Side Effects of Pet Vaccines: A Closer Look

Distemper (Dogs)
Posted by Dianne (La Crosse, Wi) on 06/02/2013

Okay, I have to tell our story of our beloved lab named Mo. We took him for his distemper shot and he got so sick from it. He could not walk or eat. He was vomiting and jerking. We called the vet and he said he must be allergic to the shot. So we said please make sure that it is on his record for future shots. It took almost 2 weeks before he was better, but he was still acting a little strange. He would take off on us (we live in the country) which he NEVER did before. There is a campground about a quarter of a mile away and he ended up there and they called the Humane society to pick him up. We called over there and they said they had him and they were getting his vet record. We said he was current on all shots which the record would show and we would be over to pick him up. They said we had to pick him up before a half an hour or it was an "extra" charge after noon. We got there before noon and they had given him ANOTHER distemper shot EVEN though they had his record and it showed he was allergic and current and that would be $90 please! What? you have his record and it says he's allergic and you gave it to him anyway? He was so sick, he went blind. We took him for emergency vet visit and they said he had brain cancer. Well if he did it was from the freaking shot! Some "humane" society!! They killed our dog-period and I will never forgive them. He was a happy vibrant just fine dog before those two shots! There is nothing "humane" about giving a dog a shot he didn't need and already had when it clearly showed on the vet report he was allergic to it for a stinking $90!


Distemper (Dogs)
Posted by Linda (Medina, Ohio) on 11/13/2011

My 11 1/2 year old springer spaniel, Abby, had a distemper shot on Oct. 13, 2011 and we had to put her to sleep on Nov. 1. I think it is from the shot. We took her and my other dog, an irish setter named Butch, to the vet for their shots. Also, my irish setter had enlarged lymph nodes. At the vet he didn't get the shot but had other tests. She had a slight limp from jumping off our deck. But 12 days after the shot her limp go really bad and her face got droopy. We took her back to vet and she said her shoulder showed atrophy and she had bell's palsy. She gave us something for the shoulder and gel for her eye on the bell's palsy side. That was a friday. Over the weekend she got worse. On Monday she couldn't walk. Her back legs gave out. We took her back to vet and they kept her overnight. The next day she couldn't move from the neck down. They had given her steroids. She had to be put to sleep. It was heartbreaking. I love her and miss her so much. She did have some arthritis issues but no like that. The other dog that was diagnosed with lymphoma is still around taking medication. I think this all was from the distemper shot.


Distemper (Dogs)
Posted by Jordan (Alexandria, Va) on 07/18/2011

My Pekingnese died in four days from a distemper vaccination. He was in otherwise perfect health. The vet who had administered the shot admitted that it sometimes happens. I had never heard of a deadly reaction to a shot that we are told all dogs must have. Her sanguine advice was, if I get another dog, to "get the dog's titres checked" before getting the dog vaccinated for distemper.


Distemper (Dogs)
Posted by Debbie (Houston, Texas) on 11/04/2009

Please commemt on this request because I feel so terrible today after losing my new puppy, Suzie. She was a long haired chiwa and six weeks old. She was in great health when I brought her home last Sunday, running and playing and so cute. I was advised by my Vet to bring her in for her first shot for distemper/parvo because I have a a sweet chow at home that is ten years old and I have had her since birth. My puppy, suzie, had her vac on friday and Sunday night she was sick, bloody stool and heaving. I called my vet and he had an attitude. I called my friend and she called her vet and he saw her immediately. She was tested for parvo but negative. He called it some type of intestinal bacteria of the lining of the stomach. She received shots of penn, liquid i.v., nausea, b-12 and he said we could only hope for the best. She was better on tuesday and we started her on pedilite. Wednesday morning she was dead. I believe that it was the vac she had on friday afternoon, maybe it was to strong for her tiny frame or possibly some kind of reaction. Of course the old vet refused to comment and the new one would not comment about the other. I just cannot get a grip on this. Can someone please give me some type of opinion on what you think it could have been?


Distemper (Dogs)
Posted by Michele (Baltimore, MD) on 05/31/2009

Well I am very sad to say that my Molly has passed away only 12 days after receiving her 3 yr. distemper shot. I am still devastated and very sad and upset with this situation. Within 36 hrs. of getting the shot, Molly couldn't get up or walk. We took her back to the same vet(our vet) and I told him I thought it was a reaction to the shot. He put her on Rimadyl (for arthritis)? I should have been much more persistent, But I had always trusted my vet. Then we didn't mess around with it anymore and had to take her to the emergency vet at 8a.m. on Monday morning. They did all kinds of tests on her all day long. Here is the outcome: High white blood count, off the charts high sugar levels dehydrated (from vomiting and diarrhea), high potassium level. They called me at 4p.m. Mon. and said that Molly was very critical and not responding to anything that they were doing for her.They were going to do an ultrasound on Tues. but we got the phone call at 3:30a.m. Tues. morning that Molly had a heart attack and passed away. So sad and upsetting. I went to the emergency vet right away to see her. The vet told me that Molly had died from acute Pancreatitis. She was healthy before her shot. At the same time Molly got her shot, my other pup,Tank, got his distemper shot. He also is a very healthy 80lb. boy, but he had diarrhea for about 1wk. and only picked at his food. This was totally unexpected with Molly. I lost 3 of my pets in 7 wks.( my white rat-Ratty, my red tabby-Redgee (from chylothorax, a very horrible disease, and then my pup, Molly from her distemper shot, which no one will ever tell me any different.) So I have been very upset. You know, you think you are doing whats right as a very responsible pet owner and your pet dies. So all I can say is that I will take a chance and get my pets their first shots and NEVER any boosters at all after that. We had Molly cremated and she is in our house now. Tank is eating better finally and pottying normal now. Well I'm going to close for now so love the pets with all your heart and soul. It has grest rewards! Sincerely, Michele