Adverse reaction to Rabies vaccine? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Dawn125 · 01-30-2006, 09:46 AM

My dog received her rabies vaccine about a month ago. A week or so later I noticed a lump on the back of her thigh. At the time I considered that it might be related but wasn't sure because I didn't see where they actually injected her. A few days ago I noticed that the "growth" was larger and seemed to be attached to the muscle. Took her to the vet today and he thinks it may be a reaction to the vaccine. He said he injected her in the back of that thigh in the muscle right where the lump is. His recommendations were either a needle biopsy and send some cells off to the lab (the down side being that they can only make a diagnosis maybe 60% of the time this way) or sedate her and take a larger biopsy. We went with the needle biopsy and will know in a day or two. The vet said he sees reactions like this very rarely (like once in 2000-3000 vaccines). If it is a reaction to the vaccine he says as long as it doesn't bother her we just leave it alone and she will probably always have a lump on her leg. Has anyone else had a reaction like this? Or has anyone had a growth on a muscle that turned out to be anything else?

KellyV · 01-30-2006, 05:53 PM

Pixie had a good sized knot on her side from her rabies vaccine, but it went away after about a month or so.... I know I've heard of studies done on cats and rabies and how some of them will develop tumors at the injection site, but I haven't heard anything about it in dogs.....

Hopefully your pup is okay and it turns out to be nothing! Let us know the results when you get them. In the mean time, Pixie and I will keep your pup in our prayers!

Princess Paige · 02-01-2006, 07:03 PM

I just adopted Paige and the breeder told me she has not had her rabies vaccination. I am not sure if this is the reason or not but I would sure like to here what others have done and how your pup is doing. Please keep us posted. Thank you!

Dawn125 · 02-01-2006, 09:47 PM

Got a call from the vet about Brandy's biopsy today. He said "the results are consistent with a reaction to the rabies vaccine". No sign of any cancer or other type of tumor. I am very relieved because of course I have been imagening all sorts of horrible outcomes. He said it won't likely go away. She will just have a lump on the back of her leg. It's a pretty big lump. Like half a walnut. Today it actually seems a bit smaller but that may just be wishful thinking on my part. Now I am wondering what to do when her rabies shot is due again in three years. She is obviously sensitive to it. I will have to research this some more. The only reason she got the vaccine when she did was because her dog license was due and I was notified that her license was pending current rabies vaccine so I followed the rules and took her in for the shot. Next time I just think I will let her license expire and forget about it. I mean seriously, it's not like the dog police are going to come knocking at my door.

SoCalyorkiLvr · 02-01-2006, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawn125

Next time I just think I will let her license expire and forget about it. I mean seriously, it's not like the dog police are going to come knocking at my door.

I totally agree with you. Your baby's health is more important than the rabies law imo. It's not like it's a big outside dog that may come into contact with some rabid animal. I have vet waivers for all of mine which is allowed in my county since there hasn't been a case of canine rabies in over 30 years.

My daughter's yorkie has a lump on his side that we never figured out. It's on his side though not his hip and I wasn't there when they gave him his rabies so we had it checked out by two different vets and we paid to have it x-rayed but that is as far as we went because he never showed any symptoms of anything being wrong.

I go to a homeopathic vet and he is very opposed to over vaccination and says that there are a lot of ways in which the dogs body attempts to rid the body of the "poison" after a vaccine and this formation of a lump is one way.

Most of the times one rabies shot will last a dog's lifetime despite the fact that the vet may tell you it is only good for a year. You can have a titer blood test done to determine if the immunity is still there. Not sure if that would help with the license or not though.

Good luck!

Doggy Bear · 02-02-2006, 04:05 AM

My vet refused to give the raby shot to N'Stein for that reason that a lump could appeared. She was telling me that it's happen very often with small dogs. Here in Québec it is not required by law to get the raby shot so she prefered not to take a chance.

Babbie · 02-02-2006, 11:22 AM

32 states allow the 3 year rabies vaccination, that could be an option

Also check the manufacterer of the vaccine used, there are different types....some of them have live virus and others have dead or almost dead viruses

DaisyMaesMom · 02-02-2006, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babbie

32 states allow the 3 year rabies vaccination, that could be an option

Also check the manufacterer of the vaccine used, there are different types....some of them have live virus and others have dead or almost dead viruses

Is Florida or North Carolina one that only requires every three years?

Babbie · 02-02-2006, 11:41 AM

for Florida the law just took effect this year, it was a state law signed by Gov. Bush but some other places have a city law, so what one city decides might not count in another, contact your animal control for info

Dawn125 · 02-02-2006, 09:51 PM

Brandy's rabies vaccine was the three year so I guess California must be one of the states that allows it. So I guess I don't have to worry about this for three years anyway.

lreed · 02-02-2006, 10:08 PM

Our vet gives both the 1 yr. or 3 yr. vaccination. I usually go with the 1 yr. for the Chi and the Yorkies, but get the 3 yr. for Sam our huge Sheltie (50+ lbs.). My thinking is the 3 yr. is probably stronger to last longer.

SoCalyorkiLvr · 02-02-2006, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lreed

Our vet gives both the 1 yr. or 3 yr. vaccination. I usually go with the 1 yr. for the Chi and the Yorkies, but get the 3 yr. for Sam our huge Sheltie (50+ lbs.). My thinking is the 3 yr. is probably stronger to last longer.

I would research this because I don't think this is true. My vet says that thay all last a lot longer than 3 years even and if they call it a one year it is really not true. The titer test is the easiest way to tell.

Babbie · 02-06-2006, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lreed

Our vet gives both the 1 yr. or 3 yr. vaccination. I usually go with the 1 yr. for the Chi and the Yorkies, but get the 3 yr. for Sam our huge Sheltie (50+ lbs.). My thinking is the 3 yr. is probably stronger to last longer.

The 3 years is not much different from the 1 year vaccine. The one year vaccine is already much stronger than necessary

IMO, the 1 or 3 year vaccine recomendation is just a labeling difference

and the vaccine itself is the same for a 3lb yorkie than for a 130lb rott...a vet the gives a lower dosage can even loose his license....

01-30-2006, 09:46 AM	#1
Dawn125 YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 445	Adverse reaction to Rabies vaccine? My dog received her rabies vaccine about a month ago. A week or so later I noticed a lump on the back of her thigh. At the time I considered that it might be related but wasn't sure because I didn't see where they actually injected her. A few days ago I noticed that the "growth" was larger and seemed to be attached to the muscle. Took her to the vet today and he thinks it may be a reaction to the vaccine. He said he injected her in the back of that thigh in the muscle right where the lump is. His recommendations were either a needle biopsy and send some cells off to the lab (the down side being that they can only make a diagnosis maybe 60% of the time this way) or sedate her and take a larger biopsy. We went with the needle biopsy and will know in a day or two. The vet said he sees reactions like this very rarely (like once in 2000-3000 vaccines). If it is a reaction to the vaccine he says as long as it doesn't bother her we just leave it alone and she will probably always have a lump on her leg. Has anyone else had a reaction like this? Or has anyone had a growth on a muscle that turned out to be anything else? __________________ Dawn (Brandy & Titan's mom)

02-01-2006, 09:47 PM	#4
Dawn125 YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 445	Got a call from the vet about Brandy's biopsy today. He said "the results are consistent with a reaction to the rabies vaccine". No sign of any cancer or other type of tumor. I am very relieved because of course I have been imagening all sorts of horrible outcomes. He said it won't likely go away. She will just have a lump on the back of her leg. It's a pretty big lump. Like half a walnut. Today it actually seems a bit smaller but that may just be wishful thinking on my part. Now I am wondering what to do when her rabies shot is due again in three years. She is obviously sensitive to it. I will have to research this some more. The only reason she got the vaccine when she did was because her dog license was due and I was notified that her license was pending current rabies vaccine so I followed the rules and took her in for the shot. Next time I just think I will let her license expire and forget about it. I mean seriously, it's not like the dog police are going to come knocking at my door. __________________ Dawn (Brandy & Titan's mom)

02-02-2006, 04:05 AM	#6
Doggy Bear Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Posts: 109	My vet refused to give the raby shot to N'Stein for that reason that a lump could appeared. She was telling me that it's happen very often with small dogs. Here in Québec it is not required by law to get the raby shot so she prefered not to take a chance. __________________ N'Stein - male, 5 years old.....5 pds. Small but adorable and sometimes stubborn has a Yorkie can be.

02-02-2006, 11:22 AM	#7
Babbie Got Mojo? Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Miami Posts: 1,117	32 states allow the 3 year rabies vaccination, that could be an option Also check the manufacterer of the vaccine used, there are different types....some of them have live virus and others have dead or almost dead viruses __________________ Thati & Mojo

02-02-2006, 11:41 AM	#9
Babbie Got Mojo? Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Miami Posts: 1,117	for Florida the law just took effect this year, it was a state law signed by Gov. Bush but some other places have a city law, so what one city decides might not count in another, contact your animal control for info __________________ Thati & Mojo

01-30-2006, 05:53 PM	#2
KellyV YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 776	Pixie had a good sized knot on her side from her rabies vaccine, but it went away after about a month or so.... I know I've heard of studies done on cats and rabies and how some of them will develop tumors at the injection site, but I haven't heard anything about it in dogs..... Hopefully your pup is okay and it turns out to be nothing! Let us know the results when you get them. In the mean time, Pixie and I will keep your pup in our prayers!

02-01-2006, 07:03 PM	#3
Princess Paige No Longer a Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: WA State Posts: 82	I just adopted Paige and the breeder told me she has not had her rabies vaccination. I am not sure if this is the reason or not but I would sure like to here what others have done and how your pup is doing. Please keep us posted. Thank you!

02-02-2006, 09:51 PM	#10
Dawn125 YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 445	Brandy's rabies vaccine was the three year so I guess California must be one of the states that allows it. So I guess I don't have to worry about this for three years anyway. __________________ Dawn (Brandy & Titan's mom)

02-02-2006, 10:08 PM	#11
lreed YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 337	Our vet gives both the 1 yr. or 3 yr. vaccination. I usually go with the 1 yr. for the Chi and the Yorkies, but get the 3 yr. for Sam our huge Sheltie (50+ lbs.). My thinking is the 3 yr. is probably stronger to last longer.