Puppies are not born with immunity to many potentially lethal diseases, which is why they need to be on an immunization schedule as soon as they are 8 weeks old, although Dog Owner's Veterinary Handbook notes that some vets will give vaccinations to healthy puppies when they are as young as 6 weeks old. Vaccinations rarely give puppies any bad side effects.
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Common Side Effects
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The most common side effects a puppy will have after vaccinations, if they have any at all, is sleepiness for 24 hours and some swelling at the injection site.
Time Frame
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According to Holly Hash, DVM, if a puppy is going to have a serious side effect from a vaccination, it will come as early as 30 minutes to 24 hours after the shot has been given.
Mild Reactions
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According to ASPCA Complete Guide to Dogs, some mild side effects include a low fever, sneezing, loss of appetite and development of a nodule at the injection site. These go away in a week.
Emergency
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If a puppy is allergic to the vaccination, it will go into shock. If the puppy collapses, goes into seizures, has trouble breathing, breaks out in hives, and has both diarrhea and is vomiting, take it to the vet immediately.
Long-term Effects
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The ASPCA Complete Guide to Dogs also notes that a type of tumor called a sarcoma may form at the injection site years after the initial shot.
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