Severe Vaccine Reaction Vs. Tick Borne Disease

[Guest eaglflyt]

Update #5 11-28-09 6:00 PM

 

Ady Bea is doing even better today! I'd say she's 90 - 95% back to her normal self! She ran laps in her turnout area this morning. She didn't whine or wince when her Rimadyl was coming due. No fever for about 72 hrs! I think she's almost over this reaction. : ) She's playing with her new stuffies and having fun, able to eat without having to have her food bowl elevated, moves with ease an no apparent pain anywhere. She's also enjoying her new bed.

 

I think we're almost there as far as recovery goes. If she was off her meds. I'd say she was back to 100%.

 

I'll not update any more unless there's a change we didn't expect.

 

Thanks so very much everyone!

 

Shelly & Ady Bea

 

The meaning of her name:

 

Ady = noble & kind, Bea = blessing

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Update #4 11-27-09 10:00 AM

 

We've been 48 hrs. fever free! Her gait is less stiff and she wasn't wincing or crying out this morning when her Rimadyl was wearing off! She even trotted and slowly ran maybe 20 steps when we took her out to potty this morning. She's also sleeping curled up again instead of all stiffened with her legs and head straight out like a board. She's more alert and even seems happy today for the first time since last Saturday.

 

We are continuing the Rimadyl 50 mg every 12 hrs. and her doxycycline 200 mg daily until after we talk with our vets on Monday morning. We will have an updated plan at that time. Ady's more extensive tick panel came back *negative*! Although it didn't test for every possible strain of tick borne disease, most of the major ones were covered and it was much more extensive than the SNAP4 DX done by our vets in their offices. All her blood work and urine analysis have been normal, too!

 

Monday morning, this will be reported as a vaccine reaction by our vets to both Pfizer and the US Dept of Agriculture veterinary biologics division.

 

Even though we've had this terrible reaction, I don't want everyone to rule this vaccination off their list permanently based solely on our experience. In the book *Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound* (2007 edition) on page 370, this vaccine is suggested/recommended to be given to greyhounds to help prevent periodontal disease ... which can be deadly ... and greyhounds are known for having bad mouths. This was Ady's particular immune system response to this vaccine, just as many dogs have reacted like this ... or even worse, to rabies vaccines, which are required by law. The lepto vaccine also has many dogs that react terribly to it, but Ady had no problem at all. Since we live in a rural area where Lepto is plentiful, we chose to have her vaccinated, especially since we know more than a few friends that have lost dogs to Leptospirosis.

 

So, in vaccinating, it's a bit of a gamble as to how your dog's immune system will react. Everyone hopes that their dog's immune system will build antibodies toward any harmful virus or bacteria that you are trying to protect them against and not have a bad reaction. Ady had never had a problem before. We thought we were doing good for her to help prevent future dental problems and help her live a healthy and longer life and avoid anesthesia for dentals, which we all know how risky anesthesia is in greyhounds. The dental vaccine had been given to hundreds/thousands of dogs and in studies done before release, it was determined safe for puppies as young as 7 weeks.

 

So, make your best decisions about promoting the health of your dog(s). We're each trying to do the best we can. If Ady had reacted to a rabies vaccination, I certainly couldn't recommend everyone stop vaccinating for rabies. Just make your own decisions to the best of your ability and I pray that our dogs don't react badly.

 

Thank you to everyone for your concern this past week. We've really appreciated it!

 

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!!

 

Shelly & Ady Bea

 

P.S. I'm SO VERY THANKFUL for our pet insurance (http://www.embracepetinsurance.com)! We have already been reimbursed for last Saturday's Evet visit and they have completed processing our claim from this week's extensive vet visit. Our reimbursement for that visit will be in our account on Monday! Through all of this, the pet insurance eased the burden of the expense worries while trying to provide care and treatment for Ady Bea. I highly recommend it! We are on a budget and a small monthly premium is worth it's weight in gold for peace of mind and the health and welfare of our girl. : )

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Update #3 11-26-09 11:20 AM Ady is still walking stiffly. She winces when her Rimadyl begins to wear off. She ate breakfast and so far her temp has stayed in the normal range for the last 24 hrs. She seems very tired and doesn't want to be active at all. We have to encourage her to get up. She started wincing this morning about 7 AM and her Rimadyl wasn't due until 9 AM. Overall, she is slowly improving, but so far she's not anywhere near her normal self. This is Day #5.

 

Monday morning the vet is calling Pfizer and reporting this as a vaccination reaction also to the FDA/USDA. We'll also be having a discussion with two of our vets to decide what to do next based on how she's doing on Monday AM. We have the phone number of our vet to contact this weekend, if needed, as well as the Evet clinic, if needed.

 

Thanks to everyone for your concern, good wishes and prayers for Ady Bea. We're really hoping that this doesn't become a long-term or permanent condition. It is especially odd since it seems all her skin is painful to touch, not to mention her pain when she moves ... which is probably more muscle and joint pain.

 

Shelly in OK

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Update #2 11-25-09 9:30 PM Ady's Rimadyl has worn off and her latest dose hasn't kicked in yet. Her temp is climbing a little (almost 103) and she's crying out in pain when touched. She gets her Rimadyl at 9 AM and 9 PM, so hopefully her 9 PM dose will kick in quickly. She still walks very stiffly and seems painful. We're completing day #4 of this problem/reaction. Ady has just dozed off on the couch, so hopefully the Rimadyl will have her more comfortable when she wakes up.

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Update: The vet just called about an hour ago and Ady's tick panel results done at the lab were all negative. This panel doesn't test for every single tick borne disease, but many more than the SNAP4 DX. While there's still a remote chance it may be TBD, the vet is pursuing it as a vaccine reaction and reporting it to all the appropriate places. We are continuing to monitor Ady closely and will be in touch with the vet throughout the holiday & weekend.

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We've had a gut wrenching few days with our girl, Ady Bea. On Saturday we had decided to have her receive the porphyromonas (dental) vaccine. We had hopes of avoiding anesthesia and future dentals when this was combined with regular toothbrushing with Petzlife Oral Care Gel and healthy diet. She received the vaccine at 3:30 PM Saturday afternoon. She started acting a bit lethargic by 8 PM, and by 9 pm she was literally screaming incessantly in pain. I checked her temp and it was 103.4. The vaccination had been given in her left shoulder area. She was unable to get up due to the pain, so we had to muzzle her to help her out to the car to take her to the Evet. I gave her Benadryl on the way out the door and grabbed an ice pack for her shoulder. She screamed all the way to the Evet ... so loudly that when we arrived, the Evet facility emptied with techs with a stretcher and other customers offering help while we tried to get her out of the car ... with her screaming in pain.

 

They immediately took her back and started examining her. Her temp was now >104. She was given IV Buprenex (synthetic type of morphine ... 30 X more effective than morphine) & a ketofen injection. She was diagnosed with myositis from vaccine reaction. They observed her a couple of hours and we brought her home with Rimadyl to be given every 12 hrs. for 4 days starting Sunday evening.

 

Sunday, she was still druggy from the Buprenex, temp about 103, and moving slowly, but now weight bearing on her left front leg.

 

Monday, she was more alert, still sore and walking rather stiff, but otherwise much improved with temp of 102.6 on Rimadyl.

 

Tuesday, everything went CRAZY! She ate only a portion of her breakfast, took her meds, and then just wanted to lay down. She drank some water after being leash walked just to use the bathroom. She gradually looked more lethargic and glassy eyed and started to look to be breathing too quickly. I checked her temp and it was 104.4 by 11:30 AM ... ON Rimadyl. We had to try to help get her up to go back to the vet and again she was screaming in pain when moved or when she was touched nearly anywhere.

 

Once at the vet's, she was immediately checked. Her temp kept climbing. At one point her temp was 106.3! She was painful everywhere ... even her face when touched. Full lab was drawn as well as blood for a full tick panel. A urine specimen was collected. Here CBC in the office was normal ... no elevated WBCs, platelets 152,000, everything else normal. She stayed at the vet, with us in the waiting room, until her temp was down to 103+. She was started on doxycycline just in case it might be a tick borne disease. (The thought was even though she has always been negative on the SNAP 4 DX test previously & yesterday, that a different TBD not tested for on that test may have been lying dormant and suddenly reared it's ugly head with immune stress from vaccination. And, the SNAP 4 DX isn't 100% accurate.) We brought her home to be continued on NSAIDs and doxycycline and should hear any minute from the office about her lab results.

 

We are hopeful the lab results will confirm either a TBD, or rule it out and rule in a severe immune reaction to the vaccine.

 

Today she is still lethargic, but not nearly as bad. Her temperature is normal and we're checking it every 4 hours during the day. She's eating better and a bit brighter, but she still walks very stiffly and has some pain, although she hasn't screamed out any today.

 

Added: The Vet just called and Ady's blood smear showed no evidence of parasites (babesia or other), the tick panel hasn't been completed yet, all blood values are normal, urine was fine. Results of the tick panel will be called to us as soon as they are done.

 

Please don't flame me for vaccinating. Our hope was to promote her health and spare her anesthesia exposures in the future. We each do our best to make the very best decisions for our animals. I know others that have had their dogs and even greys vaccinated with this vaccine with no ill effects and they feel it has been helpful.

 

I'll update as soon as we know more. Thanks for adding Ady Bea to your prayers, if you would.

 

Shelly in OK

Edited November 29, 2009 by GreyTzu

[FountainLady]

Wow ....

[Guest SueG201]

that is scary stuff, I am glad sh e is feeling better

[Guest Energy11]

 

WOW!

 

No one could blame you for doing what you thought was right for her! But, as we ALL know, greyhounds react soooooooooo much differently to just about everything.

 

Sounds like all the right things were, and are being done. Hopefully, your tick panel will come back clear, but, yes, a TBD could have been "awakened" from the vaccine. You just never know.

 

This is a good post, as after reading this, I know, I would never give that vaccine. Too bad it was at the expense of your baby.

 

Wishing you nothing but healing thoughts, and the best of luck! Sorry you had to go through all of this!

[Burpdog]

Sending lots of prayers. She's not the first to have a reaction to the vaccine unfortunately.

[Guest scfilby]

Thank-you for posting this, and I hope your hound gets well soon. I get upset when they have a small issue..

 

We had the vaccine recommeded to us and have considered it for the very same reasons you did, avoidance of anesthesia. We have been on the fence about it, but after reading this, the decisison is made..

 

 

[Trihounds]

Wow - so sorry to hear of the troubles but I'm glad things seem to be improving. Our Bumper had a severe reaction to an Imidocarb injection to treat Babesia and we believe (although there is no scientific data) it contributed to / caused his current autoimmiune condition. His body's reaction was not unlike poor Ady's. Lot's of good wishes for improvement.

Edited November 25, 2009 by BrucieDad

[gazehund]

Holy crap Shelly!! No flames from me. No way you could have known what was going to happen.

Continued prayers and good thoughts for your girl.

[4My2Greys]

Shelley,

As others have said no one in their right mind would flame you for giving her that vaccine. You clearly only had her best interest in mind. I'm so sorry that Ady had such a terrible reaction to the vaccine. This is one of the reasons I have cut back on the frequency in which I vaccinate my own and this particular vaccine is one that I will now definately forgo even considering. As scfilby said thank you for posting this, no telling how many others may avoid the same reaction by letting others know what happened to Ady. Sending lots of hugs and white light to both you and Ady for continued improvement.

[Rickiesmom]

What an ordeal for you and your girl! Sending prayers things settle down for good this time, and with no lasting effects.

 

Thank you for posting your experience.

[Batmom]

Oh my word. Every dog owner's nightmare. Sending prayers and lots of hugs for you and sweet pupper.

 

And count me among those who say, no way could you know that your dog would be one to have a bad reaction. You were doing your best for her, and evidently her immune system just had way different ideas.

[Guest greytbookert]

I'm so sorry that this happened. That must have been awful to witness. I hope she makes a full recovery and quickly!

 

 

[Houndtime]

Who ever would flame you? I wish your girl a full and speedy recovery.

[greyhead]

I'm so glad the evets have been so responsive and, seemingly, effective. How horrible, though!

Thanks so much for sharing this information; I would've had no idea of this potential otherwise.

Anybody who even hinted at flaming you over this would, I'm pretty sure, come to regret it!

 

Hope the healing continues swiftly.

[duncan41]

How awful for you and Ady Bea! Thank you for posting your experience, as difficlt as it has turned out to be. Sending prayers for a swift recovery!

[iluvgreys]

OMG. What a nightmare for you all. Sending loads of prayers and light to your baby girl.

[gracegirl]

Thank you for posting this. I hope your girl is back to her old self in no time!

[Guest lovemyhounds]

Thank you so much for sharing this. I will certainly avoid this vaccination, thanks to you. Sending prayers for you and Ady Bea, may she have a swift and full recovery.

[Guest jerrybird]

What a terrible thing to happen to Ady-and you of course. Hope she improves for you and please, please know that we all do things that we might regret later. Prayers for a good recovery being sent.

[Guest K9_Lady]

Sending healing thoughts for your girl.

[Guest eaglflyt]

Thanks so much for everyone's good wishes and prayers. Ady's temp has been normal all day today, so far! She seems much more comfortable, too. She's still in Rimadyl 50 mg every 12 hours, so I'm not sure what exactly we would be facing off the med. at this point. We plan on continuing the Rimadyl for several more days. We're still waiting on the extensive tick panel results, but hopefully we will have news soon.

 

Our vet is in contact with Pfizer (manufacturer of the vaccine) about this. I found a post by a vet about a similar reaction in a Yorkie HERE.

 

I had never witnessed any animal screaming like she did and for such a length of time. She would try to bite us if we tried to move her at all because of her pain, which necessitated her muzzle Sat. night for the transport to the Evet. That trip, I was riding with her in the back seat while my husband drove. I hope to never have to do a trip like that again. There was nothing I could do to comfort her except give that Benadryl to her on the way out and hold a cold pack over the injection site.

 

I do have to say that several greys in our group have had the vaccination with no ill effects ... at least 6. Among our adoption group and volunteers, we are the only one's that have had an issue. It was because the others had done so well that I felt it would be worth it to hopefully avoid anesthesia for dentals. So, for some dogs this may be very beneficial ... just not our girl if this isn't a TBD and is indeed a severe vaccination reaction.

 

I'll keep updating as we get more information from her tests.

 

Thanks again!

 

Shelly in OK

Edited November 25, 2009 by eaglflyt

[Guest sja5032]

I read up a little on the vaccine and it seems like it is causing a lot of the same problems in many other breeds. So much for Vets wanting the best for your dog not their pockets.

 

I'm so sorry that you and your girl were subjected to this, but hopefully many others will learn from it and avoid the situation. I too would have considered the vaccine if I hadn't just read some of the reviews.

 

I hope your girl is feeling better asap, give her extra turkey tomorrow it might help

 

[Guest TeddysMom]

We all try so hard to do what is right for our animals but sometimes things happen that are out of our control. I'm sorry Ady and you are having to deal with this and I hope that she will recover quickly. Thank you for posting so we all have this information.

[Guest budsmom]

I'm glad you got her help so quickly! I can't imagine how scary this has been for you. It makes me appreciate my own vet even more. I asked him about this vaccine and he recommended against it as he said there's really no evidence supporting it being effective. Hugs to your girl, I hope she's good as new again soon

[Guest eaglflyt]

I read up a little on the vaccine and it seems like it is causing a lot of the same problems in many other breeds. So much for Vets wanting the best for your dog not their pockets.

 

 

So that I'm being totally honest, this vaccination wasn't given by our regular vet. Our vet doesn't even stock the vaccine as he has felt the jury is still out on this one. I had called a week ago to schedule her vaccination and that's when I was told that my vet doesn't have the porphyromonas vaccine, or give it at this time. I had researched it online, but evidently didn't specifically search for severe reactions and found mostly positive reports. Also, knowing friends that had hounds that did just fine, I thought it would be the best thing to do.

 

A vaccination clinic was being held by another vet and their techs in our town. I took Addy to that vaccination clinic for this vaccine exclusively. That's why I am feeling so very guilty. And, honestly, she is the only grey among our adoption group and volunteers that has had any problem at all.