The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Roxana (Braidwood, IL) on 04/09/2009
I have a poodle who is very healthy, will be 2 years old in July and he has developed a spot on his right front shoulder blade where the his hair is gone. Approx. size is 1-1/2 round. There is a slight feeling of warmth and at times it has a small section that is hard under the skin. A couple of weeks earlier he had a 3 year rabies shot, now 2 months later he has a hairless spot and I am worried, even though the vet does not seem to be as worried as I am.
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Madeline (Milmay, NJ) on 03/30/2009
Hi, i am just wondering if anyone had a problem with dog leaking urine after a rabies shot? Never had the problem before , she is an old dog but it is funny she has the problem right after shot. Had a problem with her going both ways in the house and never did she do it all her life, i can't figure it out . I was wondering if it could of given her a bladder infection. would love any help i can get..
Replied by Linda
(Streator, Illinois)
09/19/2009
Replied by Sylvia
(Spartanburg)
03/16/2015
Replied by R
(Branson, MO)
11/15/2022
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Judy (Poyntelle, PA) on 03/29/2009
Yesterday, we took our 6 month old kitten to the vet for her Rabies shot. Today, she's lethargic and has no desire to play. Before the shot, she was very playful and energetic. I'm hoping that after some time, she'll be fine, but we're worried. We just adopted her from a shelter and she is just wonderful. Is there anything we should do? Or do we just wait?
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Amy (San Francisco, CA, USA) on 03/26/2009
While I agree that we tend to over-vaccinate our dogs at the advice of our veterinarians, NOT getting a vaccination poses its own problems: I can't get my dog registered without proof of rabies shots given at the recommended schedule. How have others dealt with this issue?
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Dana (Green Valley, Arizona) on 03/23/2009
When I had my cat Joey vaccinated for rabies... he could not walk and was in alot of pain... I called my Vet and he said wait 24 hrs and he would be fine... he was but I am afraid to have him vaccinated again... he is an indoor cat so I don't think I will.
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Joni (McKinney, TX) on 03/20/2009
When my first mini doxie received his first rabies vaccination, he swelled up like he had tumors all over his body. Immediately, returned to vet and just in time as his airway was almost completely closed. Vet immediately administered multiple allergy meds. A medical letter was written to our local county that this dog was never to be vaccinated again. When he was two years of age, allergies (food and skin) came on strong. I then cooked his own meals for the rest of his life and was on a med to control the skin issues. He lived 14 years and died from diabetes. When he was 13, he did bite a friend. The vet did a titers test and sure enough that one vaccine he had as a baby was still in his system. I currently have two doxies now and I had to vaccinate them due to county and state laws. They were given allergy meds at the same time. They did fine and I hear that the laws are changing if doing a titers test. VERY IMPORTANT, if a pet needs to be vaccinated, get a morning appt and make sure your vet is available just in case there is a reaction. Never vaccinate on a Friday if vet office is closed on weekends. Using Revolution, also stopped my one doxie from vomiting and lowered his liver levels dramatically. I would still like to research a more holistic approach.
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Pat (Phoenix, AZ) on 03/18/2009
I got my dog vaccinated in mid january 2009. She received a 3yr rabies shot and a 1 year bordatella shot, all in the same visit. The first couple of days she was pretty lethargic and i thought this was normal. Her usual early morning readiness and late night "i still wanna play" coincidentally vanished with this vet visit. The vet seems pretty informed, but may not know just how evil these pharma co.s get in the name of profit (please see my next story about profit). She insists absolutely that the vaccine has anything to do with this and now i've paid 500+$ getting her thyroid checked....next story:
My god blessed and beloved cat, Phyllis, passed away barely reaching the age of 9, back in July 2005. When she was about 3, i got her a rabies vaccine. Shortly after, a lump started growing at the injection site (vet advised that this probably was just a little reaction to the injection)...and it grew to about the size of a breast of chicken (and it also looked like such) by the time i had it removed (@300$+) about 2 years after it initially started growing. Well, 4 years after the removal, she comes deathly sick supposedly with "cancer". Well, after 7,000$ of chemo, she died 3 months later.
DON'T TELL ME THAT A PHARMA CO. MAKES PILLS! THEY MAKE MONEY AND THEY MAKE MONEY FROM SELLING PILLS THAT WILL ENSURE YOU NEED TO TAKE MORE PILLS LATER ON. Otherwise, they'd be out of business. Do yourself a favor and go to a naturapath for you, your loved ones and your pets. f the pharma co's and those little psychotic people wandering and blathering around my office all jacked up on "feel good" pills, don't forget them young school shooters, too, who are always jacked up on anti-depressants. the doctors will kill you and your pets, albeit out of both ignorance and arrogance, but they will be making GOBS of money for themselves and the pharma's by pushing this non-sense....where did the war on drugs go awry?
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Erin (Omaha, Nebraska) on 03/01/2009
My cat Romeo got a three year Rabies shot about three weeks ago. He was okay at first, a little tired but still acting fine. Then two weeks later he began to be very lethargic, sleeps much more than usual, and seems weak. He rarely wants to play anymore. He barely eats or drinks anything and hasn't had a BM in over a week (He usually only goes once every 3 days because of his special food he's on). Also, when he sleeps he gets what looks like muscle spasms all over his whole body. I have called the vet and they insist it could not be from the vaccine. I am taking him to the vet again tomorrow. He still seems happy (i.e. purring and wanting to be held) but just isn't himself. Any advice??
Replied by Trish
(Austin, Texas)
03/05/2009
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Sherry (Longview, Washington) on 02/17/2009
Our Female scottie named Maggie got very ill after receiving her rabies shot. The vet wrote a note saying Maggie needs to be exempt from any future rabies shots. Maggie is now 7 and doing fine.
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Dianna (Bailey, Virginia) on 02/11/2009
My cats received rabies vaccine several years ago. She had a severe reaction with swelling, hives, and not wanting to move. I had her to emergency three times to receive benedral, and steroids, to help her recover. I almost lost her. Since then I have been hesitant to get the vaccines. The last time she got it, they had to keep her overnight and give in very small doses along with several other medicines to try and help her not to have reactions to it. The vet's office said they have to do this with several of their pet patients, because of reactions. I've been hesitant to get my pets vaccinated. They are totally INDOOR cats but the vet's office insists that ITS THE LAW in VA. Apparently vets aren't allowed to treat pets for sickness, etc. unless they are up on their rabies shots in Virginia. I am highly concerned. Why should pets that are allergic be put through this trauma? (especially after reading it can cause complications after the shots years later). How can this law be changed?
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Marybeth (Coopersburg, Pa) on 02/09/2009
My cat was vaccinated for Rabies a few days ago. He has been limping on his left front leg and lethargic ever since. He was a perfectly happy, healthy cat before his vaccine. There is no sign of a break, no swelling, and no fever. However, he is miserable.
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Deniece (Middletown, NY) on 02/09/2009
my 10 year old female pomeranian had her rabies shot yesterday. Today she is lifeless and has just layed around with no energy. Her leg is extremely sore to the point she can not walk up or down the stairs. I am not used to seeing her like this. She jumps and spins in circles when I get home and today, she just layed there and looked up at me with very sad eyes. That is what made me start to do research on the vacine and I found this site. I hope she starts to feel better soon. Please keep me posted with any results you may find regarding this vaccine.
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Boryana (Prague, Czech Republic) on 02/07/2009
Side effects of rabies vaccine: I have a six and a half month old female beagle who was vaccinated against rabies three weeks ago. Since then she has constant health issues. First, she lost appetite and developed kennel cough. The vet treated the kennel cough with a medicine called Metacam (used in Europe, the Czech Republic), which caused terrible diarrhea that goes on for more than two weeks now. On top of everything else, one day ago, my beagle could not hold her urine and had very frequent leaks, obviously not accidents because she was surprised herself. Basically, because of this vaccination I have turned my healthy cheerful dog into one very sick dog. And all this, because I wanted to travel with her.
The rabies vaccine she was given is Nobivac Rabies A034B01.
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Alicia (Burley, Idaho) on 02/04/2009
We have a 4 1/2 year old miniature roughcoat chihuahua. We took her to the vet yesterday morning for her rabies shot. We picked her up from the vet last night. When we got her home, she wouldn't eat or drink. She seemed very tired, and although I was concerned at the time, I assumed she had been awake most the day at the vet and had eaten and drank plenty there. This morning when I got up to let her out, she wouldn't get up without help. She could hardly walk, she wouldn't eat, drink, go outside without help, she couldn't walk the steps and had to be picked up and carried down and then back up. After she pottied, she just sat down and wouldn't walk to come back into the house. I had to pick her up and carry her. I took her back into the vet insisting she had reacted to the shot, and he concurred with that. He gave her an anti serum, and is keeping her to observe her throughout the day. He will let us know at the end of the day if she is well enough to go home. I do not immunize my children and I have always been reluctant to immunize my dogs for the very same reasons...now my concerns have been confirmed! This is the last vaccination she will ever get, if she lives, as I am now researching pet shots as I should have researched BEFORE shots! I feel it's a no brainer that the shots can have the same effects on animals because they contain the same toxic ingredients!! K, now I have vented my personal feelings and opinion! I sure hope she survives this reaction!!
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Kim (Gadsden, AL) on 02/03/2009
My 3 year old Chihuahua had an allergic reaction when he received his first rabies shot. Since then when he gets his booster each year he is given an antihistamine before receiving the shots. This year he started having a reaction 3 days after he had received the vaccines and the vet said it was probably after the antihistamine had worn off. I took him back for another shot of antihistamine and have given him childrens benadryl for about a week now. He still is not acting like himself and has been aggressive towards our other chihuahua. He just mopes around and acts as if he's in a daze most of the time. I'm about to the point of deciding not to have him vaccinated again in the future. He stays in doors, and is never around other animals besides our other dog who has never had any problems with his vaccines.
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