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Lately there's been a lot of discussion about cat and dog vaccines -- when people should vaccinate, whether they should, and what kinds of vaccines are necessary to keep pets safe. (Check out the comments on vet blogger Doolittler's recent post on the rabies vaccine.)
Vaccines protect pets from upper respiratory infections, distemper and parvo, in addition to rabies, which is transferable to humans. So why all the debate?
The issue is that some pets have adverse reactions to vaccines. In fact, the American Veterinary Medical Association's brochure on vaccinations warns of just that possibility:
The most common adverse responses [to vaccines] are mild and short-term, including fever, sluggishness, and reduced appetite. ...
Rarely, more serious adverse reactions can occur. Allergic reactions appear within minutes or hours of a vaccination and may include repeated vomiting or diarrhea, whole body itching, swelling of the face or legs, difficulty breathing or collapse. ... In very rare instances, death could occur from an allergic reaction.
But these brochures often go unnoticed in vets' offices, if they're
available at all, and vets may not warn us of possible side effects. Then, when we hear about the rare extreme reaction, we're surprised and
horrified.
So what to do? While most pets are perfectly fine after vaccination, simply keeping an eye on your pet for several hours after he gets his shots could end up saving his life should an allergic reaction occur -- and it will certainly set your mind at ease in any case.
You might also like:
Pet Vaccinations
Vaccination Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
Vaccination Guidelines
Some Vaccination Hazards
Vaccinating Dogs
Vaccine-Related Sarcomas
Sept. 28 is world rabies day -- who knew?
So what to do? While most pets are perfectly fine after vaccination, simply keeping an eye on your pet for several hours after he gets his shots could end up saving his life should an allergic reaction occur -- and it will certainly set your mind at ease in any case.
You might also like:
Pet Vaccinations
Vaccination Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
Vaccination Guidelines
Some Vaccination Hazards
Vaccinating Dogs
Vaccine-Related Sarcomas
Sept. 28 is world rabies day -- who knew?
No info in this article about titers in lieu of re-vaccinating?!!!
Agreed that all the scary messages out there should never keep someone from doing initial/needed vaccinations, but for Distemper and Parvo for instance, every vet and trusted resource I can find agree that a titer test is a worthwhile and safe choice. This blood test measures to see if your dog still has sufficient protection from their LAST vaccination. If so, then no need to revaccinate.
We titered this year for Distemper and Parvo for both of our dogs, and we did not need to revaccinate either of them.
Cons: titer test was more expensive than just getting the shot, and if you DO need to revaccinate, you have to make a second trip to the vet.
Pros: why expose your dog to unneccessary vaccinations if you can be sure that they do not need them at that time to be safe?
I am a Veterinary Technician and I would like to point out to anyone that may be vulnerable to scare tactics that the benefits of vaccinating your pets well outweigh any risks that there may be. Your dog could just as easily be allergic to something in your house and have the same reaction! Or if they get stung by a bee while outdoors they will have the same reaction. Not vaccinating your pet because you fear they may have a reaction is being an irresponsible pet owner. You can always give benedryl about one hour prior to your vaccination appointment and prevent a reaction all together. Be sure that the medication you are giving has the chemical name diphenhydramine on the box and nothing else and the dose range is 2-4 mg/kg every 8-12 hours. As a profession we are taught to give certain vaccinations in certain areas to isolate which vaccine caused the reaction. If your pet has a reaction your veterinarian will take the appropriate precautions at your next appointment to prevent it from ever happening again. Allergic reactions are REVERSABLE and absolutely not an excuse to not get your pet vaccinated. Believe it or not Veterinarians and Technicians haven't devoted their life and spent years of schooling only to get paid 1/3 of the wage that their human medical equivilants get paid (ie Doctors and Nurses) just to be devious and withhold information from you in every intent to hurt your pet. That is completely obsurd and unheard of. We do what we do for teh love of animals.
Is there a chance your pet may have a reaction? Absoultely. Is there an even GREATER chance that my pet will die a terrible slow and painful death due to a disease process that could have EASILY been prevented by getting him vaccinated? YES YES YES ABSOLUTELY YES!!!!!
My puppy had an adverse reaction to her rabies vaccination. Our vet is with the
Banfield Pet Hospital and they were awesome. Luckily we hung around and did some shopping afterward. Stella vomited twice, had diarrhea and then just laid down on the floor and didn't want to move. I took her back to the counter and the vet ( Dr. Brenda Buck) came right out and got her. (they love her so much!) She had to stay the day to get IV fluids and some medication but all turned out fine. My advice would be don't ignore any symptoms. Call your vet asap. Some reactions are not serious but you never know.