# Lepto vaccine reaction



## havimom3 (Jul 11, 2015)

My 6 month old puppy received the first in a series of two lepto vaccinations. This was separated from any other vaccines to cut down on the chance for a negative reaction. She was given Benadryl before the vaccination. For several hours after, she was lethargic and the injection site was painful to the point that she limped and did not want to be picked up. She was back to normal the next day. I'm nervous now about getting the second in the series for her. My other two havies had no reaction. Has anyone else had this issue? My vet feels the lepto vaccination is important in my area.


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## SJ1998 (Feb 4, 2013)

I wouldnt do it. My friend's mom's dog died from that vaccination.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I don't give my guys that vaccine. Just rabies by law and then I blood test them to see if they need parvo & distemper. If not, they don't get it.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I only do core vaccines for puppies, followed by Rabies as required by law and titers for Parvo and Distemper.

Lepto vaccine does not protect against all strains, nor is it completely effective. To limit the chance of exposure, I never EVER let my dogs drink out of puddles or standing water outdoors. i bring water from home for them on EVERY walk, and offer it often, so they are not tempted. Lepto is a very treatable disease if caught early. I just don't take chances. If my dog appears sick, I don't waste time, I take him or her to the vet immediately.


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## FancyNancy (Oct 7, 2009)

skip the lepto! If there is a holistic vet near you it might be good to consult with him or her. The one I use spent a long time explaining vaccines and helping me understand which ones were needed and how I could measure titers to make sure my dog is protected without overdoing the vaccines. Lepto was NOT recommended!


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

We did not let Molly get the Lepto vaccine as per the advice of her breeder. However, I think all puppies have different thresholds for pain and procedures and being a little lethargic and sore after the vaccine doesn't seem all that abnormal to me. I have heard of horrible neurological reactions including seizures after certain vaccinations. I guess I would discuss this with the vet to see if you should proceed with the second part of the series.


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## DaisyMommy (Feb 28, 2015)

I agree with Diane. I would definitely immediately let your vet know how she reacted and consult with them. Daisy got a lepto vaccine as well because we have a high risk for lepto in the new part of Baltimore we moved to. It seems there's been an overpopulation of foxes. She was also lethargic for about 24 hours and threw up when we got home right after the vaccination. I'm definitely considering doing titers from now on though.


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## littlebuddy (May 30, 2007)

Next time have your dog tittered. It costs a bit but it's worth it. My dog had horrible reactions to all vaccinations. He had the entire gamet as a puppy and one additional round after that. He would get very sick from each shot including rabies. Fever, lethargy, vomiting, it was really bad. He has not had any vaccinations in 8 years. I am not a fan of them at all.


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## havimom3 (Jul 11, 2015)

*titering*

I do titer my two adult havanese each year for the core vaccines and rabies. I will also do this my puppy once she is an adult. The lepto vaccination does not provide long lasting immunization (under one year) therefore titering for this would be a waste of money. All the vets in my area recommend this vaccination and all the area playgroup and boarding facilities require the lepto vaccination.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

DaisyMommy said:


> I agree with Diane. I would definitely immediately let your vet know how she reacted and consult with them. Daisy got a lepto vaccine as well because we have a high risk for lepto in the new part of Baltimore we moved to. It seems there's been an overpopulation of foxes. She was also lethargic for about 24 hours and threw up when we got home right after the vaccination. I'm definitely considering doing titers from now on though.


The trouble is, Lepto vaccine is only good for (if you're lucky) one year&#8230; probably less. So if you are really counting on it, you HAVE to give it yearly. You can't titer for it the way you can Distemper, Parvo and even Rabies (the long acting vaccines). That means subjecting the dog's immune system to that year after year. It's like playing Russian Roulette.

&#8230;AND you STILL have to take all the precautions you would with an unvaccinated dog, because the vaccine doesn't protect against all the strains of Lepto&#8230; only a few. The dogs I know of who have died of Lepto were vaccinated, but people didn't know that their dogs STILL weren't completely protected. So they didn't keep their dogs away from potential sources of infection, and didn't take signs that the dog was ill seriously, and decided to "wait and see", which lead to irreversible organ damage.


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## DaisyMommy (Feb 28, 2015)

krandall said:


> The trouble is, Lepto vaccine is only good for (if you're lucky) one year&#8230; probably less. So if you are really counting on it, you HAVE to give it yearly. You can't titer for it the way you can Distemper, Parvo and even Rabies (the long acting vaccines). That means subjecting the dog's immune system to that year after year. It's like playing Russian Roulette.
> 
> &#8230;AND you STILL have to take all the precautions you would with an unvaccinated dog, because the vaccine doesn't protect against all the strains of Lepto&#8230; only a few. The dogs I know of who have died of Lepto were vaccinated, but people didn't know that their dogs STILL weren't completely protected. So they didn't keep their dogs away from potential sources of infection, and didn't take signs that the dog was ill seriously, and decided to "wait and see", which lead to irreversible organ damage.


It's a tough decision. My cousin discovered that her Maltese got Lepto within the first few weeks he came home with her before he saw the vet for any of his shots. Thankfully, she took him to the vet immediately. So, I understand that either way, there's a risk.  If I could keep Daisy in a protective bubble 24/7, I would. Obviously, that's a ridiculous option. :laugh: 
I'm going to see what the risk factor is next year to see if we even need it or maybe foregoing it altogether. Daisy's vet is very open to options and doesn't push unnecessary vaccinations. Although he definitely made us aware of this when he realized where we live. Our condo is a new development that was built around an old quarry that was surrounded by a habitat for a lot of deer and foxes. Unfortunately, we're now co-habitating with them. I felt pretty bad when I realized this is the reason why they're everywhere. It's very common for us to run into them in the parking area or see them crossing the street. Having said that, we're definitely not relying on the vaccine alone and we keep her away from standing water no matter how much she wants to go play in it.


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## DaisyMommy (Feb 28, 2015)

Although it seems pretty doable judging by this video! Hahaha! ound:


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## havimom3 (Jul 11, 2015)

Thanks to everyone who responded. I have made the decision not to get the lepto vaccination for my 6 month old puppy and will no longer get it for my other two. I will instead titer for the core vaccines and follow Dr. Jean Dodd's vaccination protocol. Doing this means that my dogs will not be able to be part of playgroups at my local training facility but their health is more important.


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## SJ1998 (Feb 4, 2013)

I just posted this on another thread but I followed Jean Dodds. My hav had two rounds of puppy, distemper and parvo only in 2012. I just had his titers pulled for his wellness exam and he's protected.

I cant do the playgroups or boarding either but I'm not sure that's a bad thing. I used to be a big fan of it but my dogs came home with ticks from the doggie day care and then there was the vaccination battle which decided it. But as I said not sure its a bad thing - I realize reading just the number of bad dog encounters on here they are probably safer anyway.


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