I recently brought my 11 week old boxer in for his first distemper shot. The shot was given on a Friday morning and by Sunday mid morning, my typically energetic puppy was sluggish, sleepy and unable to walk. We went to the vet first thing Monday morning and after numerous tests with no conclusions we were told to prepare to put him down. By Wednesday my puppy was back to himself running around as if nothing ever happened!! Does anyone know if this could be a reaction to the vaccine? And if so, what shuld I do about the next two shots that he will need?

Sariss

I'm just very intrigued that the vet would not pre-treat before vaccines if they know there is a reaction.

And they are not more common than not. We see about one reaction a month, and in that month hundreds upon hundreds are vaccinated.

Aurora_Bell

Wow they don't have rabies in Australia? What about Parvo?

shazamataz

Yes, unfortunately we do have parvo but we are rabies free- hence why we have such strict quarantine laws.

My dogs get vaccinated for parvo, distemper and hepatitis, there is a kennel cough vaccine but it is pointless as kennel cough is constantly mutating and my dogs are barely around other animals.

Aurora_Bell

Sariss...I guess I will have to ask the vet next time I am in about the pre treating requirments, as far as I know they only run the screening tests the first time they get vaccinated, but even then I don't recall very much testing, aside from giving them the vaccines, and doing the blood work before they get spayed or neutered. The reaction Max had was, he was more tired then normal, didn't feel like eating too much, but it only lasted less then 24 hours. And I do remember the Vet telling me that this was a common side effect to these vaccines. Now I haven't personally done much research on the subject, and I definitly intend to do some now. I thought that becasue a Vet had told me this info then it was in fact like she said "more common then not".

shazamataz

I have had that experience with mine when they get done, they always mope around and are generally off color for a few hours, it's never a 'reaction' as such, I think Sariss is talking more about severe reactions from her post (I could be wrong) but I don't bother taking mine back to the vet f they are just a bit tired so the vet would have no idea if they had a 'reaction' or not as I have not given them the feedback

Aurora_Bell

I agree, I did not take Max back to the Vet but I did mention it to her then next time we were in. I would think that the Boxer mentioned had a more "sever"(probablly not spelling that right) reaction them mine do. Is pre testing before vaccines a common thing? I suppose it would make sence to pre tesr, but of course much more costly, especially if you had to wait a day or two and then bring your dog back in for the actual vaccine.

shazamataz

This thread was the first time I have actually heard of it to be honest, I had to look it up.
They give a very small dose of the vaccination to the dog to test for any reactions, then administer the full amount.

My vet has never done it, even when my mom has had whole litters of pups vaccinated.

It does make sense, same way you test skin products on a small patch first to make sure you don't have any allergies.