Why is my dog limping or not moving after a vet injection?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Roki. I would ask your veterinarian to take x-rays of his spine. There are certain changes such as collapsed disc spaces and calcification of intervertebral disc spaces that are consistent disc disease. A dog can be sore from an injection and have swelling in the injection site. This should resolve within 24 hours. I hope this information helps!

Not entirely normal but sometimes pain at the injection site can occur. Is he limping on the leg the vaccine was given in? If not, then no. If yes, then maybe. Do you feel anything at the site of injection? Best plan is to call your vet so they can make a note in his record that this occurred and discuss with you if pain medication is needed. If the limp is in a different leg then something else is likely causing the limp which require an exam with your vet. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi, in most cases pain and local inflammation will gradually decrease and as they ease off Kesha should start using the leg again. I have never come across any permanent lameness following IM injections but we don't give IM injections in the legs anymore. We currently use the lumbar muscles or neck muscles in most cases. I would keep an eye on Kesha and rest her and you should see gradual improvements over the next few days. Hope this helps !

It is possible that the injection site is hurting a bit. We inject about 1cc under the skin and sometimes a dog reacts a bit sensitive to the vaccine. This is just a temporary effect and the pain should go away within 48 hours. Sometimes there is a swelling and that should also go away within about 48 hours. If the pain and/or swelling persists you will have to take Guss to a vet to have it examined, as in very rare cases the pet can get an injection abscess that would then need to be lanced,

It can happen that a nerve was accidentally hit during the injections, causing the limping. There's a large nerve in the cat's hind limb called the sciatic nerve, and it can be damaged if the needle hits it. It doesn't mean the vet did anything wrong, however. There is a chance the damage can be repaired, as nerves do regrow, but they grow slowly. I would give it time for the nerve to regrow and repair itself, or you could talk to your vet about a referral to a veterinary acupuncturists. There are reports that acupuncture can help with nerve healing and regrowth.

Usually the pain only lasts a few days. I find massaging the area helps them to feel better, also taking her for several short leash walks usually relaxed the muscle soreness that is probably causing the lameness. If the limp continues more than a few days please bring her in for an exam as that would be unusual from a vaccination and they will want to find the reason for the lameness. Smaller dogs such as Malia often show more discomfort after vaccinations. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Malia.

While you can see some pain after receiving vaccines, it should easy in 24-48 hours. Rest Simba. No running, jumping, or playing. Take him out to potty on a leash, and bring him right back in when he's done. Do not feel the area where he got the shots. You can apply a cold compress gently to that area to see if it helps. If he is still this way in the morning, have him seen by a vet.