What to Expect after your Pet’s Vaccination

Vaccination is the most common veterinary preventive measure in history. It’s a safe and effective way to protect pets and people from serious disease.

It’s common for your pet to experience mild side effects from vaccination. Typically starting within hours of vaccination, symptoms are most often mild and usually do not persist for more than a few days. This is a normal response by your pet’s immune system during the process of developing protective immunity.

Common symptoms your pet may experience

  • Mild fever
  • Decrease in social behavior
  • Diminished appetite or activity
  • Sneezing or other respiratory signs with intranasal vaccines
  • Discomfort (itching or tenderness) or mild swelling at injection site

Rare side effects, such as an allergic reaction, may occur. Your pet may experience symptoms of a more serious reaction to the vaccine within minutes or hours of the vaccination.

Rare symptoms could include:

  • Swelling to face and legs
  • Repeated vomiting or diarrhea
  • Whole body itching
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Collapse
If your pet experiences any of these rare symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.