My puppy is in pain after vaccine. Do I need an emergency vet?

Getting vaccines can cause a little pain and discomfort in dogs, and in my experience toy breed dogs can be extra sensitive. I would stop picking him up and letting him rest. Make sure he is eating and drinking, and monitor him tonight. If he's still acting painful in the morning, then I would have him seen by a vet. Take him to urgent care tonight if he starts vomiting and having diarrhea excessively, starts having any facial swelling, or difficulty breathing.

This type of side effect is not uncommon, pain at the site of the vaccination can be severe but it is usually not considered to be an emergency. if the pain seems to still be severe tomorrow, take her to your vet to get it checked, if your vet judges that the pain is indeed severe he will probably give her a pain killer for a couple days.

My suspicion is that this is injection-site pain and not a "true" vaccine reaction, however I do know that dogs (especially small ones) can be pretty painful in the limb they were vaccinated in for up to 36 hours afterwards. I wouldn't call it "normal" but we definitely see it - both of my own small dogs were painful after their last lepto vaccine. Because they can be pretty miserable, I would recommend calling your vet and asking if they might dispense a bit of pain relief - perhaps only 2 - 3 days worth - to make sure Ted is comfortable over the weekend. And if you see other more concerning signs - swelling about the head or face, difficulty breathing, vomiting, collapse - take him right into an emergency facility.

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.

You can see some pain where the vaccines were given. Do not give Penelope any human pain relievers, many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. You can try putting a cold compress on the area where she got her vaccines to see if that helps. She should be back to normal within 24 hours, but if she isn't, have her seen by a vet. Best of luck.

Poor Luke! Swelling at the injection site is pretty unusual, but can be very uncomfortable. The swelling can be controlled with anti-inflammatory medication, and should definitely be reported to your vet so they can potentially modify the vaccines Luke gets in the future. In the meantime, you should try to keep Luke comfortable and calm until he can be seen by his vet. I hope all is well!

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 :)