My dog got an injection with a reused, dirty needle. Is it safe?

It is unlikely that anything will affect your dog, even though the puncture wound should be ideally checked by your local veterinarian. A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I'm sorry that Hank is injured. It would not be safe for you to give Hank an injection for a dog bite. He likely needs wound care and antibiotics that only a veterinarian can prescribe. He may also need pain medication and because there are no safe over the counter pain medications for dogs you will need to get a safe medication from a veterinarian. I recommend taking Hank to see your veterinarian as soon as possible so he can receive the appropriate care for his wound. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I hope Hank is on the mend soon.

At the site where the vaccine was given, you may see swelling, it may be red, the area would be quite warm to the touch, and there may be pus. In order to confirm if he has an infection there, Coco will need to see the vet.

Ouch that hurt doesn't it? I've done it myself when giving injections to animals and boy did it bleed. I would wash your finger thoroughly with water water and antiseptic soap, put an antibacterial ointment on it, and bandage it. You cannot get worms from dogs through a needle stick, and I wouldn't be concerned about disease transmission. Zoonotic diseases are typically acquired through contact with feces, eating under cooked meat, and exposure to contaminated water among other means. Skin diseases like ringworm and mites can be spread via contact, but if your dog does not have these, you should be fine.

It certainly is possible to see swellings at injection sites, but 2.5 weeks later is a longer period of time than we will commonly see before a swelling will appear. If there is any possibility that Emmett was bit or injured at that location, I would certainly be worried that it could be an infection at that site (despite the antibiotics). If the swelling is getting larger, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine it. If it is a swelling from one of the injections, it should gradually get smaller and should not be painful. If it is not going away, is getting larger or is painful, it should be examined. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, thank you for your question about Norman. Based on the symptoms you are describing it sounds like Norman is having an allergic reaction. If he received his vaccinations on Thursday, it is unlikely that he is just now having a reaction to the vaccine. Most reactions occur within 24 hours after vaccination. However, some small dogs can be more sensitive when receiving multiple vaccinations. Based on what you've listed, the Lepto vaccine is the one that is most likely to cause a reaction because of the vaccine formulation. It is possible that there is something else leading to the reaction - such as something in his environment (insect, spider, etc). If he continues to have swollen and itchy eyes in spite of the Benadryl I would recommend having him seen by a veterinarian so that they can administer injectable medications to help with this reaction. Hope this helps, good luck!

This depends on the drug that was given but it is possibly a side effect. Also remember that ear infections themselves can cause lethargy or “off” behavior as can the stress of visiting the vet. Don’t panic unless you see vomiting, diarrhea, facial swelling, collapse, or other worrisome signs. If you’re seeing any of those, get to an emergency vet IMMEDIATLEY as these could be signs of a severe allergic reaction. Best of luck and I hope Baby is feeling better soon!