VACCINATION READER FEEDBACK

[SIDE EFFECTS]  03/06/2008: alicia from burke, virginia writes: "I am wondering if you have had anyone relate any problems with the dog's thyroid after immunizations. My dog has strange thyroid results. His age and the results discount autoimmune thyroid, and that is apparently 90 percent of cases. So, I am investigating what else could cause this. His other bloodwork is normal, and he is totally asymtomatic to the point of having a lot of characteristics opposite of what a thyroid deficient patient would have."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  03/05/2008: Jackie from Traverse City, MI writes: "My 3 1/2 month old yorkie-poo puppy had her third series of shots two days ago (DA2PLCPV) and began vomiting yellow bile late that night. She was extremely lethargic the next day, and wouldn't eat. We brought her back to the vet and they injected her with Prilosec and gave her a water bolus for fluid. She has not eaten today, and will barely drink any water, resting her little head on the bowl. My vet is not in until tomorrow, and the oncall vet says to just bring her in in the morning. I am afraid that she will die during the night. Please pray for Jolie."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  03/05/2008: catroina from astoria,ny writes: "to :anonymous in Mississippi--around the time the "next ?" rabies booster is due, have the vet draw the titres and take it from there.
IF the titre proves coverage...contact your board of health or whomever handles rabies vaccinations and let them know you want an exemption, have proof etc.
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for those with epileptic dogs,we have found,thank God that going by your dog's weight,melatonin(natural supplement)WORKS esp. IF your pet is prone to night time,early AM seizures--there is a website out here but unfortunately I can't remember their name,had a forum for epople to post questions/responses/their stories etc--what works..
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one thing finally dawned on us here--we had 2 wonderful dobies that lived healthy lives till 14-16 years---a VERY loooong lifespan for this breed. They were NOT vaccinated for all these diseases and only received a rabies the year nyc mandated it.
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investigate
www.watercure2.org
for testimonies both human and pet.
Also,try to purchase the BEST natural /holistic food u can as it definitely makes a differencein your pets' lives....or prepare your own."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  03/05/2008: Niki from Merced, Ca writes: "Jelli had Bordetella, DHLPP-C booster and Dexamethasone/Depo Medrol injection all in one visit to her vet on 2/25/08. Her appetite is great, her poop is normal, she does drink alot of water, but it's her behavior that has changed. She doen's want to play, or rough house with her pal, PoohBear the kitten. She's grouchy. And looks depressed. I just wonder if this will passs or if it's something else? She is about 5 years old, 13lbs."

They kept her that night, giving her I.V's and other treatments. When i picked her up the next morning to return her to the vet, I was told that they nearly lost her that night. The vet kept her that day and sent her home with me that night. She still had an I.V. port in her leg in case I.V. meds were needed again. She was returned to the vet the day after that and the port was removed. They gave her carafate to seal the internal bleeding. I started her on a histamine blocker myself to reduce the amount of acid in her stomach. The vet had given her enough carafate, 500 mgm for 8 days. At the end of that time, she was having old blood in her stool so I knew she was still having some bleeding inside. On my own, I continued the carafate and histamine blocker for 7 weeks. Her stool became normal. We went back to the vet today to get a blood count. They were ready to give her another vaccine. I had gotten on the internet and done a lot of research re: the vaccines. I discovered that the rabies vacccine can be good for 1 - 3 years, so I won't be repeating that next year. I also discovered that an antibody titre can be done to determine whether the pet needs a particular vaccine. That is the course I will be taking. If it is not needed, it won't be given. I refused any more vaccines at this time.. I understand that a legal exemption can be obtained for the rabies vaccine. My question is "How do you procede to obtain the exemption to the rabies vacine.?" Our vet does not think the rabies vaccine caused her bleeding. I do. Our doxie is strictly an inside dog, trained to use piddle pads. She is not around other dogs. She cannot be groomed at the grooming salons without the rabies vaccine. I can't cut her toenails. She is long haired and difficult to manage for that. That aside, we really would like to have an exemption to satisfy the law re: rabies vaccines. I don't have the heart to put her through that anymore. Ted or anyone, Can you help?"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  03/03/2008: Amy from Miami, Florida writes: "I am devastated. I had a mixed chihuahua toy breed half poodle, half chihuahua, that wouldve been 2 months on the 6th of this month. I have had her since she was 3 weeks old, even weaned her off the bottle. I took her to a vet Saturday morning, and had her first set of puppy shots performed. Shortly thereafter, I started noticing that she was in alot of pain all over, I couldnt even touch her, but they told me to let her rest that she was probably sore. The next morning, she had vomiting and diarrhea. I fed her pedialyte and she did drink some. Around noon, she took her last breath and died in my arms. No one will give me a clear explanation as to what happened. The only thing that the office is telling me is that theyve never had a dog die from vaccinations. My dog was perfectly normal before I took her for her shots, I feel so responsible and I cant get the image of her dying out of my head. Can someone please give me some insight as to what may have happened? Thanks..."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/26/2008: Tonya from King, NC writes: "My Miniature Schnauzer had her first three year rabies shot on Saturday this past week, upon arriving home she vomited and they layed down. She wouldn't come when I called her so I called the vet they said I should bring her back. Upon arriving at the vet they gave her a shot of steroids and a fluid shot and sent her home with pain pills. Upon arriving home the second time we took her out to do her business and on her way back in she was scratching (which was not normal for her), when she came in we noticed quarter sized bumps all down her back and she was still inching. We called the vet back and he wanted to see her again. Upon arrival he said it was a reaction to the shot, proceeded to give her another steroid shot, benedryl shot and fluid shot then sent her home with prednazone. She is still currently on the prednazone for about four more days. She still not 100% but hopefully when we complete the treatment she'll feel better."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/25/2008: Vicki from Riva, Maryland writes: "My Chihuahua puppy suffered from an extremely bad vaccine reaction during her 3rd puppy series. She had previously had 2 DA2PPv+CV and 1 Bordetella without any problems. On her 3rd series she had a 3rd DA@PPV+CV, 1st LeptoVax4c, and 1st Lyme. I kept her at the hospital with me all day to observe(I'm a vet tech) for reaction(reactions to Lepto seem most common in small breeds). She had a slight skin reaction that evening approx. 5 hours after vaccination and we treated with Diphenhydramine subcutaneously. She quickly improved, seemed fine and I took her home. The next morning she seemed fine upon wakening. About 45 minutes later she jumped up to nap on my lap and I went to give her a kiss on the nose, her entire face was swollen to about 3 times it's normal size. I quickly rushed her to the hospital. She also developed wheezing and hives on the ride over. She was treated with Dexamethasone and again, Diphenhydramine, both subcutaneously immediately. Once the sypmtoms began to recede we followed up with Benadryl liquid by mouth every 4 hrs for the next 24 hours. She was 14 weeks at the time and 5lbs. I have yet to take her for her final series."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/24/2008: Stella from Cleveland, Ohio writes: "My cat had never been ill for the first 11 years of her life she has always been an inside cat and I never saw a need for vaccinations. Then one day she came down with a bacterial/urinary infection I had to take her to the vet they gave her antibiotics and also suggested that I have her teeth cleaned. When her infection was cleared up I took her in to have her teeth cleaned they also pulled a few teeth. When I went to pick her up the vet informed me that she gave her a rabies shot. I was very upset because she did it without my consent and I would have never agreed to it. She is 14 yrs old now and has Not been healthy since. For the past three years we have been struggling with bacterial infections, she has been on many antibiotics and was diagnosed with kidney failure last year. I have been giving her Sub Q fluids at home two times a week and she is on an antibiotic maintenance program. We have spent so much money on vet bills. She is strong willed and is hanging in there but it breaks my heart that she has had to go through so many issues. I am absolutely convinced that it was the rabies shot that taxed her kidneys. I have spent many sleepless nights sad & angry. I don't know what the answer is but I hate that rabies shots are a law, I wish someone would come up with a better option."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/22/2008: Suzy from Kewanee, IL writes: "I have a 4 year old female Lab who is allergic to just about everything. My vet talked me into giving her all her shots at the sae time this year (bordatella,3-yr rabies booster,DA2LPPC booster). She has had diarrhea for two weeks now. The vet said it must be something I'm feeding her, even though I have her on a strict diet and nothing has changed. She's also having trouble swallowing her food. We have to feed her very small amounts because she gets choked. I will not give her all her shots at the same time again."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/21/2008: Laura from Vienna, VA writes: "My 11 week old siberian husky received the 3rd round of the DHPP-C vaccine, after receiving the first two at 6 and 8 weeks respectively. She seemed a little lethargic after, but as that is common I thought nothing of it. A few hours later she had hidden under the deck and was wheezing. As soon as I was able to get her out I called the vet and arranged to bring her back in. It turned out she was having an allergic reaction to some component of the vaccine, and was bleeding into her lungs. Although the doctors at both the regular office as well as the specialty clinic worked with her for about 5 hours, due to the severity of her reaction and the critically low oxygenation levels throughout that time, she did not make it. I am now hesitant to give any of my pets anything more than what I am required to by law, even though I had never thought to question the recommended vs. required vaccines in the past."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/20/2008: Peter from 77479, Sugar Land writes: "I took my Yorkshire Terrier, Maggie, in to receive a parvo booster shot yesterday. Today she is depressed, lethargic, and is urinating a large amount of blood. She is two years old."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/18/2008: tracy from bossier city, la writes: "i have a 7 year old pug who has not had a rabbies shot in 3 years because of the severe reactions he has had to it, he gets very bad hives, as well as swelling in the throat and face, he seems to get dizzy and can not walk straight, how ever i am going to the vet tomarrow to get him updated on the shot because i am being forced to by law, i love to take him to the groomers and have him shaved and bathed and have his nails clipped but i can not find a place to do this anymore unless i can bring in proof of the vac. i am so scared for him and angry at the same time, i even told the groomers that he could not take the rabies shot and they started treating my dog like he must have had it,i will take all the procautions and have him watched heavley for several hours after but i am scared to death."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/17/2008: Dave Lance from Monroe, Ohio writes: "my dog had his rabies and distemper shot and about two days later his stool has been abnormal several days. He is 10 years old and I recently met a woman that testified before congress about childhood vaccines. She thinks that his vet is over-vaccinating my dog."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/15/2008: Susan from Bartlett, IL writes: "Our cat (a little over 1 year old) received 2 vaccines, rabies and distemper and is very sluggish six days after--there are no other symptoms--cold, etc. This must be the drug--how do we counterract it?"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/13/2008: Nicole from Placentia, California writes: "My dog Ozzy a 6 month old Boston Terrier had his first Bordatella vaccine before being fixed. He has been very sick with flu like symptoms for 4 days now. He's been dry heaving, vomiting, and losing weight. He's just not himself. I honesty think it was the shot that contributed to these symptoms."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/09/2008: Rhonda from Glendale, Arizona writes: "My nine year old Shin Tzu had the rabies shot yesterday, and today is shackey and he doesn't even want to lay down. He has alot of anxiety too! I think the shot is affecting him more since he's older. I do remember his hip and leg being sore before with the shot. Now I'm worried that maybe if there is arthitis that could be to much for him. I just think the symptons seem to be extreme and there just has to be a better alternative."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/09/2008: Roxanne from Minneapolis, MN writes: "I think I have tied my 18 month old Whippet's poor behavior and psychosis to the rabies vaccine.

She got her first rabies shot at 7 months of age, which was December 2006. About a week after, she started acting up in the crate, the current buzz word "separation anxiety" was used. She drooled, so much so that her bedding was drenched. She chewed the crate. She stopped eating and I had to stuff her or she was literally starving herself to death. This went on until I couldn't take anymore and I sent her back with her breeder for a month.

I got her back, and all the problems were gone. I thought a month at "boot camp" which was basically crated most of the time, did the trick. We were good from April 07 until January '08.

She got her 3 year rabies shot on 1/26. A week later, to the day, the same drooling behavior returned along with the refusal to eat. Nothing in my routine has changed, nothing has changed with the 2 older Whippets. No new crates, schedules, etc. I really was thinking the dog was looney toons and needed a "single dog home" I looked at my records and it popped out at me that these episodes have coincided with the rabies shot. The added behavior this time around is aggression toward the older dogs, which has earned this dog a few battle scars.

I called my vet and asked about this and of course they basically told me I was stupid, that no way would a rabies reaction take over a week, and it wouldn't be psychological. I was told to take my dog to a behaviorist or to get some "diffusing rods" of a certain scent to calm her. I don't buy it. Rabies is a STRONG vaccine, and I think my dog has a problem with it. I am hoping these issues will just go away overnight like they did before. If they do, she won't be getting any more rabies vaccinations."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/05/2008: June from Poughkeepsie, New York writes: "Hi, As soon as I got a rabies shot for my doxie who is 11 years old. She had problemns walking.Her back legs she couldnt walk. Now I notice she has trouble picking up her back left leg. She falls down,I had her to the vet. They didnt say anything if it was a reaction. Pills and doctors visits for 1 month now. She didnt have a problem before the shot, She was running around with the other 2 dogs in the house. Thank you"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  02/01/2008: D. Esquivel from austin, tx writes: "We purchased pet insurance for our 2 1/2 year old inside only cat. Part of the deal was to have a physical and update vaccinations. He had his first rabies (2 years) at 11months, and vet at the time said he didn't need anything else, since he was strictly inside and not exposed to any other cats. Jan. 15, took him to new vet, gave him rabies and FeLV, and FeUpper resp. even after I told them he did not need them. Here we are some 2 weeks later, 1 emergency trip and 1 overnight hospital stay, and 500 dollars later, I have a cat that has lost 3 lbs, will not drink, runs a temp of 104.5, and has completely transfromed from the spaz cat who loved to play, run, chase, and get into general mischief, into a cat that can barely walk, and wants to sleep all the time. drs. keep telling us the shots did not cause this. He has never been sick before, and now, nothing but sick since the shots. I will not be getting more shots for him. and only hope he can pull through. drs. diagnosis-fever of unknown orgin. ha ha...."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  01/30/2008: Cathy from Phoenix, AZ writes: "re: rabies vaccine: Took my pure-bred beagle female for shots last year (9/4/07) (rabies/distemper/parainfluenza/adenovirus/coronavirus/bordetella) a year ago and her muzzle and eyes swelled up and she was frothing at the mouth. Took her to vet where they administered dexamethesoneSP (4mg) and Dephenhydramine(50mg) and swelling went down and she was fine the next day. Got the notice in Jan. 08 from animal control that her tags were up and she needed a rabies shot. Took her for shot and told vet of reaction in Sept. 07. He gave her a 50cc shot of benadryl 10 minutes before shot. 20 minutes after rabies shot, she collapsed and was completely lethargic and uncontrollable bowel movement with vomitting. 2 hours later she perked back up but right muzzle and eye started swelling. Gave her .75ml of childrens benadryl. 12 hours later, swelling gone, but can't keep food down and keeps having bowel (or trying) movements. Taking her to vet this afternoon if no improvement. I am now reluctant to get her any shots at all after these reactions."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  01/28/2008: Tiffany from Hammond, Louisiana writes: "I took my 7 week half pound toy poodle to the vet to get first set of shots on a Monday. They gave her an 8 and 1 shot and wormed her.By Monday night she was vomiting. She vomiting Tuesday night and by Wednesday I thought she was doing better just a little weak but walking around. Thursday night she was laying around not walking. I took her to the vet Friday morning. They gave her some fluids through the skin. I left her there through out the day. The vet said she was not doing well and there was nothing else he could do. I took her to another vet and he gave a blood transfusion and some antibiodics. she was doing better saturday then sunday she starting laying around again. Symtoms she was having not opening her eyes much, stiffing the neck back, stiffing legs out, and hissing at me. She was tested negative for porvo. I truly believe the shot killed her. I heard after the fact the vet should not have given this small of a dog a 8 and 1 shot. Is this true?"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  01/27/2008: EJ from Middleboro, MA writes: "I've owned my horse for 6 years and last Spring he had what I consider to be a bad reaction to the first set of yearly vaccinations. I think that was tetanus, strangles, rhino and rabies. He was lethargic and walked away from me in the paddock for 3 days. This is a horse who's in my pockets and always following me around like a puppy. He's never reacted like this before. I wondered if any other horse owners have had similar experiences and know what to do to prevent this type of reaction. Since he's boarded, I have to vaccinate. A homeopathic clinician recommended giving 3UC of Thuja 3 days before, day of and 3 days after to reduce reaction. I haven't tried any homeopathics on him yet, but may consider it. Anyone have any experience with this remedy and animals?"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  01/26/2008: Kar i Mogensen from Austin, AR writes: "My 1 pound and half pound 9 week old baby Chihuahuas are due for their second round of shots and I am researching what is in the second round, what it is incubated in, what the possible side effects are, etc. If you have any information you can share with me, please email me at karimogensen@aol.com and put puppies in the subject line please. I am really scared of vaccines, for people or animals. I had a dog that lived 21 years and she never had a Rabies vaccines, or anything past a second round of shots. I am really concerned about my little girls, they are so tiny. you can see them on my website at www.mogensenonline.com and click on the recent news link. Advice is appreciated. Thanks."