaction and this way if he were to react to a vaccine, I'll be able to tell which one he was reacting to. He had his Parvo Booster on Saturday, no problems at all, not even a little bump on the injection site. http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif I've also made the choice to no longer give Bordatella. It's no guarantee of protection, since there are SO many strains of it and the vaccine covers so few. It's also not a healthy dog's desease and not fatal to the dog. And, since I board him, it's really not mantatory at all.



------------------
~~Amy & Owen~~
22.8 lbs of Black and Tan Standard Muscle!!
www.dachshundrescue.org

[~Jen~]

I wanna dank eberybody for der well wishes! Im all bedda just in time for da Daytona fibe hundred!
<IMG SRC="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=950613&a=6951413&p=40467757&Sequence=0&res=high" border=0>

Gwen (and i did NOT wook wike a Shapei whateber dat is!)

[~Jen~]

I dont do bordatella either for the exact same reason. Last year we vaccinated everyone for kennel cough and a month or so later everyone got it anyways! I ended up having to pay almost $300 for chest xrays and vet. stay for Winston who developed bronchitis pretty bad even though he was properly vaccinated for the disease. I didnt vaccinate for it this year and no one has been sick at all ... Sassie, Tader and Gwen have never had the bordatella before and have never gotten kennel cough.. so i guess i just feel i have had better luck not giving it.

Jen

[Krista]

M vet won't give bordatella unless you specifically ask for it.

The vet has some boarding space too, and they do not require their client's dogs to have the vaccine to be boarded there either. I agree and my boys have not and will not be vaccinated against it.

[pkmiddler]

I never had a problem with the nose puff kind only the shot that one time.

[~Jen~]

When our dogs got them they were the inter-nasel ones also. I have never seen the injectibles but then again i havent looked either.

Jen

[Krista]

Allergic reactions are not really the reason they don't reccommend the bordatella vacs (nasal or shot) at my vets. It is because the vets feel they are not really effective, since as Amy said there are so many strains of it, and healthy dogs are not usually the ones that contract serious cases of it.

I don't want to overload my dogs with any more meds/vacs than I have to. We are in a high risk heartworm area, so they get heartworm preventative every month, but thankfully so far I have not had to use anything for fleas. I am keeping vaccinations at a minimum too from now on. I will give the rabies every 2yrs as my state requires. I will give distemper and parvo for up to age three and then titer from that point on as reccommended by the local vet.

[weenie]

Oh Jen, I'm glad to hear that little Gwen is doing better.

The same exact thing happened to Willi last year. He had his puppy shots the year before with no problem. Last summer he had all of his vaccines and right after I brought him home his nose looked like a football and his eyes were all but swollen shut.

I gave him 12ml of Benadryl as per my vet (1ml per pound) and after the second dose he was much better. This brings me to the dilemma as to what I'm going to do with him this year. He didn't have Lepto in his shot so that wasn't it. I may do what Amy does and have the dog titered.

[Krista]

Kris, I remember you posting when that happened to lil Willi. I was so glad he was fine, and you sharing the dosage helped too, because when they told me to give 11ml to Rudy I didn't question it, since you had explained why that seemed like a lot.

If you can't titer, I'd at least give any vacs needed separately, so that you'll know which one caused the problem, or maybe it was just the stress of having more than one in his system at once. I know I'll be sure to do that from now on.

[weenie]

Definetly Krista. I've racked my brain for about a year (on and off) and I agree with you and Amy. If I don't titer, I'm going to have the DHPP booster done and then bring him back a few weeks later for the Rabies.

I also don't think I'm going to have a Bordatella done on him either. I'll do it if (which only in an emergency) I ever kennel him.

[~Jen~]

Well at least im glad i know which vaccine Gwen had a reaction too. She had her rabies done last time so this was just her last puppy shot and thats all she had just the Duramune Max- CvK DA2PV-CVK. Thats the distemper, Parvo combo plus Corona no Lepto. I would be really confused had i given her a Bordatella and a Rabies at the same time!

Jen

[OwnedByChaucer]

Glad to hear little Gwen is doing better.

Chaucer had a mild reaction to his first shots--and it was scary. A little Benadryl fixed him up though.

I do vaccinate for Bortadella, largely b/c my vet, where I occasionally board my babies, requires it, and I like their boarding facility, b/c they take the kids for 5 leash walks a day, and all the staff spoil them, since they aren'
t the "typical" big dogs they get in there.

But, in addition to this, Gidget had Kennel Cough when she was a puppy, and Chaucer, who had been vaccinated didn't get it, despite being with her all the time...so it does provide some protection.

Around here though, EVERYPLACE requires it--as far as I know, all the boarding kennels and most of the obedience places even.

[Shelbie]

Oh no, poor Baby Gwen! Same thing happened to Shelbie after she had her booster shot last year and I remember running with her under my arm all the way to the Vets. It's so scary because it happens so quickly. Love the photo, have you got your licence yet young lady?!<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm13.gif" border=0>

[Penny's Aunt]

It's kind of unusual for a dog (or any animal) to have an allergic reaction with the first shot. Mostly, the body has to get the vaccine at least once before the body decides it doesn't like it. Then, when they get it again, the body says "OH, NO YOU DON'T!"

And don't forget that any creature can develop an allergy, even after years of exposure.

Since many vaccines are developed in eggs, if you notice your dog is allergic to eggs ALWAYS TELL THE VET about it.

About Benedryl: that liquid they sell in bottles is quite weak, that's why it takes so much to do the job. On the plus side: you really have to work to overdose them.

Another one of the joys of dog-owning!

[Meemoo]

Jen, I can totally relate. Chiefy had a reaction to a vaccine also. It was horrible..like something out of the exorcist. He was just trembling like a leaf, vomiting non-stop. We thought he was going to die. Believe it or not, the vet wanted to CONTINUE with the round of vaccinations after that!! That was the end of that vet. All he was after was the money. No more shots for Chiefy...titer tests first, and of course we now have a bottle of benadryl on hand.

Loren

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Meemoo on February 23, 2001 at 08:37 AM</font>

[Mandy]

Oh, this is such an awful thing to go through...we now know from personal experience!

Henry (3 yrs.) had his boosters on Monday between 4:30 and 5. He had never had any problems and we assumed this was the same as usual. Everything seemd fine.

After we got home from work on Tuesday...we took the boys for a walk..they played with some of their doggie friends....we went inside..I made their dinner...they ate...everything was so normal!

About 7:00 (a full 26 hours after Henry's boosters), I noticed Henry's eyes looked a little strange...but he was across the room and I thought it was the light. I called him over and he came over for snuggles....by 7:05 I saw bumps starting to form on his head. I yelled at Bart to get the phone and ran for my planner for the vet's number. I hav ethis number memorized, but I was panicing and didn't trust myself. I got the emergency answering service and the vet on-call called back within five minutes....

By this time Henry's poor little head was really starting to swell...the vet said to give him benadryl. We had benadryl because Jakey has allergies....but Jakey has always taken the liquid (it was much easier to get the liquid in him as a puppy). Henry didn't want the liquid and I was trying to hide it in everything....I gave up and jumped in the car to get some of the pills at the nearest drug store.

We finally had all of the benadryl in him by 7:20.....in twenty minutes, his head had swollen to almost twice the normal size...his eyes were slits and he was unrecognizable! My little baby!

We spoke with the on-call vet several times last night.....the swelling eventually started to come down...but it seemed to take forever.

I have to say that this was terrifying! from now on if the boys have a shot...I don't care what it is.....I will be staying home for a couple of days....either they have it on Friday or I take a couple of days off....I don't care!

This was a horrible experience....

[Meemoo]

Hi Mandy-

Sorry for all your heartache...real scary. Glad he's feeling better. From now on I'm doing titers...have you ever considered doing them?

Loren

[Mark]

Mandy,

How scary! I'm so glad it turned out alright, but you must have been out of your mind with fear. I know I would have been.

RAYZ for the continued healing. http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/rayz.gif http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/rayz.gif http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/rayz.gif

Mark

[~Jen~]

Poor Henry!! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/frown.gif
When it happened to Gwen I had never been so scared in my life believe me i was a total panic too. My hands were shaking when i called my vet. Only other time i have been that freaked was when my son got hurt and had to get stitches and Winston got bronchitis and wasnt breathing right.
Im glad Henry's ok. When Gwen gets her next boosters we are going to leave her at the vet for a couple hrs. Her head swelled up within a hour of getting the shot so better to be safe than sorry. Gwen acted drugged for a couple days after her reaction the vet said that was normal just to watch her close! Hopefully Henry is on the mend http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/smile.gif

http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/rayz.gifhttp://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/rayz.gifhttp://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/rayz.gif
Jen