BAD REACTION to distemper shot

lawguy

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This is the branching off of another thread of mine but because I'm in a bit of a panic, I wanted it to get seen a bit.

An hour ago I posted the following (modified a bit to make more sense for those who didn't read the thread this branched off from).

My 7 week old kitten is not doing well all of a sudden.

After getting her shot this morning, I let her rest. When I came to check on her a few hours later, she was having trouble moving.

She is VERY tender on her belly. Is this where they give the shot? From what I'm reading online, it should have been her shoulder area. Also her back is almost equally tender. Just about any movement hurts her. I tried to hold her to comfort her but she let out these little crying sounds that made it apparent that it hurt.

I put her in my bed, covered her up, and am staying with her for the night so I can be close to her to both let her know that I care, and that I am there to take care of her.

It's really hard to see her like this, especially with her just being a baby. I've seen my dog like this too after shots and it always breaks my heart. The worst part is just feeling like there is nothing I can do but offer love as support. I called the vet's emergency line to ask if I could give her a small dose of coated aspirin, but he said no. (I suspected that would be the answer, but in the case that I was wrong, I asked anyways)

I made things worse unfortunately for a brief second by accidentally tripping and grabbing the sheet she was lying on sending her flying about a foot in the air and landing back on the bed. It wouldn't have been a problem at all if it wasn't for the fact that she's in pain.


This is the thread it branched from:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=184599

UPDATE 9:30 PM AND THE REASON I AM POSTING THIS AS A NEW THREAD BELOW!

She wouldn't move on her own, but I knew she needed to eat to get calories if her immune system was going to act appropriately in creating antibodies. So, I brought her food up to her in my bed. She ate a good amount, so I started to feel a little relieved. Then she got up and walked to the edge of the bed which I interpretted as "I need to eliminate.", and that would make sense as she usually eliminates immediately after eating. I knew picking her up would be painful for her, so instead I grabbed her fleece blanket and folded it up, coaxed her to walk onto it, and then lifted it with her on it to minimize pain. I took her to her litter box and got her to step in it. She immediately got out of it and sat next to it on the cold tile looking up at me.

All of a sudden, I see a little river flowing from underneath her. She was pissing on herself! Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not upset because it's gross or anything like that in the least! I'm upset because I'm worried about her health right now.

I recently dealt with her pooping on the carpet (see: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=184778 ) but this is different. The carpet is understandable. Either she preferred the soft carpet to the newer wheat litter (which she is using, and has used earlier today based on the fact that I found 2 clumps when scooping her downstairs box a little while ago), or she had an accident "Oh no, where is that place I go to the bathroom again?? I don't remember?!"

This is totally different. She was IN her litterbox... got out.... and then peed on herself. Now, I'm highly skeptical that this is an issue of not liking her litter as she's used it already today, and I can't imagine that peeing on herself is preferred to peeing in the litter that is adjacent to her.

Anyways, I quickly cleaned it up, and got her into her little bed and covered her up. She started crying just at the feeling of the blanket touching her now!


I realized that now ANY AND ALL TACTILE SENSATION IS EXPERIENCED AS BEING EXTREMELY PAINFUL!


My mother has now chipped in and we're taking shifts watching her and monitoring her as she sleeps. We both agree that something is not right. My father is a physician and he took a look at her, but he admits that he really doesn't know enough about animal care to be of help. He isn't as worried as my mother and me, but he agrees that this is beyond anything he's seen (but he too has never had a cat, only 4 dogs) My brother doesn't really care much for animals, so he's out (oh well).

The vet told me when I called him that if she still is like this Monday to call him. I'm just wondering though if I should take her to an animal hospital if she keeps getting worse.

I KNOW PLENTY about vaccine reactions. My dog has had terrible reactions, both as a puppy and adult. This is the worst I've ever seen. Could FIV explain this? Has anybody else witnessed this kind of severe reaction?
 

zoeysmom

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I would recommend taking her to an emergency vet now. Don't wait until she gets any worse....just go now to be safe.

I know nothing about vaccine reactions, but it just doesn't sound like your little one is doing very well!
 

ut0pia

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I'm having a problem with the same thing. I was just looking at this site to see what's normal and what isn't

http://www.peteducation.com/article....1+2143&aid=961

I would watch her very closely if she needs to see an ER vet. My kitten meows when I touch his shoulder too, and he will not sleep on that side ...even if I touch it slightly he will cry
And this is three days after he had his shot...The first was not as bad neither was the second...
 
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lawguy

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I read your thread. From what I'm reading online, your kitty's reaction is more along the lines of what is within the normal range.

What's so weird about mine is that the pain is all over her body, with the exception of her head.

The vet says as of the moment to just let her rest and see how she is tomorrow morning. He doesn't think I need to take her to an er vet as of the moment, but I already know of one should I choose to do it tomorrow. I took her to an er vet the day after I found her, and the guy seemed to know his stuff.

She is purring when I gently rub her head for a while. So that's at least a good sign.

I'll be watching her closely over the night and will rethink the er thing tomorrow if she is worse.
 

ut0pia

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Hopefully it's not too serious and she recovers on her own by tomorrow
 

littleraven7726

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that your kitty feels better tomorrow.

I've had kitties have reactions to the distemper vaccine, but never that bad. Since then for the ones with reactions, the vet gives them an antihistamine shot before their distemper shot and it really helps.
 
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lawguy

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I will be requesting an antihistamine for her next vaccine in 3 weeks.

She made it through the night and is better today. Not herself still, but MUCH better.

Around 1AM I finally left her to just get some sleep and set my alarm clock to wake me up at intervals through the night to check on her. Each time a part of me was afraid that she wasn't going to be breathing..... but I was wrong. She pulled through.

I'm quite relieved.
 

ut0pia

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That's really good that she feels better!!! Maybe the vet will have a better suggestion than antihistamine shot...I was reading about intranasal vaccines for distemper and flu and how they can be less harmful and are suggested by holistic vets...
 

nance

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Happy she is feeling alittle better....I had a cat once who got very sick after her first set of needles...I choose NOT to have anymore...and she lived to the rip old age of 18 hardly ever going to the vets...Maybe your kitty is just feeling overwhelmed with new food... new meds (wasn't she on something else for her eye)...needles....poor little one has been thru so much ...in her short life
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by LawGuy

I will be requesting an antihistamine for her next vaccine in 3 weeks.
It's a personal choice in the end, but if she truly is having a serious reaction I would never vaccinate that cat again. Vets can provide you with statements that your cat is too sensitive to handle it and back up you choice. Or at the very least choose not to have that particular vaccine - you can get them separate but your vet may have to special order the vaccines if they don't have them on hand.

I do suggest you research the vaccines used and ask your vet about type and brand as you may be able to figure out what exactly caused the reaction.

I agree with the others, she needs to see an emergency vet. I hope she recovers and that no lasting damage was done.
 

ut0pia

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I agree with the other two posters, I would not vaccinate again. That's just me though.
 

jack31

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I'm not going to tell you not to vaccinate again but I would recommend you research vaccinations and talk to your vet about that possibility. I personally wouldn't want my cat to go through a reaction again. I do not believe in most vaccinations for INDOOR ONLY cats.

Leslie
 
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lawguy

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Looks like I spoke too soon. She's better, but not out of the woods.

She's still sore, but at least is not in excruciating pain at the slightest touch.

She peed on herself again though and also pooped on herself. I'm going to have to give her a bath, but do it in a warm room (I'll leave the heat lamp on for an hour beforehand) and have a hair-dryer ready to dry her immediately so she doesn't get additionally sick.

Also, a new, and fairly big problem is that I'm noticing that she seems to be deaf. I had wondered about this in the past, so it may not be new, but it has me concerned. How do I test her hearing? Is it possible her hearing is still developing?
 

ut0pia

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I would not give her a bath in the full sense of the word. I would just use warm wet towels to clean her up. She is already in pain and stressed, so adding on to that with a bath might be too much..for that reason I think a hair dryer might not be a good idea, I wouldn't do it but I'm not 100% sure it's bad...
 

skimble

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So sorry your little girl is having a hard time. I hope she feels better soon.

A couple of mine had more than a "mild reaction" to their kitten vaccinations.

I looked for information here http://www.avma.org/default.asp .

This is the American Veterinary Medical Association site.

I have no experience with cats hearing. There are members here who do.

This site has great information about kittens in general. www.kitten-rescue.com

You are doing a wonderful job with her. So lucky she found you.
 
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lawguy

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ut0pia:

I kind of feel the same way about the bath. I was thinking if I gave her a bath, she is going to suffer and get stressed.... if I didn't give her a bath, I worried that she might get some kind of infection. The warm wet towel idea is a good one. That will have to do until she's well enough for me to bathe her.

As for her being deaf, I did some reading online and came across the "vacuum cleaner test". It's quite literally taking a vacuum cleaner near the cat and briefly turning it on. For some reason cats respond to that sound with fear. If that cat gets spooked, he/she can hear. If the cat starts playing with it and gets sucked in like a furry tennis-ball, you have a deaf cat (I'm exaggerating with the latter portion for the sake of levity).

I didn't even have to run it for a full second. A half-second of the vacuum starting up got her perked up and looking right at it. Hurray, she can hear! I guess she's just otherwise in her own little zone and tunes my family's voices and/or clapping/whistling out.

She's started exploring again as of a little while ago, so I take that as a good sign.

Also, it's probably just coincidental timing, but I switched her litter again this morning to Kitten-Attract litter media. She's using the box again and hasn't had an accident for a few hours. I can't imagine that she hated the wheat based litter so much that she would rather pee and poop on herself, but then again what do I know?

ETA: Thanks again to all for the help. A lot of places try to claim "You've got questions. We've got answers." (ie: like Radio Shack, where nobody knows anything about electronics and if you go in asking for a 10uf electrolytic capacitor they instead try to sell you a Motorola phone with a Sprint plan or something). You guys definitely have answers here and you've been incredibly helpful.
 

darlili

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How's your little girl - I'm hoping she's much better. She was so lucky to find you..

Re litter - you may find cats can suddenly develop very strong likes and dislikes - my two always try to do the right thing, but my boy just couldn't stand certain litters...and let me know that even the carpet was preferable. Funny part was that he'd always try every litter for a day or two, but eventually just couldn't deal with it.


BTW, there probably was a little booklet in the Kitten Attract litter - I bet there was a coupon for $1 off future purchases toward the back of the booklet. I know your baby's comfort is the most important thing to you, but these days a few pennies here and there can add up.
 
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lawguy

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9:38 PM

She's finally over the hump.

I just went down to check on her again and she was finally awake and just lounging. I started to softly pet her and she didn't indicate pain. After a while she started purring, then got up and wanted to play. We played for a while, then she went over to her food and ate a good 2 & 1/2 tablespoons or so of wet food... drank some water (btw: I don't think I've seen her ever drink water until just now), used her litter box for 1 and 2..... then came back and wanted to play some more.

I even got her to start playing with the iScratch I bought her this morning while out getting the new litter media.

She finally tuckered out after about 20 minutes of playing and went into her bed to lie down and was asleep and in REM within a few minutes which is when I left her.

I am going to investigate what to do about the other vaccinations. I don't want to see her suffer again, but at the same time I want her to be protected from suffering from a preventable illness later on. I'll talk to the vet AND call a second vet (the one who first saw her the day after I found her) to get a second opinion.
 
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