Hi there - I have a 3 year old Chi/Terrier Mix ...

Lori — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:19:05 GMT

Hi there - I have a 3 year old Chi/Terrier Mix 9lbs - took him to have vaccinations 9 days ago - and this morning I awoke to a plum size pocket of fluid at the site where the shots were given (behind right shoulder blade) I am quite worried - he is not in any pain, eats fine and plays close to normal. I applied warm, moist compress in a circular massage motion, no change yet.
Is this normal?
Thank you kindly,
LH

RE: Hi there - I have a 3 year old Chi/Terrier Mix ...

yp1801 — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:44:27 GMT

no, it's not normal. It's also not common after 9 days.

Please call the vet back and you ask if any other dogs given the same vaccine had a reaction and for an appointment so the vet can either drain the sac and/or prescribe something for it.

It is important that you let your vet know you are concerned and have the dog examined so if it had a reaction to a particular vaccine the vet can find another distrubitor when your dog goes back for routine boosters and be aware that if he/she got other complaints, so as to determine if the common cause is the vaccine itself, or happening in similar breeds.

I don't mean to scare you but, since your dog is otherwise ok, it isn't something to not take immediate action on. I mean to encourage you to do that asap.

Please post back if you would like to share the results, for those who might have similar issues and how your dog is doing.I'm sure it would be very helpful.

(btw, you should never have your pet vaccinated if it is ill or on a day when a vet is closed the next day. Reactions are rare and usually occur within the first 24hrs)

RE: Hi there - I have a 3 year old Chi/Terrier Mix ...

rory8535 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:38:36 GMT

Hi Lori,

I concur with the previous responder: This most certainly isn't normal! Dogs will often get a *small* (pea-sized or less) lump after receiving a vaccination, but not anything as large as what you're describing, and definitely not after this amount of time (9 days) has passed!

Reactions to vaccines do happen, but they usually do so almost immediately, and I, personally, have never heard of a reaction such as this so long afterwards. (One of my own dogs developed a reaction to her vaccines in combination: as long as she received the rabies by itself, and it was several weeks before or after the distemper-parvo-et al, there were no more difficulties. But her system couldn't assimilate the barrage of all her vaccinations at one time, and so, when given that way, she immediately--within 30 minutes--broke out in hives and required treatment for the reaction.)

I'd think a check with the vet who administered this vaccination is in order, and your dog examined and treated as necessary. If the vaccine is, indeed, the culprit, both the vet and the drug manufacturer should be advised, to watch for any further reactions of this type in other animals.

I am also wondering if this could possibly be an abscess, or some other type of aberration caused by the injection (rather than the vaccine), or if it could be something totally unconnected. I'd very much like to hear what the vet says, Lori! If you could get back to us here, once you've had your dog checked, I, for one, would be highly appreciative!

Best to you and your dog!

rory