Dog Vaccines That Cause Health Problems

Vaccinating your dog is an administered injection that helps his body's immune system fight off disease. Vaccines are important to help manage your dogs health; however, in rare cases, they can cause health problems. It's important to know what to watch out for after vaccinating your dog and how vaccines can affect your dog.

  1. Canine Distemper

    • The distemper vaccination is the most common cause of neurologic disease. Neurologic disease causes inflammation of the brain. Weimaraners and other large-breed dogs may develop hypertrophic osteodystrophy, which is a bone disease. This may occur following the distemper vaccination given to a dog between two and five months of age. Respiratory signs, diarrhea and enlarged lymph nodes may develop. This disease can be treated with glucocorticoids.

    Killed Vaccines

    • Killed vaccines are vaccines made by taking the real, disease-causing viruses or bacteria, killing them and making them into a liquid. They have more virus or bacterial particles as well as added chemicals to improve the dog's immune response. Killed vaccines, such as rabies, canine coronavirus and leptospirosis may cause a condition called anaphylaxis, which is rare but life threatening. Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction that can be caused from vaccinations, commonly killed vaccines. It can cause shock, respiratory and cardiac failure or even death. Additional symptoms may include facial swelling, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures or coma. It may also cause your dog to have pale gums. Generally, his heart rate is will be fast, but his pulse will be weak.

    Live Vaccines

    • Live vaccines are vaccines made by taking the real, disease-causing virus and altering it into a non-disease-causing virus. Commonly, live vaccines can cause a mild fever, decreased appetite and cause depression one to two days following the vaccination. This does not usually require any treatment.

    Measle Vaccines

    • Although rare, the measles vaccine in puppies may cause damage to the nervous system.

    Bordetella and Parainfluenza Vaccine

    • Dogs vaccinated with the bordetella and the parainfluenza vaccine may develop a mild cough; however, treatment it not usually needed. PetEducation.com notes, "They may spread the vaccine form of the virus to other animals through their coughing."

    Warning

    • A pregnant dog should never be vaccinated, as it can cause birth defects or abortions. Puppies less than four or five weeks old should not be vaccinated, because they can become infected with or develop a disease as a result of the live vaccine.