Question: My friend vaccinated his own dog yesterday, and went to work. When he came home, he found his dog dead. It was a very pretty little chi-weenie dog. His wife is crying, and is now blaming him. I told her it?s not his fault. They always take really good care of their dog. They don?t know why it died. Please help!
Answer: I am so sorry for your loss. It is always very hard to lose a pet, and when no one knows how it happened, it can be even harder. I hope that your friends have called their veterinarian and brought the dog?s body for a necropsy to determine the cause of death. It can often help with closure.
Unfortunately, our pets are often home alone for extended amounts of time while owners are at work and sometimes accidents or illnesses can come on very suddenly.
Vaccines are very important to protect dogs from many severe life-threatening infections. Vaccines are extremely safe and effective. However, it is very important to handle vaccines carefully and professionally.
Vaccines must be kept at very controlled temperatures or they can become damaged and ineffective. They must be mixed carefully and injected properly. They can cause severe side effects if injected improperly, (like into a blood vessel). Mild vaccine reactions can happen and usually consist of swelling in the face or lips, or bumps called ?hives? on the body.
While it is rare to have a severe vaccine reaction, a pet can have an allergic reaction that can result in death. Most severe vaccine reactions happen immediately after injection and need to be treated in a veterinary clinic. A severe reaction may need an intravenous catheter, oxygen, epinephrine, and steroids.
I never recommend that owner?s vaccinate their own pets.
Dr. Baker
Dr. Susan Baker
Baker Veterinary Clinic
1801 S. Congress Ave.
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
Read more articles by Dr. Baker | Ask her a question
Source: http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/pawshere/2013/12/20/should-owners-vaccinate-their-own-pets/
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