Today was neuter day for Archie, a rescue we took in back in Nov. (terrier/lab mix), nail trim under sedation for Buster (rescue pug) and rabies shot for Sprout (Sprite’s sister). Sprite’s rabies shot is to be delayed for 1 month due to her infection and surgery.

Sprout and Sprite are 5 years old. At age 4 months Sprout had an anaphylactic reaction to the rabies shot a few minutes after it was given (while at the vet clinic fortunately). So at age 1 we gave her benadryl prior to her 1 year rabies vaccine and she was watched all day at the vet clinic and did fine. Sprite has not had an issue with vaccines. I premedicated Sprout with benadryl about 45 min. before she had her rabies shot today. I sat at the vet clinic another 1/2 hour while Buster had his nails done and she was fine so took her and Buster home. I had taken the day off and stayed home and watched her all day. I took her with me when I went to pick Archie up from his neuter and checked her before going into the clinic, no problems. About 15 to 20 min. after getting home from that second trip to the vet clinic, her eyelids started looking puffy and I noticed her itching. I gave her a benadryl, called the clinic and told them if she wasn’t better in 30 min. I was bringing her in. Thirty minutes later her muzzle was swelling so back in the car for the 3rd trip to the vet clinic today and the 7th trip to a vet clinic this week. Her face and head were more puffy by the time we got there and it is only 10 min. away. My vet was gone but another vet was fortunately still there (it was 15 min. away from closing time). So he gave her a benadryl injection and a steroid injection and I sat there 15 min. so we could watch her. The swelling got a bit better over that time and is almost gone now. She will NEVER get another rabies shot — vet said they will give me a letter saying “this dog is not a candidate for rabies vaccine” when it is next due. I just won’t take the chance. She’s due for her 5 in one shot but I’m not sure I will do that one either after this.

Vaccine reactions are not uncommon in pugs. I am on several pug e-mail lists and this subject comes up several times per year. In fact I personally know of pugs that have died from reactions to their vaccines. Most knowledgeable pug people also avoid giving the lepto and kennel cough vaccines due to an increase in reactions to those. As a nurse I do know that vaccines prevent illness and save lives but in some cases the risk of the illness is less than the risk of illness/death from getting the vaccine and for Sprout this is now the case. This is also why I never give more than one vaccine to any of my dogs in any given day — otherwise how would I know which one they were reacting to? Of note is that Marigold, one of the mini-donkeys, also had a similar but even more dramatic reaction to a rabies shot a couple of years ago. We no longer vaccinate any of our equines for rabies.