Your dog may show many side effects after getting a vaccination, but pups show the most common symptom is loose stool. There could be several causes for this to happen in the first place. So instead of focusing on the question, let us try to find out the possible solutions that can be used to provide comfort to your furry friend in times of need.
We’ll tell some useful and handy tips in this blog that can prove a great help for your pet buddy during and after their vaccination dose.
No matter how painful the vaccination process is, it is bound to ensure that your pet is safe from any serious disease in the future. We understand how you feel when your dog goes through that pain as dog parents. However, taking away their pain is out of our control, but we can do all that is within our capacity.
Why Do Puppies Get Vaccines?
Just like humans, puppies and adult dogs must be vaccinated against dangerous bacterial and viral diseases. To date, vaccines are the most effective way of protecting your puppy from infectious diseases.
Developed under strict safety rules, vaccines contain weaker versions of pathogens, enabling your body to fight disease-causing organisms by producing antibodies.
Once any foreign body enters your dog’s body, it becomes much better at fighting it.
Vaccines Can Save Dogs From Diseases
Please remember that vaccines are rather protective and should not be considered curative.
Some of the dangerous health conditions that vaccination can save your dog from are parvovirus infection, canine distemper, and infections in the respiratory tracts of dogs.
Vaccination Can Save Humans From Rabies
Besides, you must have heard about rabies, which is dangerous to humans, right? It is highly transmissible and can prove fatal for humans. Vaccination can save humans from such diseases as well.
Vaccination Has Helped In The Eradication Of Many Diseases
According to experts, vaccination has saved millions of animals. Due to the widespread usage of vaccines, many illnesses are now hardly found.
Yet, some pet parents avoid vaccination, as they deem it unimportant. Otherwise, they believe vaccination can have side effects and even cause autism in dogs.
Vaccination Can Stop The Return Of Dangerous Ailments
Interestingly, there are a lot of rare diseases that can return in the absence of timely vaccination among dogs. This can happen as many viruses, and bacteria can live in the environment and affect unvaccinated animals.
According to experts, if vaccination is not carried out regularly, it can lead to sporadic typhoid episodes and Parvovirus episodes.
Vaccination Can Save Humans From Zoonotic Diseases
Vaccinating puppies can save human lives from zoonotic diseases. These diseases, like rabies and leptospirosis, are passed from animals to humans. These serious conditions can threaten one’s life if not treated on time.
What to Expect After Vaccination?
Many things can be anticipated right after your doggo has received their vaccination, but you can also make some preparations in advance to minimize the effects of vaccination later. Like you can ensure that your dog is nicely fed and hydrated. In the case of small dogs, you can allow them to take proper rest and be as comfortable as possible before taking their vaccination shot. To make it easy for them, you can get them a crate where they can feel safe and secure. This will also allow them to take proper rest after vaccination.
Common Symptoms Your Dog Can get Post-Vaccination?
If your dog has experienced getting a vaccination before, their symptoms might not be that severe. However, that is not the case with puppies who are getting the vaccination shot for the first time.
1. Fever
Expecting a slight fever would not be the wrong thing to do. You can always make sure that you get in touch with your pup’s vet to get a recommendation for paracetamol in order to avoid fever later.
2. Swelling or Soreness
Sometimes it depends on how the injection was given to your dog, but mostly you could observe some soreness or swelling where they go vaccinated. Pups tend to get scared in such a situation and need attention and care. You can help them by using a heating pad to minimize the soreness. Ideally, mild soreness goes away soon.
3. Lethargy
Due to the pain or the reaction to the vaccination, some pups can feel a bit tired and lethargic after the vaccination. This is normal, and it tends to go away after taking proper rest for a few days. Ensure that your dog is not involved in too much physical activity as it can drain their energy off.
4. Vomiting
Pups can experience heavy vomiting in rare cases, leading to dehydration and fever. While it may be completely fine for them to vomit once or twice after getting the vaccination, it is best to seek professional help and immediately contact your pup’s vet.
5. Loose Stool
This is one of the most common symptoms that can trouble your puppy directly and indirectly. Loose stool can make your pet extremely weak and lethargic. It can also lead to dehydration. Therefore, if one had to define “slow killer,” one could do that by telling the after-effects of loose stool, and that would suffice.
Don’t let your dog suffer at the hands of this “slow killer” by providing the right treatment and care. We have listed some useful ways in which you can help your pet in case they are experiencing loose stool after vaccination.
Is It Normal For Puppies To Have Diarrhea After Shots?
Puppies need to be vaccinated from time to time, as this can save them from major diseases and help them to stay healthy. But most of the time, vaccination can have some side effects in young puppies.
While side effects like lethargy are pretty common, at times, there can be serious side effects like breathing problems.
One of the most common side effects in puppies is diarrhea. It can continue for the first two days, which is quite normal. But even after 48 hours, if your dog still suffers from diarrhea, be sure to take it to a vet.
Besides, diarrhea in dogs can also be accompanied by other problems. If that is the case, you need medical assistance. In addition, we recommend you look out for symptoms like vomiting, itchy skin, and swelling in the face or the neck.
Also, remember that diarrhea is more dangerous for puppies than for adult dogs. It can last longer and can dehydrate your puppy. So, you must ensure that your puppy is well-hydrated after being vaccinated.
How To Take Care Of Your Dog After It Is Vaccinated?
Needless to say that vaccination can be hard for our dogs. So, as pet parents, you should ensure that it is properly taken care of. In addition, puppies may lose their appetite after vaccination, and we recommend that you not force or entice them to eat anything.
On the other hand, if your dog is hungry, try to stop it from eating. Give your dog’s stomach around 24 hours to heal. So, it is better not to let it eat much during this time.
Keep a good watch over your dog. If it starts recuperating, begin by offering it some liquid or fresh drinking water. Simultaneously, if you feel that this time limit is too long for your dog, at least avoid giving it water and food for about 12 hours.
After a while, begin by giving it a bland diet. This should help in normalizing its stool. For instance, white rice and boiled chicken should do the trick. Remember to serve the food in small portions and only feed it when the food is hot.
6 Things to do if Your Puppy Experiences Loose Stool After Vaccination
If your dog has loose stool, you could help them in many ways by seeking from the comfort of your home. We will have a look at some ways in which you can help your pup. In extreme cases, it is always advisable to seek medical help and follow the directions of your dog’s vet.
1. Keep them Hydrated
As mentioned before, loose stool can lead to acute dehydration. To avoid serious consequences, ensure that they are well hydrated. Encourage them to intake water after regular intervals. You can get them a water fountain to ensure an endless supply of clean drinking water which they would enjoy.
Some puppies are not used to eating a lot, and some could even be allergic to certain types of food. You can consider keeping them on a liquid diet and adding supplements and necessary medicines.
2. Avoid Rich Food
As it is, pups don’t like to eat much in sickness, and it’s better this way. Their stomach needs to relax for a while before, but it is important to feed them to help their situation get better soon. However, you need to keep in mind the food is not too rich as fatty food can worsen their diarrhea. So whatever you give your dog to eat should have a nutritious value and be healthy enough to help them recover fast.
A balanced diet should be your topmost priority, and including celery and carrots in their diet could be great. The food should be given in small portions so that your puppy’s stomach doesn’t get overloaded.
3. Probiotics
Most vets recommend probiotics to help maintain a healthy gut for your puppy. It is essential to take care of how you feed your pup at this point in time. Healthy eating is the key to avoiding getting the situation worse. Probiotics and digestive enzymes supplements can help them recover better.
If you have considered getting treatment from your dog’s pet, then there are high chances that they would advise them on anti-bacterial, anti-fungal medication to deal with loose stool situations.
4. Maintain Hygiene
It is equally important to maintain the cleanliness of the bowl in which you feed your pet. Keep your hands clean while preparing and serving them food to make sure that germs don’t enter their already compromised system. You should always wash your hands thoroughly after clearing your dog’s waste.
Small and cute but curious! Puppies’ curious nature and their ability to explore their surroundings by their mouth can land them into additional trouble. You need to be prepared for such a situation, and if you consider getting them a puppy crate or a puppy pen, then it is important to maintain its hygiene as well.
5. Home Remedies
If your vet suggests you take care of your pet at your home, you can watch out for some home remedies to relieve them. Loose stool caused by vaccination can be treated with boiled rice and bananas. Some herbal supplements can also be introduced into your pet’s diet. However, always remember that an overdose of any ingredient can harm your pet. Keep providing fresh drinking water and any food you give to your dog to help in proper digestion and avoid dehydration.
6. Mental Health
Persistent loose stool can be a cause of concern, and a young pup might get really weak and scared after a few days. It is crucial to take care of the physical discomfort of your puppy, but at the same time, you also need to keep in mind their emotional well-being. A vaccination experience could be quite traumatic for a puppy. On top of that, dealing with loose stool can negatively impact their minds.
You need to deal with the entire situation as calmly as possible. Make it a point to get your dog checked regularly for any extreme conditions.
Final Verdict
Little puppies are cute and innocent and to see them sick, helpless, and sad is undesirable for any dog parent. That is why they try to get them vaccinated against deadly diseases. But these vaccinations do not come without symptoms. If you learn how to deal with your puppy’s post-vaccination symptoms, it will help you take care of them even later on.
All you have to do is keep track of the frequency and consistency of the stool in case they experience loose stool. After which, you need to ensure that they get proper rest, food, and liquids. On cannot emphasize the importance of staying hydrated when having loose stool. So, just gear up and ensure that they have all that they need. Of course, a little bit of extra love and care goes a long way.
Also Read: 18 Common Health Problems in Large Breed Dogs
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Dr. Lillian is a D.V.M. passionate about promoting awareness of dogs. She shares her expertise through her blogs on canineweekly.com and provides animal care services, including internal medicine, dermatology, and emergency care. Dr. Lillian is committed to contributing to animal welfare.