Puppy sleepy after distemper shot and flea meds. Should I worry?

Puppy's getting sleepy after their shots is a normal reaction to vaccinations. They can also have a low grade fever and/or one bout of vomiting/diarrhea normally that are no cause for concern. The concern arises when your pet is severely lethargic, not eating, non-responsive, pale gums, or excessive vomiting/diarrhea. If you notice any of these symptoms then it is best to take puppy to a vet asap for immediate care, because a mores serious vaccine reaction is occurring at that point.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Possible side effects after vaccines include pain at the injection site, lethargy, inappetence and general discomfort. This should subside within 1-2 days. If it does not improve or it worsens, have Willy evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Otherwise, Willy will likely start feeling better shortly. Good luck and best wishes!

If there are no other symptoms and she is still eating and drinking normally you can probably wait until Monday to have her examined. I doubt the recent vaccines and Trifexis are related. If she vomits or has diarrhea, if she isn’t eating or if she is so lethargic you can’t rouse her you should see an emergency vet.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Great question! I would consider the lethargy you are describing as a common reaction but I would not say it is "normal". I think you should switch to a different product as the active ingredient in whatever you are using doesn't seem to agree with Shadow. It is better to switch because sometimes the lethargy can progress to a worse type of reaction with each application. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Lethargy is a very general sign of illness in dogs, and can be caused by systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. Lethargy isn't a side effect of Frontline, so I'm suspecting that it may be to to a medical illness. As long as Scout is eating and drinking normally as well as going to the bathroom normally, I would keep an eye on her for now. Should she still be lethargic in 48 hours, then I would be concerned and take her into the vet for an exam. If she stops eating and drinking, and develops other signs such as vomiting or diarrhea, then I would take her into a vet right away. I hope this helps!

Sorry to hear that Bentley isn't feeling so hot. I guess the shot given to Bentley and the behavior to follow would completely depend upon what that shot is. If the shot was something to prevent further vomiting, then it was most likely something like Cerenia. This is an anti-vomiting drug that is usually very effective in accomplishing this unless there is a mechanical issue within the gastrointestinal tract. I have not heard of it causing any sort of sedation. It could just be that your puppy is a little exhausted from all the vomiting that she has been doing. Some of the flea medications depending on the one that was used can cause lethargy. I would find out which one was used and then ask if that was one of the listed side effects. Other than that, if there are no other clinical signs of concern right now and the vomiting has stopped, I wouldn't worry terribly at this point. Wait another 12 hours and see how Bentley is doing. If the condition does worsen before then, give your vet or an emergency vet a call. Hope this helps you out.

I'm sorry to hear that Lettie is not feeling like her usual self! It should be noted that even normal puppy vaccines can lead to some side effects such as lethargy (decreased activity, tiredness), swelling or tenderness around the injection site and even mild nausea (possibly the drooling). That being said, rarely dogs can undergo an allergic reaction to vaccines which often show up as vomiting, collapse, and swelling of the face or other limbs. If these have been observed she should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. In regards to the safety of administering the Heartguard and Nexgard along with the vaccines, it is standard protocol to begin these preventative medications at this time and are safe to give to a puppy of Lettie's age. The most important thing going forward is to continue to monitor Lettie for any worsening or changing of her clinical signs. For example, if she starts to vomit becomes even more tired or lethargic, continues to want to eat or do anything after more than a day, or even have swelling around her face then she needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately.