VACCINATION READER FEEDBACK

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/21/2007: H from W-Ville, SC writes: "My eight year old Shih-Tzu received her rabbies vaccine on Friday. She had diarrhea several hours later, then followed by vomiting for the next day. She continues to shake and refuses to eat. She did the same last year. It was insisted upon last year that it couldn't have been the vaccine! Her vet has given her Homeopathic Drops to take."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/18/2007: Jane from Berkeley Springs, WV writes: "I see tons of vaccine reactions in pets, it's a big part of my veterinary practice. I've seen it as long as 12 weeks after a vaccination. Usually it can be cured with the correct homeopathic remedy. Often it's just skin eruptions but I have also seen deeper symtpoms, including g-i disturbances, behavior problems and epilepsy."

I haven't had any horrible experiences so far (knock on wood) but have noticed mild stuff. I will not be vaccinating from here on out and my pets are young so I am crossing my fingers."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/13/2007: Dawn from Bisbee, Arizona writes: "I don't know if there's any character limit, so I'll try to keep this short.

GSD - developed chronic ear infections while after final puppy shots; developed masticatory muscle myositis, diagnosed 2 weeks post-rabies vaccination; treated allopathically.

Border Collie/GSD cross - SEVERE aggression for approx a month following each rabies shot; focal seizures; neurological dysfunction. Euthanized for unmanageable aggression.

GSD mix - severe fearfulness with some aggression following rabies booster. Being treated successfully with homeopathy.

Border Collie/Terrier cross - sudden onset of asthma and allergies within 2 weeks of rabies vaccination. Being treated with some degree of success with homeopathy.

If you need more information, please let me know. I'd love to help in any way I can as I think vaccines are one of the least studied medical procedures out there. WAY too little information about safety and efficacy."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/13/2007: Teri from Sparrowbush, NY writes: "I've had a dog seizer after getting her 2nd Rabies vaccine. I've seen puppies start chewing on themselves after getting the parvo vaccine. I had a puppy buyer tell me that she took her 3 yr old dog to the vet where they said he was in excellent health and they gave Dhpp and Rabies. The next morning he was dead."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/13/2007: Edith from Palmerston, Canada writes: "I was given a year old pure bred shihtzu. A few weeks before she came to me she had been given her rabies shot. She was bald in places from the intense itching all over. Her skin was hot to the touch. I started with Apis mellifica a homeopathy remedy which is very good for itching. When that seemed to give her some relief I quit the remedy for a few days then started with Arsenicum Albumen. This is another remedy for itchy skin but it has different action. I also used Thuja to clean the liver. The scratching continued for a few months she lost tufts of hair but rather than take her to a vet who in turn would prescribe more drugs which have side effects I chose to tackle this on my own. It did clear up and there were reoccurances but mild. Her hair were like starw, and she should have silky hair. Her eyes were always dull looking as was her coat. She was quite lifeless and lethargic. That was a year ago and she is finally getting on her feet and running around and being full of energy. Yes it took a long time but at least this way nothing more damaging was added to stress her system I do not have shots for my dogs. I have 3 and none of them will get shots."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/08/2007: jane from pittsburgh, pa writes: "i took my 16 week old dashound to the vet for his rabies booster. immediately after the shot my puppy became limp. the vet said come back in a couple hours because they had to treat him for a reaction from the rabies shot. when i returned they handed me my puppy in a blanket, dead. i have never been so shocked in my life. if anyone has any information on deadly reactions to vaccines i would appreciate the feedback. thank-you"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/07/2007: THERESA from tulsa, oklahoma writes: "I just had my 4 year old lab vaccinated with the rabbies & (8) yearly. He's never had a rabbies shot. I lived in Wagoner County & I gave him his last shots in March, but due to moving to Tulsa County he had to have them with a Vet to be registered with the City Ord. He was on an Antibotic. About 12 hours later he was throwing up. They said it was okay to give him the shots. Would it make him sick with to much medicine?"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/07/2007: Michelle from Los Angeles, Ca writes: "re: Allergic Reaction to Leptospirosis? Early today My 4 month old maltese got his shots, the vet told me my dog would be sleepy which right away after getting the shots he was very sleepy..When I got home he was still sleeping and he woke up finally and when I saw him I noticed his face was swollen.A little while later I started to look longer at my dog because it was unlike him to not let me touch him because his body was sensitive so I picked him up and noticed that not only was his face swollen but his whole body was swollen(looks like big blisters) and his body is hardening.I began to call animal hospitals and did some research and discovered that the Leptospirosis is not recommended for 14, 16 week olds. I'm giving my dog plenty of water and fever medicene and the swelling seems to be going down.. Hoping that he will pee it out. Tomarrow I will go to the vet and inform them of their stupidity!"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/04/2007: Jenny from Grand Prairie, Texas writes: "My 1 and a half year old mail jack russel terrier had his 2nd booster shot and his rabies shot. The next morning he acts like he is sick and has ALOT of white film covering his entire eyes and he couldn't see. I had to put eye drops and clear it out. and wipe it out. Along with that he acted very tired and barely moving and that's uncommon for him to act all routy. I need to know if this is normal."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/04/2007: Barb from Ohio, USA writes: "After receiving a rabies vaccine my dog started having reverse sneezing. She is 3-1/2 yrs old and has never had this before getting the vaccination. This was her first rabies vaccination."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/02/2007: Connie from San Diego, CA writes: "I got a Dachshund/Chihuahua mix from a pet rescue last September 2006. Kona was twelve weeks old. Last month I took Kona to have her routine vaccinations. The vet gave Kona all her vaccines, with exception of the rabies as she said they don't want to mix the vaccines as it is common for "this breed" to have a reaction to the rabies vaccine. Kona returned a week later to get her rabies vaccine and was fine. Two weeks later, my husband noticed a "lump" in her neck. Kona was also lethargic. She usually likes to play catch and dart through the house back and forth as fast as she could. I also noticed Kona's ears were red and had scabs in them. She is constantly licking her paws and scratching her ears and muzzle. I took Kona to the vet and was told she had a reaction to the rabies vaccine. (Kona was fine when she had the rabies vaccines at 4-months-old.) Kona is now on Medrol 4mg. The vet is treating her aggressively. The vet also told me that she can no longer have the rabies shot as the next time could be worse. The vet will now need to write an exemption letter to the Dept. of Animal Control. The great thing is Kona's appetite never changed. I hope she gets better soon as the family, especially the kids, miss the playful Kona."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  10/30/2007: Doris from Hollywood, Florida writes: "I have a rescued chihuahua female. Age unknown but muzzle is gray. Probably 5 or 6 years old. I was told to get her the shots she needs. Rabies, Bordetella and 6 in 1. She is so sick now. Won't eat, drink or walk. The vet says it is a reaction to the rabies shot. I am very worried. Have had her for 3 weeks. She was lively and fun. Now she sleeps and does nothing. Can she die from this?"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  10/25/2007: Mary from Boulder, CO writes: "My 9 month Kitty had the same reaction as Samantha's--pain at site of injection, sore abdomen, won't eat, sleeps all day, vomiting--my other boy is perfectly fine."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  10/24/2007: Samantha from salem, WI writes: "re: Distemper Vaccinations: One of my kittens [10 weeks] is having some sort of reaction to a distemper shot. He is very drousy, doesn't want to move, and has a sore abdomen. He mews when you touch a spot on his back & pick him up. He also will not purr and looks very uncomfortable. My other kitten who received the same shot has no visible side effects & is her usual energetic self. I'm really worried about my little boy kitten, he isn't acting normal. Please let me know if you know what's happening to him & how it can be fixed!!"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  10/24/2007: Tracey from Elizabeth, Colorado writes: "We had back to back horrible experiences with vaccinations. First we had a six year old yellow lab. Long story short, she went in for a series of shots including bordatella administered through her nose. She wasn't in a daycare or kennel yet caught kennel cough shortly after getting the vaccine. She never got better. We took her to specialists who kept telling us that there wasn't anything seriously wrong with her even when she was bleeding out of the same nostril the vaccine was administered. She died within two months. We contacted the maker of the vaccine and they sent us a check for $300 and made us sign a waiver. Two months after she died we got a German Shepherd puppy. At his three month visit he was given three vaccines at once. This was on a Friday. By Monday he was in intensive care from having multiple seizures. They ran every test in the book on him. They couldn't find anything wrong with him. They wanted to perform two final tests: an MRI on his brain and a spinal tap. I had had enough. I took him out of there and started researching on my own. They told me he would be on seizure meds for the rest of his life and that I would have to have his liver tested every six months for the rest of his life. I refused to listen to their advice. This all happened in September. Within six months he was completely fine and off the seizure meds. Here is what I did: I switched to a raw meat homemade diet, gave him immune boosting supplements and some herbal remedies. I gradually took him off the seizure meds. I didn't do it cold turkey. I will no longer give my dogs vaccinations and will never trust another vet 100% again. My Shepherd does have some allergies but they are mild. Listen to your instincts and don't take any vets word as the gospel. Most of them just want to take your money."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  10/17/2007: Catherine from Waveland, Mississippi writes: "I took my 4.5 month old pit bull mix (Ollie) in to get its 1st rabies shot yesterday evening, he had already been given his series of distemper shots (last shot 2 weeks prior) and this was the last thing I had to take care of with vaccinations. I took him in at 3:30pm and all night he seemed perfectly fine. At 2:30 am I was woken up by Ollie crying, as if he needed to go outside, so I took him out of his kennel and realized that he felt really hot to the touch, so me felling warm myelf I kicked the AC on and took him out to potty. I brought him back inside and put him in his bed and he immediately started crying again. So I took him back out and put him in the bed with my husband and I to cool off. Ollie just could not sit still. He kept moving around restlessly and scratching himself. So I brought him into the bathroom and turned the light on and realized he was covered in hives. He looked so bad it brought me to tears. I immediately put him in the bathtub and started to rinse him with warm water to try to realive some of the itching. I then ran to walmart and bought him some childrens benadryl and I have been up with him ever since. The swelling is going down a little but he looks horrible. My vet doesn't open til 9am but after reasearching more on the internet I have come to the conclusion that after this he is not getting another shot. This was so not worth it. I just hope this doesn't cause anymore complications."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  10/10/2007: jacqueline from kilwinning, scotland writes: "my pup got its first booster at 9 weeks 5 days later she has golf ball sized lump on bak of her kneck where her injection went in we are takig pup to vet today when it opens i will come bak and let u now what happens ......to daisy the pup' bye all."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  10/06/2007: Rosemary from Murrells Inlet, SC, USA writes: "My cat had her rabies and another shot yesterday afternoon. The second shot wasn't for feline leukemia, but it was a similar shot...maybe FIV? She was normal last night...playful and affectionate. Today, she never got out of bed. It's after 9 PM, and she has just gotten up, drank a sip of water, and has now gone to curl up in her carrier, which is her "safe place." She feels really bad and is hot to the touch, as if she has fever. Her vet is closed tomorrow (Sunday). If she's not back to' normal Monday, back to the vet we go. She's 6 and I don't remember her ever having this reaction before. I can tell she feels awful, but it is so scary and pitiful because I can't tell HOW bad she feels. She's an inside only cat, and it's tempting to not vaccinate her at all, but accidents and escapes happen, and I want to protect her the best I can. She also has asthma and has to have a steroid shot every other month, so I'm scared of putting too much medication in her tiny little body. Golly, I'm scared."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  10/04/2007: emily shepard from boise, idaho writes: "our 9 month old' heeler received her vaccination for rabies @ the Humane Society. Later that day, she started acting lethargic and vomiting. She had eaten grass to make herself sick. Is vomiting a normal side affect of rabies shot?"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  10/01/2007: Gina from Rangiora, New Zealand writes: "Recently we had our 18 month old collie cross female dog' vaccinated for her routine booster shot against distemper, parvo, and kennel cough. She showed no adverse reactions immediately. Two weeks after her shot she got a severe ear infection, she was taken to the vet. Over the following four days she visited the vet every day. Her health dramatically deteriorated. She became disorientated, went blind in one eye, drooled at the mouth, was unable to eat or drink without spoon feeding. By the second to last day she was going round and round in circles, on the last day she was parilized. We had to have her put down, it was awful, distressing, and horific to see a young, healthy, fit dog become so ill, so fast. The vet had an autopsy done which showed that she had a genetic tendancy to distemper, (it runs in her family.) It is extremely rare, but she got distemper from the shot because she was predisposed to do so. It doesn't end there though, we discovered that last year her brother died of the exact same thing."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  10/01/2007: mindi from cleveland, ohio writes: "We had our 5 year old cat in for his booster for rabies and feline leukemia on Thursday 9/27/07 and he was sick so sick! He lay around all evening Thursday didn't eat or drink, did the same thing on Friday, cried if I tried to pick him up and was lethargic on Saturday most of the day. Could barely get up on the bed that evening...did eat on Sunday finally. Today when I went home for lunch he seemed to be his usual self wanting to play and ate pretty well. My question is this, is it worth the pain to have an indoor cat (who's never been outside, isn't allowed outside, shows no inkling to going out)be vaccinated for this? He's not any special breed....but much loved by us. I couldn't hardly stand seeing him in so much pain..any thoughts?"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  09/30/2007: Sheila from Roanoke, Texas writes: "I had my 1 year old kitten vaccinated for Rabies yesterday. Since we brought her home, she won't eat or drink anything and when touched she hisses at you. She has fever in the spot of the rabies vaccine and tries to bite if you touch the vaccination spot. I have three other cats and none have ever acted like this after their rabies vacc. She acts like she HAS rabies now! My vet told me nothing about what side effects to expect. I have been told in the past to massage the area after the vaccine to keep the medicine from pooling and causing problems but she won't let me touch her. Any ideas?"

[SIDE EFFECTS]  09/24/2007: Rick from Glenmore, Pa writes: "First week of May we took our healthy cat for a booster because we had to board him for a week. At Glenmore Vet. Hospital a Dr. Crocker took our cat in the back. When she returned, she had also given him a lukemia Vaccination which we hadn't asked for. He began to lose weight, first he ate ravenously. Then he began to vomit and not eat. He died Friday night of Pancreatic and liver cancer after losing almost 50% of his weight. We're devestated.We feel we killed him by trying to protect him."