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My 2 yr old great dane lab mix recieved a rabies and distemper shot about 8 hours ago and also a dose of heartworm medicine. she is now whinning and vomiting. could it be from the shots?
Optional Information: Type of Animal: Great Dane/Lab mix Pet's Gender: female Pet's Age: 2 Name of Dog: Dodie Already Tried: water
Thank you for your question.I would like to help with Dodie's health issue, I just need some additional information.What type of heartworm medication was given?How many times has she vomited?
heartgaurd
Thank you for the additional information.It is most likely that she is experiencing a vaccine reaction.The most common type of reaction is lethargy, low grade fever, and discomfort at the ingestion site. But occasionally, some dogs will have more significant reactions and these can include vomiting.You did not mention how many times she has vomited, but this will need to be considered when deciding whether or not she requires a vet visit this evening. Things to check to determine whether Dodie needs to be evaluated tonight, include:Check her gum color- it should be a healthy looking pink. If the gums are deep red, pale pink, bluish or purplish, these are not good signs and demand immediate attention.Rub your finger over her gums- they should be slippery and wet indicating that she is well hydrated. If the gums are sticky, it means she is dehydrated and will need a vet visit for fluid therapy.If she has been panting, her gums may be a little dry from that. In that case, using your index finger and thumb, pull up on the skin between her shoulder blades, then release. If she is well hydrated, the skin will snap back into place quickly. If she is dehydrated, it will settle down more slowly.If possible, take her temperature. Use a thermometer with liberal amounts of KY Jelly or Vaseline. Insert gently into her rectum and hold the thermometer in place. If a mercury thermometer, leave in for 1.5 minutes. The normal temperature for a dog is 101.5F. If it is below 99F or above 103 F, she should be evaluated right away.Press on her belly with both hands from either side of her belly. See if you find an area of discomfort. If so, she should be evaluated.If her color, hydration, and temperature are normal and she is not uncomfortable in her belly, remove access to all food and water until tomorrow morning. If she does not vomit overnight, you can start her on a bland diet consisting of boiled chicken and white rice for the next day or so. It should be a ratio of 1/3 meat to 2/3 rice. Feed multiple small meals initially to make sure she can hold it down. I also recommend that you try some plain Benadryl (make sure there are no other additives such as Tylenol or phenylephrine) to help calm the overactive immune response to the vaccines and help with her whining and discomfort. You can find the dosing information for that here:http://walkervalleyvet.com/otc-meds.htmIf any of the above parameters change, or if she continues vomiting despite being fasted, then she should be evaluated by a vet on an emergency basis.Be sure to report this to your vet so they know about this reaction.
Experience: 9 yrs experience as a small animal veterinarian; 19 yrs exp. in the animal care field