My puppy is limping on her back leg after vaccination. Is it serious?

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.

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 !

Rocco may be sore at the vaccination site. Do you know did they give the booster vaccine in that back left leg? With animals we give vaccinations under the skin and not in the muscle so it is pretty rare for them to be sore afterwards but it is possible. Some older vets still vaccinate in the muscle in which case they have a higher chance of being sore. Do you know if it was given in the muscle? I suggest you ice the area where the vaccine was given for 5 minutes 2-3 times per day for the next 2 days and let him rest. You can also give BUFFERED aspirin for 2 days ONLY to see if that helps. If he is not improved in two days then get him back tot he vet for a follow-up. You did not mention his weight for me to be able to give you an aspirin dose. If you can't figure it out from this dosing information sheet you are welcome to post again for more help or you can opt for a private consult and we can chat back and forth. ( https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/aspirin/ )

I'm so sorry that Zeke is painful after his vaccination. Unfortunately, pain at the injection site is a possible side effect of vaccinations and some small dogs tend to become achy and painful all over. I would recommend contacting your veterinarian. There are some prescription pain medications that can be very helpful in decreasing pain and inflammation associated with vaccination. I will typically use Metacam which works very well. You may also ask your veterinarian if Zeke should have pain medication in the future before his vaccinations, so he does not have this problem again. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Zeke feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! Many things can cause lameness in dogs. For a young active dog, the most common injury is of soft tissue in origin. Soft tissue can be anything from a strain / sprain, bruising, pulled muscle or a ligament / tendon injury. Bone trauma is another possibility with fracture and dislocation as possibilities. If she is bearing full weight on the leg after a while, then I would likely suspect this to be a soft tissue injury in nature. I would suggest resting Angel for the next 7-10 days. A strict exercise restriction should be in place to prevent Angel from worsening the injury. This means no jumping or running, only leash guided walks that are short and controlled. If no improvement occurs within 7-10 days, I would have a veterinarian examine the leg to help determine what is going on. Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

Maybe the injection has hit a nerve, it can happen sometimes, in such a case your dog might have severe pain in that leg for several days but it will eventually go back to normal. of course he might show this symptoms due to the disease he is treated from as well.

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!