My dog is sore and in pain after his shots. How can I help him?

You can apply an ice pack to the area of the injection site for today (if your vet is closed). A bag of frozen peas works well for this as it can conform to the area. Be sure to wrap the ice pack/frozen peas in a thin towel or cloth so it isn't directly touching the skin. You can leave it on for 10-15 minutes and reapply every few hours. If she is still painful tomorrow call your vet and they can decide if she needs some prescription pain medication. Signs that she may need to see a vet right away (an emergency vet) would include severe lethargy, vomiting, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, or hives.

Buster is probably just sore at the injection sites. This can be normal in young, small puppies. The soreness will probably pass in the next 24 hours. In the meantime you can try icing the area and see if that helps. If he is still sore after a day or so you may want to call your veterinarian and see if you can pick up some pain medication to help him be more comfortable. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bruno is such a cute pup! I am sorry he is painful. The pain is likely from the vaccine if you gave it in-between his shoulder blades. I would recommend calling your regular veterinarian for an anti-inflammatory medication or you can wait a day and see if the pain subsides. I would not give any over the counter human medication as it could have adverse side effects. Good luck and I hope bruno feels better!

It can be painful to get vaccines and smaller breed dogs can act more painful than they really are! Sometimes, to be honest, they can be a bit of drama queens. You should what it's like to trim a pug's nails lol. You'd think you are killing them with all the noise they make! Anyway, you can put an ice pack where Nixon got the vaccines to see if that helps, but he should be back to normal in a day or two. Best of luck.

Poor Rocky. A lump at the vaccination site, as well as some soreness and tiredness, are normal after getting a vaccine. If Rocky will let you, you can try holding a warm compress (such as a washcloth soaked in warm water and then wrung out) against the sore area for a few minutes 1-2 times daily until he seems to be feeling better. Usually, most pups are back to normal within a few days :)

Poor Brandi! You can try putting a cold compress on the spot where she received her vaccine to see if that helps. Leave it on for five minutes at a time a couple of times during the day. If you are concerned she is very painful, I would take her back into the vet for some pain medications. Unfortunately many human pain medications are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given, and it's illegal for me to prescribe any drugs for her without seeing her in person. Good luck!

Hi there. Yes, it's normal for dogs to be sore and lay around for a day or two after getting vaccinations - just like human kids! There is nothing over-the-counter that is safe to give dogs for pain, but you could call your veterinarian in the morning to ask about prescribing an anti-inflammatory med for her for a few days if she still seems pretty sore. For tonight, I would recommend just leaving her alone to rest. Most dogs are back to normal within a few days :)