Your puppy might get a little scared and anxious about the trip to the vet as it is a whole new experience for it. As it is a new world for him, and it takes time to get used to it. Adding injections into their body can exacerbate the anxiety. You will see the puppy yelping after vaccination also, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them whining and showing unusual reactions. Even the mere memory of the syringe might make them cry.
Know your dog Type First:
Many owners have complained about the puppy yelping after vaccination shot. Some get all worried by the silence and awkward behavior of him. You know what? It is extremely normal for your puppy to react like this. What happens in getting a vaccine is that the modified weakened state of the virus strains is taken and inserted into the muscle. The body’s immune system reacts to it and produces antibodies with some other side effects. So instead of stressing around, it is the best time to get to know the personality of your dog. it is a chance to bond with your puppy and get close to them.
Normally, following responses of the puppy are observed after vaccination:
Anxious and whining state:
It is completely normal for your puppy to feel discomfort or sore after getting the shot. As a human baby cries in pain, the puppy expresses the tenderness by yelping because it hurts. The extra soreness is experienced when the vet injects the shot into the muscles and not underneath the skin layer. If you touch the injection site they may react differently because of the fear of getting pricked again. So soothing them down and letting them rest are the best options.
Silent and calm state:
Every puppy reacts according to its persona. Some puppies are more stoic and like to suffer in silence. They may react a little or not at all. They just require their space and time to settle and come out of their zone when they feel like it. Teasing them during this period won’t be a good idea. It’s ideal to give what they require and try to pacify them a lot to get them out of their shocking state.
Dramatic state:
Some puppies may suffer psychologically and dramatically cry even when they are not experiencing any physical pain. This is because the fear of the needle is still inside them. They take a little time to overcome this state and to return to normal.
Why is your puppy yelping after vaccination?
General effects of vaccine on body:
The reaction of the vaccine on the puppy varies in every dog and breed. It also differs because every dog has its immune systemand personality to cope up with the foreign body invasion. The after-effects are mainly shown within the same day and may last for the next half day. It is common to show the side effects up to 36 hours but if they exceed 3 days then it is an alarming situation.
Symptoms:
Normally, the symptoms appear within minutes or hours which makes the dog yelp or cry in response to the weird sensation. In addition to the fear and pain, the pup might experience the following symptoms:
- Increased body temperature
- Loss of appetite and trouble in eating
- Drowsiness
- Drooling
- Soreness and aches
- Reduced physical activity
- Sneezing, coughing and flu
All the above-mentioned symptoms are completely normal and harmless. From the other point of view, you can say that this is good for your pup’s health as it indicates that your immune system is working properly and responding to the foreign bodies in disguise for these after-effects.
Shaking and discomfort:
The most common and general after effect reported in the pups after vaccination is shaking. It is associated with the trauma and pain the puppy had to go. As the whole process was a lot to take for the little soul so it’s completely normal for them to act like this. They might stop eating and drinking anything and sit at the corner of the house alone in silence. He would stop shaking when he will feel that everything is back to normal and better.
Soreness at the site of injection:
The majority of the pups get back to a normal state without having any problems, but some sensitive dogs or the ones having their first encounter react abnormally to vaccination. Soreness, redness, or inflammation can be observed at the spot of injection. They might feel pain and yelp in discomfort if you pick them up from the same site where the needle was inserted. As vaccines are inoculated intra-muscularly, it causes more pain than usual.
When to worry about side effects of vaccination:
If your dog is showing above mentioned mild symptoms then there is no need to be anxious or fret about it. Those reactions are the expected ones and will go away completely in the next couple of days. If the mild symptoms go worse and your puppy’s body is not recovering at all till 48 hours, then it’s time to set an emergency appointment with the vet.
Monitoring of the vitals:
The first 24 to 48 hours after vaccination is taken as the most critical ones as this is the point you get to know that if your dog is allergic to shots or not. You can keep your mind at ease by checking up on your dog and observe the following parameters.
- The temperature of the body should be between 98 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit
- For heart stability, the beats per minute (bpm) should be between 100-140 for small breeds and 60-100 for large breeds.
- There should be a range of 15-21 breaths per minute to ensure a normal breathing rate.
This is the stable range to make sure that the inculcated virus is not doing more harm than good. It may vary from one dog to another but these body markers should lie in between the average.
Allergic reactions:
Allergic reactions are defined as undesirable and unexpected reactions after the vaccination. If it’s compromising the dog’s health then your dog is never protected as it failed to mount an immune response. That is why it is very important and vital to keep an eye on your puppy if he is not recovering from the mild reactions of the shot as it can be a sign that these mild reactions might be turning into severe allergic reactions.
The following is the list of the reported severe allergic reactions to the vaccine shot:
- Persistent vomiting (continual bringing of stomach/bile contents)
- Rashes/hives all over the body (itchy, raised skin bumps over abdomen, trunk or chest)
- Severe diarrhea (continual loss of control on bowels)
- Weakness, collapsing and loss of consciousness
- Difficulty in breathing and loud breathing sounds
- Bluish skin due to increased exertion/effort on chest while breathing
- Continuous coughing and sneezing
- Puffy or swollen face and watery eyes
These allergic reactions are adverse side effects and can be life-threatening if left unbothered. Nobody knows beforehand if his dog is allergic to any specific substance present in the shot. If you know any previous combat of the vaccine with your dog’s health then you should not get another one without counseling from your vet. Itwould be equivalent to a suicidal step taken by yourself for your puppy.
Lumping at the site of injection:
It is quite normal to report a swollen spot or firm nodule developed at the side of the injection. It has a medical and scientific explanation. As the body’s immune system becomes active and forms antibodies against the modified virus, the lymph nodes present at that site become enlarged. This causes the formation of the lump. The puppy might feel still sore and yelps if anybody touches or picks him up from the same spot. There is no need to worry until the lump persists even after a week. Procrastinating in this situation might not be a good idea. This can turn into a life-endangering situation.
Taking care of the pup after vaccination:
Every dog has its immunity and willpower to combat the after-effects of the vaccine both physically and mentally. You can lessen the pain of your puppy by consulting your veterinarian before getting the shot. However, the following steps can be taken to calm down your puppy:
- Caressing and cuddling:
You can make your pup feel better by cuddling them and soothing them out of the misery. If they are asking for your warmth and love then it’s time to give it all.
- Silence and comfort:
Every dog’s nature is different from the others, in both conditions of love and help. Some demand attention while some need their space. If your dog is of the latter type then design a corner of your house for him to relax and rest in silence.
- Getting him to play with favorite toys:
Gather some of your pup’s most favorite toys and put them in the same room with food and water so they don’t go out to search for them. This is some sort of activity discovered by the owners to distract doggies from pain.
- Medications for pain:
It’s better to not give any anti-inflammatory medicines to your pup without your doctor’s advice. If the vet recommends a medicine, then follow his guidelines to eradicate your pup’s ache as soon as possible. Generally, the vet gives a dosage of Aspirin according to your dog’s age and weight.
So, the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. With all the provided comfort and care your pup will be recovering from the symptoms very quickly and would be wagging his tail in no time!
