# Bad reaction to annual booster vaccination



## susanb (Jan 19, 2012)

just thought I would tell you what happened to us yesterday.....

We took Gisgo for his booster vaccincation. He was quite excited at the vet's (clearly he has forgiven them for what they did to him when he was last there....being neutered!).

Anyway - as I was waiting after the jab to collect a prescription from the vet, my hubby took Gisgo out to the car. He had just got him fastened in when he started making the "I'm going to be sick noise", hubby got him out and he was massively sick (Gisgo, not my hubby). 

I spotted this and mentioned it to the receptionist who went to get the vet. Gisgo was stood outside looking REALLY miserable with his tail down etc. The vet said that it was probably just all the excitement - but when she looked at his gums they were absolutely white! She got us to bring him back in, checked his pulse etc and said it seemed like he might have had a reaction to the vaccination. She asked us to wait with him in the waiting room for a little while to see how he got on. So we sat with him and he was just quiet and flat on the floor. After her next patient, she came and checked him again, and asked us to stay a bit longer. 

Anyway, probably about 30 minutes later, she said we were okay to take him home but should keep an eye on him. At home, he went straight to sleep and slept for about 4 hours (which is not unusual during the day). We kept checking his gums and they were slowly getting back to normal. By the evening he was fine!

So - I have never heard of this happening to anyone, and the vet said it is rare. But I can tell you for certain that next year we will make sure that we loiter outside the vets for a good 10 or 15 minutes before heading home, just in case there is any repeat of the problem.


----------



## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Sorry that you had to go through that, I am glad that he is ok.


----------



## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

Poor Gisgo, hope he feels better soon :hug:.

I'm really not keen on boosters, I'm sure they are just a money making scheme for medical companies and vets...I can't give Obi his because of his SRM but guess Roo will be done again at a year old.


----------



## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

what a worry that must have been for you, Dudley will be due his soon I guess now he is a year, so I shall hang around a bit to be sure. Guess I should read up a bit, think I remember something some people have written about dogs not needing all the boosters - but having said that there are plenty of places that insist on seeing up to date vacc certs.


----------



## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

Thank you for sharing that with us as I will be sure to wait around after any booster immunizations! Poor little buddy!!


----------



## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

When a child has their immunisation jabs you have to stay at the surgery for 20 mins afterwards... maybe vets should advise the same... I don't think that I've ever been told to even watch out for possible adverse reactions... Glad Gisgo recovered so well.

Have to say that once my dogs have retired from competitions and training (between 7 and 9) I have stopped doing their annual booster.


----------



## Patricia (Jan 28, 2013)

Jedicrazy said:


> Poor Gisgo, hope he feels better soon :hug:.
> 
> I'm really not keen on boosters, I'm sure they are just a money making scheme for medical companies and vets...I can't give Obi his because of his SRM but guess Roo will be done again at a year old.[/QUOTE}
> 
> I am not keen on boosters either. As a kid I know the family dog never had boosters (parents couldn't afford it) and she lived until she was 16. Had another dog for 17 years and she never had boosters. When I got Bentley, who is now 7, I decided to give him his boosters, he was OK for the first but the second he had a massive reaction, vet wasn't sure which one it was, so I have never had them since apart from rabies when living in the States, which of course is a necessity. I discussed this with Bentley's vet when we lived in Tennessee, who was brilliant, and he pretty much agreed that there was an argument for not having them


----------



## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Marzi said:


> When a child has their immunisation jabs you have to stay at the surgery for 20 mins afterwards... maybe vets should advise the same... I don't think that I've ever been told to even watch out for possible adverse reactions... Glad Gisgo recovered so well.
> 
> Have to say that once my dogs have retired from competitions and training (between 7 and 9) I have stopped doing their annual booster.



I like the sound of your surgery, we were chucked out as soon as jabs done on both of the kids.


----------



## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

wellerfeller said:


> I like the sound of your surgery, we were chucked out as soon as jabs done on both of the kids.


I guess - but my children were not brave types and wailed for the entire 20 minutes... I think everyone else was hoping that they would have a reaction as it might have made them shut up!!
Of course the moment we walked out, they were fine!


----------



## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

I have heard that Cockers are particularly sensitive and likely to have a reaction to boosters. Have never looked into it, but I just might now!


----------



## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

It's becoming more common that puppies are reacting in some way to the 2nd puppy vacc.


As for booster some vacc last between 3-5 years so in some cases we are over dosing our dogs with the vacc. Their are test you can get to see if your dog is still covered by its last booster. But the problem is, kennels, groomers, training, competition, therapy pet etc all require you you have your dog vaccinated every year. Even some insurance companies would use you not vaccinating your pet as a reason to to pay out. 

it's hard enough getting people to remember the yearly booster. I work at a kennel and garenteed every year we have at least 4 people turn up to book their dog in with out of date vaccinations and we can't take the dog in. 
So if people had to try and find out if their dog needed its booster or not, this would cause more problems.


----------



## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

If there is a test to show that the dog is still covered its a shame that you can't get a stamp from the vet on vacc card to say so, instead of only when they actually have the vacc, that way kennels etc should accept them and they wouldn't be overdosing.


----------



## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

DB1 said:


> If there is a test to show that the dog is still covered its a shame that you can't get a stamp from the vet on vacc card to say so, instead of only when they actually have the vacc, that way kennels etc should accept them and they wouldn't be overdosing.


Yeah but my point is its hard enough getting people to remember to get their dog vavvinated let alone getting the dog tested. We need to remind people every time they make a booking that they need to check their dogs vacc. The vets aren't always much help. Sometimes the don't send out reminders or I've had a reminder a week after I got my girl done, and then a month before the other was due, I almost forgot to get her done and got her done 4 days after she was meant to be done. 


So technically the yearly boosters make life a little easier but still people get confused. 

Then I think the test is also more expensive and you need to wait a week or 2 for the results (not 100% on that but I think it's something like that) so getting the yearly booster is less hassle.


----------



## katty (Feb 7, 2013)

Interesting about the rabies vaccines. I want to take Betty and Ted abroad this year but am slightly worried about giving them the rabies vaccine


----------

