My senior Yorkie is unwell after vaccines. What signs should I watch?

Yes, I would be worried about Max. Weight loss is not generally expected as a reaction to vaccinations nor is it normal. Typical vaccine reactions are vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and facial swelling. I would recommend to call Max's doctor and likely get him in today for an exam to see if the doctor can figure out whats going on. If he has a fever, maybe its an infection? Its hard to say without seeing Max. I hope this helps and that he starts feeling like himself quickly. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

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.

Hi there. If it's been a week since her vaccinations, it's unlikely that her current vomiting issues would be related to this - most vaccine reactions or side effects are seen within the first 24-48 hours. There are many different things that could cause vomiting in an older dog like this, so it's hard to say what might be wrong without being able to examine her and run some tests. Because of this, I would recommend taking her to the vet tomorrow for an exam. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what kind of treatment is needed.

Oh no, poor Lucky! That certainly doesn't sound like a normal reaction to the vaccine, and I could check to see if he has any hives on him. If he does, that can be a sign of an allergic reaction to the vaccines and he should see a vet immediately. If he doesn't have any hives, I would keep an eye on him for now. If you see persistent vomiting or diarrhea, swelling around his muzzle, face, and eyes, or difficulty breathing, then he will need to see a vet right away. I see you live in Yonkers, NY and just in case, I have found the name of a 24 hour animal clinic in that area. It's called the Animal Speciality Center and the phone number is 914-457-4000. Take Lucky into them if you see any of the signs I mentioned above. Good luck, I hope this helps!

I'm sorry to hear Harley isn't feeling well. It is hard to say what's going on without seeing him. He could have caught something from the puppy, especially since he is not vaccinated. I would be worried about parasites, parvovirus, or a bacterial infection. It could also be something unrelated to the new puppy. I recommend taking him to the vet for blood work and a stool sample check. This will narrow down what could be wrong. Good luck and kisses to Harley!

I'm so sorry that Buddy isn't feeling well after his vaccinations. I would certainly recommend calling your vet to discuss his side effects and decide if he needs to be seen or not. When we give a vaccination, the stimulation of the immune system can cause an inflammatory process that can result in some joint or muscle soreness. Some dogs will also be lethargic and can run a fever. These side effects will generally resolve within 1-2 days, but sometimes we will recommend giving medications to make the pets feel better in the meantime, so I would recommend discussing it with your vet. For the future, I generally will only give one vaccination at a time to dogs that have the potential to have vaccine reactions to minimize the potential for this to happen again. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Buddy feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I’m sorry to hear about Pancho! This could be a true vaccine reaction (allergic response to vaccine) though usually I see vomiting, diarrhea, collapse, or other signs. This almost always starts within 24-48 hours after a vaccine. Pain, fever, and lethargy are considered a “normal” response to vaccines- although we of course don’t like it and want to treat it. This usually starts 12-48 hours after the vaccine. This is not a true vaccine reaction and these patients should continue to be vaccinated normally. Often they just need an anti-inflammatory pain medication for a couple days. Or finally, perhaps this is coincidence and something else entirely is going on- not related to the shot. This is especially possible if it all started 3 or more days after the shot. Definitely see a vet to get a good exam and I hope that Pancho is feeling better soon!