# What's your take on this?



## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Hi all, I am looking after a friend's 15 week old Staffy/bull terrier/mastif/who knows? (Was actually one of those.... yes, a 'free to good home'....) 

A few days before they went away, they had his vaccinations done. He apparently had an allergic reaction to it and it caused partial paralysis of his hind legs. Antihistimines and anti inflams were given. He had been staying with another friend, who works with my mate and they had to go away for a weekend, so I ended up with him. Which is all good to me, he is a sweetie. But, I noticed straight away that he was very uncomfortable and his movement was very stiff and weak. So I watched him for 48 hours to see what happened. No change. He is eating, drinking and socialising fine, but it obviously hurts him to move. He also gets cramps in the back legs at night, causing him to scream like his throat has been cut.

Poor little fella  

Anyways, I have made an appointment to see the vet today, as I am not happy with his progress. But, has anyone else seen something like this in a reaction to a vaccine, or do you think there may be another linked reason for his loss of movement and strength?


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I to would be worried about him.
There is not much information on the web on how to keep him comfortable till he sees an vet again.
Do you think getting him to lay on something warm could give him some relief


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## diana (Jul 17, 2012)

In my experience with dogs and vaccine reactions i have never seen this severe a reaction, i would venture to guess the vaccine was administered poorly ie IM rather than SubQ which could cause muscle pain, however for both rear legs to be painful that would mean it happened on both sides, as vaccines are administered in certain legs on certain sides, to know in the future which vaccine caused said reaction. I have worked in veterinary clinics for some time, and studied veterinary technology, this poor kid has something else going on IMO. Most dogs who have a reaction require benadryl 1mg/lb of body weight so 25lb dog = 1, 25mg benadryl so on and so forth and within 30 min should be doing better. Obviously its too late now but in the future maybe this poor guy should get a benadryl tab 30 min before a vaccine, and see if there is a reaction after. Hope all is well with the vet visit and he feels better. Also ... please don't go dosing your dogs with Benadryl until you speak with a vet  As I cant say for sure all dogs will react the same to benadryl. 
Heating pads might help also.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Thanks TR and Diana. After his first cramping fit on night one, I boiled some water and made a hot water bottle up. He's been sleeping on that mostly which seemed to settle him more last night.

We have just come back from the Vet, who is still convinced that it is the reaction to the vaccination and not something else which coincided. She says it is the worst reaction to this vaccine she has seen in a dog ever. She has put him back onto steroids, retaining a higher dose for longer to see if it will kick the immune system back into action as his dosage is dropped. So a waiting game for another week to see how this treatment works. If it doesn't, then it's X-ray time to see what is going on in those back joints.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

I would also try a warm bath with epsom salts. It worked wonders for Riley's knee back when it was really bad.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

I just dropped him back to his other carers, I'll keep in touch with them over the next four or five days and see what happens. Hopefully whatever it is is fixed soon as he looks terrible struggling to just walk straight. Fingers crossed he comes good soon.


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Oz,

I find it hard to believe that vaccinations can cause such a debiliatating reaction to his joints/muscles. I have heard they can have skin and flu like symptoms, but what you describe sounds awful. In the UK vaccinations are given into the scruff of the neck so as Diana says it isn't that the vet has injected into the muscles and caused damage.

Poor little thing - I do hope he recovers soon. Please keep us up dated on his progress.

PS How are you doing??


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## diana (Jul 17, 2012)

Sounds like a terrible reaction, worst I've heard of and surprising honestly.. steroids should help. Vaccines are given between the skin and muscle, but on certain legs here, not in the neck (at least this is what we do around here) they used to do vaccines into the scruff of the neck until its been seen that you cant tell which vaccines caused a reaction so now they are separated by limb ... I hope my first response wasn't confusing, or maybe i'm reading hotmischiefs response incorrectly. I did not mean to imply vaccines are given intra-muscularly(ouch) if that is what it sounded like. keep us posted, hope you're holding up ok


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

All good Diana. After speaking to her on the phone to book the appointment, she got straight on the phone to some other vets and two specialists she knows just to get some other thoughts before we arrived. They all believed she wasn't aggressive enough with the dosage and time period he was on the steroids. (Same steroids I'm on oddly enough). So upped dosage, more days at a higher level before starting to reduce them. She also said it is the worst puppy reaction she has ever seen. She said she has seen it this severe in cats, but never a dog. Poor little fella, he's gone from a confident, outgoing and well adjusted puppy to a frightened, quivering, fearful and frustrated puppy. I can only hope that he recovers fast and fully from here.


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