Side Effects of Pet Vaccines: A Closer Look

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.
Combination Vaccines
Posted by Janet (Littleton, Co) on 08/21/2010

My 10 yr old cat went into renal failure within 2 days from receiving the FVRCP booster. The vet has been giving this booster on a yearly basis. She is currently undergoing IV treatment at the vet's office. Prognosis not good.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Kk (Ocean City , Nj) on 08/18/2010

I have a 5 and a half month old Pit pup. She got spayed, her rabies shot, and her 3rd round of puppy shots all in the same day. When I picked her up they told me I could try and feed her at 7pm, and that she may throw up from the Anastasia. Well she didn't want to eat or drink anything that night and she was throwing up foamy substance. However, the next morning her face was extremely swollen she could barely open her eyes. She still refused to eat or drink anything. And now she was throwing up yellow bile everywhere. She had heavy breathing as well. She had trouble going to the bathroom, she would sit there and squat and nothing would come out. No bowel movements at all. I had to rush her to the hospital and they said it as most likely from the rabies vaccination. I was lucky to get her there so soon because they explained to me that it was a severe, life threatening case.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Petshack (Winnsboro, Sc, Usa) on 07/26/2010

Oh I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. These were the same type of shots that I used on my puppies that all got sick Galaxy DA2PPv CV


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Becky (Cordele, Georgia) on 07/22/2010

My sister sent me this site, as I was telling her about my little Bichon that got his shots in Cordele, Ga from a Vet who gave him the rabies, distemper and parvo shot. We left the Vet's office and silly sam's breathing increased rapidly, then his eyes were dialated and he whined funny like he was really not feeling well. I rushed him back to the vet and he watched him for a short time and he seemed to be okay. I have never seem him react to any shots before this happened. I need to have them given separate or do something different next time.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Lydie (Alicante, Spaini) on 07/17/2010

Two days ago, I had my cat's yearly vaccinations done for rabies and RCPCh FeLV. Until the moment of vaccination, she was very active, talkative, ate and drank normally, walked, ran and jumped often, played and was generally alert and completely healthy. After vaccination, she immediated became lethargic, stopped moving at all or moved slowly by limping low to the ground as if in pain and only over a short distance, would not eat, drink or relieve herself. Yesterday, 24 hours later, I returned her to the vet. She confirmed the cat had a fever and was swollen at the injection site "probably" as a reaction to vaccination. She put her on an intervenous solution for 20mn to hydrate her and gave her an anti-inflammatory shot saying she would immediately become herself again. Today, day 3 since vaccination, she is not herself, she is hardly better, still moving with difficulty and lethargic, eating and drinking very little and moving hardly ever. I was told to bring her back today if symptoms persisted. I will be doing so today. I am very bothered that this should occur. My cat is an indoor only cat with no other animals around, therefore not exposed to these diseases and I regret accepting the vets recomendation to vaccinate.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Virginia E (Circle Pines, Mn) on 06/01/2010

MY little Sweetie (Shit-zu)received a second shot for Lyme's disease. Her shoulder and right leg became swollen and she had trouble walking and playing. It took a week for her to return to normal. I will not give her the shot next year. I will use natural oils to prevent ticks and fleas on her.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Gardengal (Pittsburgh, Pa) on 05/17/2010

Pet Vaccinations and MRSP

I am registering to inform you of a dog vaccine reaction. My dog was rescued in 2008 and she had vaccine reactions to her Leptospirosis vaccine and DA2P three year vaccine in June of 2009. My dog had to large lumps at each injection site. The one was the size of a golf ball and the other was the size of a half orange. She apparently had a suppressed immune system following treatment for ear infections with Prednizone and antibiotics. A couple weeks later she contracted MRSP of the bladder. She had been treated with an antibiotic that was not resistant to the infection. She had a second round of MRSP. In Oct. 2009 we worked with a holistic vet in England using homeopathic remedies as well as certain vitamins, minerals and a mushroom derivative to help improve her immune system. She is also getting nosodes to prepare her for the side affects of her 2010 vaccines.

EC: Hi Gardengal,

Do you mean MRSA?


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Dutt (Manchester, Mi) on 05/10/2010

My parents took their puppy (3.5 months old) in for standard vaccines and the dog became ill within hours. The dog had trouble using its legs, lying down, and breathing. The vet could not find a reason why the dog was slowly losing lung power and within 5 days the dog had to be put down. Several years ago a cat that I own was temporarily paralized as a result of the distemper vaccine. Various sources indicate that the distemper vaccine is not mandatory. I am one that will not give that vaccine in any future animal that I may own.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Lupe (Las Cruces, Nm) on 04/26/2010

My dog is a 4 year old chihiquaua female who received her parvo corona booster and has developed a fever.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Tink (Springfield, Ma) on 04/19/2010

I took my french bulldog today for his vaccinations. He is over 3 years old now, and has never had a problem with them before. I paid them, and as I was trying to leave my dog wouldn't get up, which is very unusual. He began to foam at the mouth and then started having trouble breathing as the vet tech came over to check him. He couldn't stand up either. He was back to the exam room where the Dr. began to order instructions to her staff. His heart rate had dropped, his vitals were bad, and he was shaking all over. I needed to leave him there a couple hours. He received some type of antihistamine shot and began to get better. By the time I went back to check on him, he was standing, his vital signs were back to normal, but he was a bit listless. Tonight, he is back to normal. The Dr. was very insistent that he needed only the shots that he should get, and he already had all the other shots last year so, he only got the leptospirosis and lyme disease vaccines. The Vet was very on top of things, attentive, and informative. She even discussed what we should look for next year and how it should all be handled, such as, giving an epinephrine shot before vaccinating, not giving the vaccinations at the same time, and weighing the pro's and con's on not vaccinating him at all. I hope this info is helpful to someone, cause if I hadn't taken my time asking questions my dog wouldn't have still been in the hospital when the reaction occured.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Margaret (Mohegan Lake, Ny) on 04/04/2010

Side effect from Parvo/distemper vaccine

I am very much against vaccinating pets due to the fact that it nearly killed my Papillion four years ago.
I now have a 9-month-old Doberman puppy who is/was full of life and has had no health issues until this past Friday, when she suddenly stopped eating. It is now Easter Sunday, she won't touch her food. Because of all the pressures put on me from regulations requiring that she be vaccinated for groups I wanted to join with her, I decided to get her vaccinated for parvo/distemper. She was vaccinated for Parvo/distemper on 3/26. A week after she developed 103 fever and slept all day long curled up in a ball. Usually, she's full of life and getting into trouble. I am so upset that I gave her the vaccine. She will never receive another booster for the rest of her life. I am praying that she recovers from this.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Judy (Tampa, Florida) on 04/02/2010

Cat sick after getting vaccinations

My cat recently received all of his shots. The next day he began to vomit and had diarrehea. This lasted two days, he then seemed to get better and was normal for two days, then he began to vomit again. This time he stopped eating and he now is not moving his bowels at all. He doesn't seem to be in any pain, even if I push on his abdomen, but he does seem to be losing weight from not eating. He continues to do all other normal activities. I don't know if I should give it a few more days, or take him to the Veterinarian.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Bettygriff (Rockton, Il) on 03/26/2010

My 2 year old cat who I believe to be Maine Coon, just received his annual shots yesterday and today would not come down to eat his food.

This is a very playful cat full of fun and energy and now he looks very punky, has diarrhea and appears to be vomiting. He is also very lethargic and not feeling well.

I am looking for similar posts and wondering what the remedy may be to get him back on his feet. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Patti (Frazee, Mn) on 03/18/2010

My Daisy, my 7 year old doberman pinscher, was very active and healthy running & jumping, then May 30, 2009 she woke up paralyzed on the rear end. On April 20, 2009 she was vacinated for rabies, DHLPP plus Lyme and deworm pyrantel pamoate. She was so very sick. She drank some water and ate very little on May 30. My vet came over on May 30 and gave her a steroid shot and an inflammation shot, took her blood, put frontline on her to kill any infected ticks and said she may have tick disease, so it wait and see how she would do in the next week(the blood he didn't test, after I told him too because her blood went bad, his wife said) She had no control over her bowels, etc. The next day she was completely paralyzed. Then the next day she went back to weakness and rear end paralyzed. For the next two weeks she ate and drank some and I lifted her rear end and gave her a little exercise and took her outside to go to the bathroom. She would drag her rearend around outside after for a little exercise. After two weeks she wasn't any better so I took her to a vet who does accupunture on June 16, 2009. He took xrays, no injury, urine test. After he treated her with accupunture she started trying to walk two days later. She was on Doxycycline for 30 days and had 6 accupunture treatments, from June to October. After the second accupunture treatment she was starting to walk, but wobbly and after the 4 I didn't have to hold her rear end up anymore!! So with my nursing and therapy care I gave my best friend, today, March 18, 2010, she is a miracle, she is running and trying to jump again, but still has to really concentrate at doing certain tasks.

My accupunture vet states the vaccinations could have caused this nervous/neurological system disease to my Daisy, my doberman!

PLEASE advise any advice or opinion you may have to me ASAP! THANKS.


Combination Vaccines
Posted by Sue (Lenham, Kent, England) on 03/12/2010

Vaccination Side Effects

Our beautiful and well loved Doberman, Benson, had his annual health check and booster (Vanguard) on 11th September 2009 and after two weeks developed lumps which turned out to be Lymphoma. We sadly put him to sleep in January 2010. There was no sign of any lumps prior to his booster and he was an active healthy dog prior to this and after reading articles about annual vaccinations and their side effects it saddens us even further that the booster may have triggered the illness. We have therefore decided that we will not continue with annual boosters for our other dog.



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