bad reaction to distemper shot

katballet

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
16
Purraise
0
Ally (4yrs) went to the vet Monday for her distemper shot. She got a clean bill of health but after I brought her home I noticed she kept roaming from room to room like she was looking for something, she also vomited 6 different times and her eyes were weeping heavily. The vet said to bring her back in that day b/c she could have anallergic reaction and noted it could have gotten worse if I didn't after he examined her but didn't elaborate. She received a mild steroid and a benadryl shot to which her eyes cleared up within a half hour and we were sent home. She seems to be doing okay, still kinda lethargic and wants to be alone but is eating and drinking with no vomoiting. No lumps on the injected areas or swelling. She also has a hard time jumping up on chairs and such but I think it may be attributed to a sore bum, she REALLY didn't want her temp taken that second time and made the dr work for it. She's still even walking a bit funny with her back legs. She also hasn't pooped yet (urinated yes), could that be attributed to the soreness as well?
I don't mean to sound paranoid, I am SO relieved she getting better and it wasn't more serious but I have 4 cats and not one including Ally has had a bad reaction, this was her 3rd distemper. What does this come from suddenly, all my vet says is its just one of those things and would this have happened if I took her to any other vet, is it really the vaccine that did it and just a fluke thing?
Its kind of scary, my 8 month old whom I found on mischief night has had almost everything with boosters to boot and hasn't shown a reaction yet, knock wood. Can this cause future health concerns with the vaccine or other things for Ally, what do I need to look for in the coming days? She just looks so sad sometimes, I hate thhis happened to her! Any advice or help is appreciated!

Thanks! April
 

jan

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 7, 2004
Messages
182
Purraise
1
Location
Sheffield, UK
Sorry you're baby's been so ill. My old cat (now at the RB, bless him) used to have reactions to vaccines as well when he was young. He grew out of it as he got older. It didn't exactly make him ill, just knocked him out for about 48 hours. After it happened once the vet always gave him an extra shot to counteract the allergic reaction. I don't know what it was - probably anti-histamine (sp?) or something similar.
 

kumbulu

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Aug 6, 2002
Messages
4,338
Purraise
3
Location
Perth, Western Australia
What you've described is typical of an acute reaction to a vaccination. Make sure you remind your vet before she has further vaccines that this has happened and, as Jan said, the vet can follow the vaccinations with a mild steroid and Benadryl again, if he/she feels that will stop the reaction in future.
 

tuxedokitties

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
4,005
Purraise
31
I'm so sorry Ally had such a bad experience, and I hope she's better soon. Be sure to keep an eye on her, and make sure that she'll eat - going too long without eating can cause complications, so let the vet know if she stops eating.

One of my cats had a very serious reaction also - he became very ill (I had to take him to the emergency vet), and after he was sent home with me it took several days before he seemed his normal self again.

You'll probably want to discuss the risks vs. benefits of vaccinating her in the future with your vet, and to make sure that she gets premedicated before any future vaccinations, as Kumbulu suggested, and watched closely for reactions afterward.

Here's an article about vaccine reactions that might be helpful for you:
Adverse Reactions to Vaccination

Hope Ally's feeling better soon!
 

kathryn41

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Messages
756
Purraise
4
Location
Stockbridge, Georgia
I will echo what Tuxedocat wrote. My Lion had the same reaction as your cat to one of his vaccinations in November - and he too is 3 years old. This list helped me to realize he was having an allergic reaction, and so got back to the vet for the steroid and antihistimine as well. One of my other cats has been allergic to her vaccines since the beginning and highly allergic to the leukaemia vaccine. She has always required a benedryl before she receives her shots. As she is now 5 years old, I am only going to get her only the rabies shot this year (required by law) as she almost definitely has a good built-up immunity to distemper and Leukaemia and enough of an immunity to calicivirus and rhinotracheitis that is she got sick it would be relatively mild. I am making the same decision for all of my cats and will start them on a 3 year cycle instead of an annual vaccination cycle, and probably won't vaccinate my 10 year old again except for rabies. This is a carefully considered decision made after reading a lot of information on the pros and cons of vaccination and the history of my own cats.
Your youngest will need to complete his booster series in order to get the immunity to 'take', but now you know what to look for so you can be prepared if he does have a reaction.
Kathryn
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

katballet

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
16
Purraise
0
Thank you all for your info and replies, she's doing much better. I called her vet again yesterday and he said exactly what you did that she'll have to get the meds before any more vaccinations. And she shocked me last night by jumping over my head to the top of the recliner, her fave chair, but of course I got so excited for her she took off into the other room and decided that was more quiet

Thank you all again, I lost my oldest Joey to renal failure in April and just never expected to wake up that day and it be 'that day.' I know as catowner I'll get even more surprises, I'm just a lot more anxious now...but I love the good suprises too
 

calidingo

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Messages
1
Purraise
0
Instead of responding after the fact with Benedryl.....what about a "titer" test? If your loved one already has immunity why subject it to more vaccines and drugs?
 
Top