Vaccine Related Seizures in Puppies

Although vaccines can be very helpful in preventing the spread of disease among dogs, in some cases vaccinating your puppy can do more harm than good. A puppy may have immediate negative reactions to a vaccine, such as anaphylactic shock or seizures, or the negative reactions may be more delayed, showing up over the next few days as a variety of blood and organ problems. Although these adverse effects cannot be prevented completely, some indicators can help you to predict if your puppy is at higher risk for seizures and other significant problems.

  1. Causes

    • Many vaccines contain modified live virus (MLV).

      Although the causes of vaccine-related seizures in puppies are not clear-cut, veterinarians and researchers do have some ideas as to what the problem might be. The modified live virus (MLV) used in certain types of vaccine might be overloading the puppies' immune systems, resulting in seizures and other health problems. This risk is especially prevalent in puppies which may be predisposed to having reactions to vaccines.

    Onset

    • Vaccine-related seizures in puppies typically occur within a very short time after the pup is vaccinated. But this is not always the case. There is a body of somewhat controversial information that indicates that, in some cases, the vaccine may damage a puppy's immune and/or neurological system, but the negative effects, including seizures, may not appear for several weeks after the vaccination.

    Risk Factors

    • Some breeds may be at higher risk.

      Some breeds of dogs seem to be at higher risk for having vaccine-related seizures than other breeds. Although this is not an exact science, some of the breeds found to have a higher incidence of seizures and other vaccine-related problems are the German Shepherd, Akita, Old English Sheepdog, Dachshund, Scottish Terrier, Poodle and many others. If you have a purebred dog, check with the puppy's breeder or with a registered breed club to see if your dog's breed puts him into this category. If your dog is a mixed breed, talk to your veterinarian to see what her opinion is.

    Avoidance

    • Carefully follow the vaccine manufacturer's recommendations when vaccinating your puppy. Do not give vaccinations to puppies who are too young, who have a fever, who display any symptoms of illness, who have worms, or who have any of the other signs or contraindications outlined in the manufacturer's literature for the vaccine. Have your veterinarian check your puppy's blood titer to see if he is already immune to the disease and thus does not need a vaccination.

    Alternatives

    • There are alternatives to vaccinating your puppy, but you need to investigate these thoroughly before deciding to use a nontraditional method of protecting your puppy from disease. There are two commonly used types of homeopathic vaccine alternatives. One variety is nosodes, which are actually created from disease products and are intended to increase the resistance of your pup's immune system. The second type of homeopathic solution is medicine created from plants, minerals and animal products.

      Neither type of has been shown to increase the number of antibodies, and there is no clear scientific evidence supporting the use of homeopathic products for disease prevention. Despite this, proponents of homeopathy stand behind their choice and firmly believe in the power of these natural preventatives. While it is true that these alternative methods will protect your puppy from vaccine-related seizures, they may not protect him from the disease which the vaccine was supposed to prevent.