My dog has trouble walking after vaccine. Is it an emergency?

Vaccines can occasionally cause mild lethargy, a slight fever, or pain at the site of the vaccine. If Bear's booster vaccine was given near his backside it is possible that the pain is making him not want to walk and cautious about his back end. I would recommend contacting your veterinarian in the morning - even if Bear seems much better they can note this possible vaccine reaction in his record and potentially prescribe pain medication for him. If he is having difficulty walking, vomits, seems extremely lethargic or develops facial swelling or hives you should see a veterinarian right away as these could be signs of a more serious reaction.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Possible side effects after vaccines include pain at the injection site, lethargy, weakness, inappetence and general discomfort. This should subside within 1-2 days. If it does not improve or it worsens, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Otherwise, he will likely start feeling better shortly. Good luck and best wishes!

This side effect is more common with the rabies vaccine than other vaccine, in most cases it resolves within 24-48 hours, as long as she is eating and walking she is fine to stay at home and just wait for it to get better soon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chase. The rabies vaccine is typically given in the right rear leg and leptospirosis in the left rear leg. This can result in muscle soreness in some pets. This could be making him uncomfortable and not wanting to use his rear legs normally. However, labrador puppies are pretty tough. So it is unusual for him to still be so painful. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian again or you seek a second opinion. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Getting vaccines can cause a little pain and discomfort in dogs, and in my experience toy breed dogs can be extra sensitive. I would stop picking him up and letting him rest. Make sure he is eating and drinking, and monitor him tonight. If he's still acting painful in the morning, then I would have him seen by a vet. Take him to urgent care tonight if he starts vomiting and having diarrhea excessively, starts having any facial swelling, or difficulty breathing.

Poor pup! This sounds like a potentially serious problem, so I would recommend taking him to an emergency clinic today to be seen. He may have a neurologic problem of some kind, may have injured himself somehow, or may have ingested something toxic. The ER veterinarian can do a completely neurologic exam and may recommend blood work, x-rays, or other testing if needed to help figure out what's wrong. If you're not sure where to go, try calling your regular vet's office - their voicemail message should have contact information for your nearest ER or an on-call doctor for emergencies.

Not entirely normal but sometimes pain at the injection site can occur. Is he limping on the leg the vaccine was given in? If not, then no. If yes, then maybe. Do you feel anything at the site of injection? Best plan is to call your vet so they can make a note in his record that this occurred and discuss with you if pain medication is needed. If the limp is in a different leg then something else is likely causing the limp which require an exam with your vet. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!