I took my 10 week old kitten to vet and get the 1st distamper shot this monday. He has been tired and lethargic. The vet did warn us that he will be tired Monday night, but it's now Wed. Is this normal reaction? He is eating and drinking fine.
Where was the injection site? If it was the neck, it takes some cats awhile to shake off the after effects- some are just more sensitive to it than others. To be safe, however, I would call you vet and tell him.
Yes it's around the neck. How long usually doea it take for the kitten to shake this off? I am out of town for today - my hubby says the kitten is still not quite himself this evening, but still very interested in stealing big cat's food.
Spike just went in for his annual checkup and a booster this past Tuesday. He was perfectly fine when I brought him home, but by Tuesday evening, I could tell he's feeling a bit punky. I was up mostly all Tuesday night, so I was able to keep an eye on him, and he was definitely lethargic. Today (Wednesday), he seemed to be a bit better. If he's not back to normal tomorrow afternoon, I'm calling the vet. They did say it was normal for him to feel a bit icky after the booster, but I tend to worry. Better to be safe than sorry. Hope your little guy feels better soon.
Thanks for checking Helen. I came back from a business trip this morning and found that he is back to his normal self. He is chasing and playing Tiki's (my 2 year old cat) tail with much excitement
JC had a severe reaction to his first booster shot - vomiting and a fever, so now our vet uses a different brand and gives him a shot against allergic reactions. That's probably not necessary if it's a mild reaction like lethargy, but I would remind the vet of the reaction the next time the cat needs a booster. I have a list of reactions from the "ASPCA Complete Guide to Cats":
Mild reactions (fairly common, appearing within hours to several days after vaccinations, should last no more than several days): discomfort at vaccination site, mild fever, diminished activity and appetite, sneezing about 4 to 7 days after an intranasal vaccine, development of a small, firm, nonpainful swelling under the skin at the vaccination site, which should disappear after several weeks.
Serious reactions (very rare): serious and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction within several minutes to an hour after vaccination, manifested as hives, severe vomiting and diarrhea, and/or collapse and death; a kind of tumor (sarcoma), developing at the vaccine site several weeks, months or even longer after vaccination.
Many vets now give vaccinations in the extremities only because of the risk of sarcomas. That way, the leg can be amputated to save the cat's life.
Tillie had a bad reaction to her rabies shot, she vomited almost immediately afterwards. The vet had to give her an injection to counteract it. Poor little girl