Dog Hospital

If you choose to vaccinate your own dog or cat, there are a few things you should consider first.  Remember…any animal could have an adverse reaction to any vaccine. The probability is small, but if it happens, your pet could be in big trouble…fast!

Adverse reactions from vaccinations are rare but do happen. The worst case scenario occurs when the dog or cat has what is termed an ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION.  These hypersensitivity reactions cause a number of physiologic disturbances within the body that result in low blood pressure, slow heart rate and depressed breathing rate.  The pet goes into a SHOCK REACTION…meaning (among many other things) extremely low blood pressure and heart output.  Blood vessels dilate lowering blood pressure, the brain is starved for oxygen and unconsciousness occurs.   In thirty years of vaccinating pets nearly every day (over 200,000 doses administered!) I have witnessed three of these ANAPHYLACTIC REACTIONS.  They are very scary and require immediate life-saving measures to prevent an unpleasant outcome.   Fortunately for my three patients the reactions occurred right there in the animal hospital and I was able to reverse the shock.  Had these reactions occurred at someone’s home where no anti-shock medications and fluids were immediately available, those three pets would certainly not survived.

Some animal hospitals will sell vaccine to breeders, physicians and nurses, and other pet owners who wish to vaccinate their own pets.  A RELEASE FORM may be required to be read and signed prior to selling vaccines.  (NOT including Rabies vaccine…this is always administered by a veterinarian and should never be sold or distributed to anyone for use by someone other than a licensed veterinarian.)  Read the sample RELEASE FORM below and you will have a better appreciation for the variables that you should be aware of prior to making the decision to vaccinate your own dog or cat.