So, I wanted to ask if it's normal for my dog (Louna, who turned two on 11th May) to be in a lot of pain in her front right leg—specifically where she had her jab—and she's refusing to eat. Louna was vaccinated at 10.15 this morning, and since then she's really struggling to walk or even just move her leg (at the injection site...). When we pick her up, she whimpers immediately and won't walk more than three steps, although she can still put some weight on it. On top of that, she's off her food and only moves if she needs to go outside to do her business.
Worried it might be serious, we called the vet at midday, but they said it was normal and that she should be fine by tomorrow. I'm really not sure though, because this evening she's still in pain even if we barely touch her leg... I'm worried she'll still be hurting tomorrow, but in the meantime, it would be great to know if there's anything we can do, and if it's serious. Looking forward to your replies!
Thanks in advance!
🙂
Translated from French
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My dog had her jabs in February 2018 and about a month and a half later I couldn't even move her without her whimpering in pain. Took her back to the vet and the diagnosis was arthritis. I should point out she’s only 7 years old; she's a Maltese and was in perfect health before her vaccination. So the vet gave her an anti-inflammatory injection and prescribed some Metacam, and since then she’s refused to eat. That idiot didn’t even bother to check if she could handle it considering she has liver failure, and I’ve read since that you aren't supposed to give that med in her case. Who can you even trust?
My girl is doing much better today; she’s playing and eating just like her usual self, apart from a few times when her leg seems a bit sore. I’m keeping a close eye on her and I’ll see if she’s 100% back to normal tomorrow, otherwise I’ll take her to the vet. But for now, she’s definitely on the mend; she’s just a bit tired, which is only natural.
Thank you all for getting back to me. I didn't think she’d pretty much recover overnight from that jab that made her suffer so much all day yesterday...
Thanks @Anthony C for your reply, it’s really put my mind at ease, I won’t lie! I’ve been quite anxious as her first jab didn’t seem to knock her about as much as this one has. Right now, she’s tucked up in her bed and hasn’t made a sound; she’s sleeping soundly, which is reassuring! I’ll let you know how she’s getting on tomorrow. Either way, I know what to do now thanks to your replies, thank you.
Yes, it’s completely normal. When a pet is vaccinated, you’re essentially injecting a small part of the disease, so the immune system kicks in and defends itself to fight off the pathogens. You might notice them being a bit lethargic, generally under the weather, having a bit of a temperature, or going off their food for about 24 hours or so. Like you’ve already been told, just let her rest in a quiet spot and keep her warm. She should be feeling much better by tomorrow. As for her leg, it’s almost certainly just some soreness and inflammation caused by the jab.
Thanks for your replies!
Yes Sofi, you’ve reminded me to mention that Louna is shaking too, just like your dog. So thanks for the suggestion, I’m going to try calling an out-of-hours vet if she’s still in pain.
And Julia, I think I’ll go and see him on Monday, I reckon you’re right, because this morning—well, yesterday—I saw that she was in a lot of pain just as the vet finished the injection. I don’t know if it’s normal, but it’s heartbreaking how much she’s crying...
Evening,
Allergic reactions after vaccinations are quite common. One time, Delacre's head was completely swollen and Hannah was covered in bumps all over her head after their jabs.
In your case, it doesn't really look like an allergy, but rather some kind of pain caused by the vaccine.
The best thing to do is to go and see your vet.
My dog had a really tough time after his jabs when he was a puppy; he wouldn't move and was shivering quite a lot, but by the next day he was right as rain.
Vaccines have side effects in humans too, after all, and it certainly sounds like that’s what’s happening here.
Even so, just to put your mind at ease, I’d suggest calling an out-of-hours vet (it doesn’t cost anything to just ask for advice). You should find the number on your regular vet's answering machine. You can check if it’s normal for her to still be feeling poorly after this much time.
In the meantime, just let her rest somewhere quiet.
Keep us posted tomorrow on how she's getting on.
