Side Effects of Pet Vaccines: A Closer Look

My 5 month old chihuahua/poodle mix puppy just received his last round of puppy boosters. The breeder gave him the first round, the Humane Society the second round, and the vet just gave him the last round yesterday. She asked if he had any reactions to previous vaccines and I stated no, he did not. The last time I took him for his shots he was completely fine that evening and the following days, playing and everything.

Last night my dog couldn't sleep at all because he was continuously yelping. Anyway he tried to lay, it hurt him. This morning was no better. I called the vet and they had me bring him in to give him another shot called Metacam that is supposed to relieve the pain. I couldn't even get the harness on him because it went over his shoulder and that's where he received the first shot.

After the Metacam, he is still very lethargic and yelping but not as much. I hope by tomorrow he returns to himself. The vet assistant actually said that in the future, we may have to refrain from vaccinating him because of his extreme sensitivity to vaccines. We plan on keeping him in the house after puppy classes anyway and I don't want to see him go through this again.

The beginning of 2011, my two year old Shichon received the three year parvo/distempter booster. By morning, she could not walk. When she attempted to walk she could not walk in a straight line. She would not eat, drink or play and later in the day developed a limp. I called the vet and immediately took her into the office. I was told to watch for vomiting. Vomiting never occurred but she was not back to her regular self for three entire days! I was told by the vet complaining to the manufacturer would be a waste of time so I felt very helpless. I will NEVER have my dogs vaccinated again! TOO RISKY!

From my research, most dogs do not need the booster shots. A titer blood test can determine this. What a shock that the manufacturers finally are claiming the same "yearly" boosters are now good for three years instead of one year. Non-traditional vets have been saying for years that yearly boosters are not necessary and are very harmful.

In December of 2010 I had a beautiful Staffordshire Bull Terrier shipped to me from England. I have been involved in this breed for 20 years and have been looking for a nice red and white for about 4 years. I paid a very large amount of money for this boy. I finally found the perfect dog and had done all the due diligence of studing his line. He arrived healthy and absolutly everything that I had expected. With many of my dogs being in the top 10 in the country my expectations were that this boy could be number one. As he grew I was very pleased and never thought any less of him.

In February I took him in to the vet and had his vacinations and Rabies. Within a week I was noticeing him rubbing his eyes and face on the carpet and a large area on his back losing hair. I took him in to the vet and found that the area where his hair was falling out was right where he had recieved his rabie vac. We decussed options on how to help him through this and then I took him home to decide. The skin was becoming very thich where the shot had been administered and the thought was that the only way to stop the issue was to surgically remove that area of skin. As the days passed I saw that the area was getting larger and knew that we would have to act on it.

Then one Monday morning I woke up with him having cherry eye. I took him in right away and it was confirmed. We decided we could no longer wait and had surgery on the eye as well as the large area on his back (about the size of golf ball ) removed. The cherry eye was caused from the allergies and his rubbing his eye on the carpet, his background has no issues with allergies or any other health problems. So now I have a young dog that I had planned to have in the ring to win against all others who has an eye issue and a large scare across his back. I worked as a vet tech many years ago and do not ever recall seeing these issues from these shot, but then we used modified live vacines back then not the killed.

I love this little guy with all my heart, and still do even though he is not able to do what my original plans were. But I still have to keep him from reacting from the allergies. He still wants to dig at his eyes, rub his face in the carpet and dig at himself. He is uncomfortable becouse I did what the law says is the right thing and had him vacinated. He lives in the house and is never allowed to run free, so what is the chances of him ever coming in contact with rabies. This has changed my thoughts on Rabies vacines and I honestly do not know that I will ever be able to bring myself to give another one again!

My 3 year old chihuahua mix got his Lyme disease shot today. He usually is all happy and entergetic but now he is just laying down or sleeping and only gets up a little bit and walks slow and stiff. He doesn't really move his neck either. Also I tried to pick him up and he squealed. I was wondering if it's side affects from the shot, or maybe side affects of the actual disease? Can getting the Lyme disease vaccine put an animal at risk to actually get it? Thanks. I just hope he doesn't have Lyme disease. It's sad to see him like this..

she has been tearing up her bedding and having diarrhea in her crate which never happens. She is fine otherwise don't know what else would cause this.

I took my 3 lb 16 week old Maltese to get her last parvo shot. They gave her it and the rabies shot. She was fine until about and hour afterward. She yelped when I tried to hold her. I thought she was sore. Later she kind of drug her hind end and could not stand for me to touch her from the shoulders back. She would turn around trying to get to her tail. I now read she should not have got multiple vaccines, and that Maltese AND small breeds are most likely for reactions. UGH!

My 5 year old Tortie cat got a 1 yr Rabies shot and FDRC shot and Revolution application on 4/17/11, one month ago. (Not her first.) She was my fat cat who hogged all the food (was a starving kitten when I rescued her) and loved to be outside. But since the shot she will not go outside, may initially lick the food like she wants to eat, but walks away. And sleeps or lays around all the time. The VET claims it could not be a reaction or side effect to the shots. So, I am looking into the Diamond Naturals Active Cat Food that I recently changed to and the canned foods I have been feeding them (although 2 other cats are eating it without apparent ill effects ...).

Our 5 1/2 year old cocker spaniel went into anaphylactic shock after receiving her annual rabies and distemper vaccines. She has had these vaccines without incident since birth. The vet is not sure which vaccine she reacted to d/t both being administered at the same time. Luckily, the vet responded immediately with proper treatment and although our dog also suffered delayed reactions, we were able to bring her home 8 hours later. She does not seem to have suffered any consequences as a result of the near death incident. The vet said she should not receive the distemper vaccine again, just the titre. She is "not sure" what we should do about the rabies vaccine.

hi I am reporting side effects that occurred after I vaccinated my cat (2nd time being vaccinated) she is a Siberian born Oct. 2nd 2009. She received her rabies ( purevax), distemper and feline lukimea. About 10 hours after the vaccines she was shivering, had a temperature, limping, lathergic, not eating, only wanting to sleeping and breathing rapidly.

My 1 1/2 year old Boston terrier has had an allergic reaction to vaccines 2 years in a row. Since she had it as a puppy, the vet separated the vaccines this year. She had the same allergic reaction as last year with her parvo vaccine. A few weeks later with her rabies vaccine, she had a sudden "acute toxic event" 2 days later. We don't know for sure if it was the vaccine, but I don't know what else it would be. She almost died. She had emergency surgery and lost 1/2 her liver and her entire gallbladder. I am terrified about future vaccines.

We took our 5 dogs to Petco, Love My Pet, March 27, 2011 for all their shots. Within 5 days the 1.5 year old great dane was dragging his back toes on his left leg. We went to our vet who told us "nothing wrong"; we went to a specialist within 2 days and his left leg paralyzed. Day 3 it had moved to the right leg and his front legs were wobbling and he had dropped 12 pounds! Any/all test were run that day BUT I was told nothing could be done until test results came back -- 7 days later!

Prior to the appointment I had searched the internet and my gut said it was the vaccines.... Specialist thought I was crazy but agreed to give him steroids because he was perplexed and said he did not know what else to do to stop the paralysis. Within 18 hours after the 1st dose he could stand; within 5 days (10 doses) he was running! All lab work and fluid analysis = nothing wrong! CT results stated torn achilles in the left leg (needed a splint) and right had shattered bone and he needed surgery IMMEDIATELY. Yesterday they called to say a sono gram showed nothing wrong with left leg so no splint needed BUT he still needed surgery on the right to remove the 6mm bone fragmnets. Did the surgery ---- no bone fragments could be found!!!!! Another CT was done. Today's results: left leg fine; no 6mm bone fragments in the right leg --- just swelling in the joints!!!!! He resumed his steroids again for another 5 treatments and then I believe he will be fine. Wonderful the internet gave me guidance BUT the 3 vets I saw will not put in writing it was the vaccines!!!! They cannot explain why a 142 pound healthy dog "went lame" within a week of the shots! They said off the record they agreed with me BUT could not put it in writing! AMAZING!

Thank goodness for Trupanion pet insurance!!!! Love My Pets --- horrible, horrible horrible! They just kept asking if I had read the care instructions and given dimetap!!!! They would not give me the manufacturer name/number or insert for the medications!!!!! They stated there was no recall BUT gave me the wrong lot# of the vaccines!!!! Nothing was sent to me in writing even though I kept requesting assistance! 3 times I called and was told to leave a message with the manager who would call me back.... No call was returned to me!!!!

I have learned so much and never realized how bad all the vaccines can be! PLEASE continue to self educate as the "industry and pharmaceuticals" protect their own!!!!!

I just found your site. For my children I am very pro-vaccine but I have had some very bad luck with my dogs. My 18 month old french bulldog had a mysterious back injury (ruptured disk in back) which led to paralysis while RUNNING, one day after receiving her annual vaccines, parvo etc. My second french bulldog, entirely not related, had the same mysterious back injury ONE DAY after her vaccines..

Everyone says coincidence. Come on.

We picked a pound puppy (mix breed), healthy he seemed and around 3-4 months old. Took him for his first check up and vaccination and all went well. Within 7 days he started to lose energy and within 24 hours was lethargic and not eating or drinking. Then the swelling began in his neck. He was diagnosed with puppy strangles which is a swelling and thickening of the lymph nodes. He didn't have open sores on his face, which could occur, but was so ill. He is a small dog (10lbs) and had baseball size swelling on each side of his neck. Steroids are the only treatment with antibiotics to cover him while on them. It has been difficult. The swelling on the side of his neck ended up being abscessed and broke... While discusting - at least it found relief for him. December 25, 2010 he got sick and it was on meds till mid February 2011. His abscess never healed completely till the beginning of March 2011. By the end of March the swelling is back on one side and the Vet doesn't seem optomistic. Vet didn't want more steroids but we are only keeping him on antibiotics. We shall see. I have been reading your articles and may try to remove the food and start giving him a natural diet. Never will he have another vaccination - this has been hell. There has been more then one occasion we thought we were going to lose him and the amount this has cost keeps growing. If anyone has any remedies for puppy strangles would love to know.

hello! i would like to ask what is the side effect of anti rabies vaccine? my poodle terrier 1 year and 10 month old had a vaccine last friday, now, tuesday she's kinda weak, withrawn and her nose is dry. What does this indicates? is this normal?

Hello, I just found your site after yesterday's extensive search about the pet vaccines.

My Charlie is 1 1/2 year old Maltese boy. He received his Lyme Disease vaccine yesterday. Last year he was absolutely fine, but yesterday he developed the aggressive allergic reaction within 20 minutes. I eneded up driving like a lunatic back to the Banfield Animal Hospital. He started to shake his head, scratch his eyes and ears and almost banged his little head against the car window as I was holding him to calm him down. I was terrified.

They administered 2 shots - Benadryl and some steroid one to stop the attack.

Till this day I didn't know there are 2 kinds of vaccines - core and non-core... I pay for his Health Plan with a Banfield Animal Hospital at Petsmart and on numerous ocassions I was looked down for asking too many questions or refusing some advised treatments, because I simply did not think he needed X-rays and tests costing over $600 after having a slight diarrhea.

They charged me another $95 for those 2 shots he was given and sent me home with a baby Benadryl.

After reading all those stories here - many heartbreaking - I decided not to give him any more non-core vaccines. I even read that Giardia vaccine is not effective against the actual disease and it is only in experimental stage.....!!! Now how horrible it sounds?

Are they experimenting on our pets with all those chemicals???

I think all drug companies do that - with pets and with humans as well.... trying all those new drugs, having all those ads on TV and then after few years you learn those so called miracle drugs harmed the liver, kidneys, heart or caused stroke, cancer or even death.

I want to thank you for creating this site and allowing us - pet parents - to share our stories and allowing us to warn others about the effects of drugs and vaccines. I hope many lives will be saved in a future because of warning and articles published here.

My heart goes to all families, that suffered through the ordeals and through the loss of their beloved family member.

Thank you again,

Katie & Charlie.