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Community Corner

When Pets are Allergic to Vaccinations

Do the benefits of vaccinations outweigh the risks?

Many pet owners take their pets to the veterinarian for annual check-ups without much thought to the event, except for the expense of the visit.

But for some pet owners, there’s more to worry about than costs.

When Lollipop, a pug, was a puppy, she visited the vet several times for her routine puppy shots and initially had very common reactions to her vaccinations. 

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Like most dogs, her reaction was like that of a child to shots. She became lethargic and had a slight fever as well as a bump under her skin from the injection.

But after her final set of puppy inoculations at just six months of age, Lolli had her first severe reaction to the vaccines. 

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A few hours after the shots, she looked like she had been stung by a bee. Her face had swelled and she started having trouble breathing.   

We rushed her to the veterinarian who administered Benadryl and a steroid to combat her symptoms.  Luckily, after a few hours of hospitalization and observation, she was fine.

Now that a year has passed and she is due for shots again, it’s become necessary to take precautions for this year’s immunizations. 

So what does the pet owner do when their beloved pet is allergic to vaccinations? 

“The benefits of vaccinations outweigh the risks,” said Dr. Dennis Reardon DVM, of the S

He recommends starting with an animal’s health care as young as possible and evaluating any reactions to vaccines along with the animal's living environment over time.  

As allergies are discovered, part of the health care plan then includes taking precautions for vaccinations as needed.

According to the website Pet Informed, the diseases the vaccinations protect against are “far more disastrous than the real risk of a vaccine reaction.”

These diseases include canine parvovirus, canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus or hepatitis virus, feline panleukopenia, feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus - otherwise known as FIV or feline AIDS.  

Dr. Reardon recommends vaccinating all pets, and when necessary, using an antihistamine and cortico-steroid injection to pre-medicate pets to prevent severe reactions.

While some pets have minor allergic reactions to vaccinations, in rare cases, the reaction can prove fatal, according to Pet Informed. 

Most  problematic for pets is the Anaphylactic reaction, “a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs against one or more components of the vaccine,” according to Pet Informed.

For both dogs and cats this can mean hives, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing struggles, rapid heart-rate, low blood pressure, sudden collapse, and even death.    

But these reactions are very rare, said Dr. Reardon, who has seen many animals with reactions to vaccinations, but none proving fatal in his 12 years of practice as a

Additionally, it’s possible to separate vaccinations to put less strain on the pet’s immune system, he said.

This will mean an extra visit for the pet's vaccinations, but it will help the pet should any reaction occur.

Also,by separating the shots, it may be possible to determine which vaccine is causing the reaction.

Another possible precaution is creating titers, a method of taking blood samples from the pet to see which antibodies the animal has.

This helps veterinarians anticipate possible reactions and determine vaccination needs.  But even with this method, regular vaccinations can still be necessary. 

It should be noted that there are different types of vaccinations, killed versus live vaccines, that can be explored as well, according to Pet Informed.

In some cases, a final option is to evaluate the pet and her family’s needs for vaccinations. 

Dr. Reardon said it's important to look at the individual pet and determine what is best.  

For instance, a cat that never leaves the home and stays inside is at very low risk for a disease like feline leukemia, said Reardon.

But a dog that leaves the home regularly, is boarded frequently, or that travels will need all shots up to date in order to be protected.

Additionally, most kennels and won't accept pets without current vaccinations, he said.

“The viruses are still out there,” said Dr. Reardon, "And they can be more dangerous to the pet than the risk of reaction," he said.

A pet's immune system must be trained to fight off viruses and bacteria and not doing so leaves a pet at great risk.

The recent outbreak of rabies cases in Cherokee County is more proof that the rabies vaccination is necessary.

It’s not only a legal issue, it’s essential for your pet’s protection, said Sue Garcia of the Cherokee County Animal Shelter.

While canine rabies has been eradicated in the United States, said Dr. Reardon, rabies is not a species-specific disease.

Ultimately, as a general rule, all pet owners should keep an eye on their pets after vaccinations. 

Allergic reactions can occur at any age of the pet and can be more severe as pets age.   

Dr. Reardon stated that he expects a change in vaccination practices in the future since it may be that animals, like children, only need vaccinations while they are younger.  

For now, it's best to be your pet’s advocate, seek advice, watch your pet after vaccinations, and be prepared to take charge when needed.

“Anything not part of the body can cause a reaction,” Dr. Reardon said. 

Just like a child, a pet needs love, care, and an informed owner.  

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