Did my dog die from vaccinations?

My dog Mia (Mountain Cur/Labrador Mix) was a healthy, active and fantastic 17 month old puppy until she was vaccinated in July 2011. The vet urged us to give her 5 vaccinations at her checkup. Mia received the Rabies, Lyme, Distemper, Leptospirosis, and Bordetella vaccines that day. The vet said that since she was 76 lbs she'd be fine receiving those vaccines at the checkup.

Pretty much immediately after we brought her home, Mia became very fatigued and lethargic. She wasn't eating or drinking well either. In the next few weeks Mia began to discard her toys, quit her normal behaviors and started bumping into things.

We brought her back to the vet and he said that her pupils were not responding to light. He recommended a specialist and she said that Mia had Optic Neuritis.

We started her on Predinosne and Imuran and evenutally Procarbozene. Mia did not get better. Her vision became worse and she started circling counter-clockwise. She also stopped responding to her name and stopped wagging her tail. She began staring at walls and spacing out. Our beautiful, active, amazing dog was no longer herself.

Mia died two days ago. We brought her into the hospital around 5AM because she was not able to hold in her stools and urinating a lot. She was also squinting and her eyes were becoming ectotrophic. When we brought her into the hospital her vital signs were good - but she was pretty much comatose. We admitted her to the hospital and went back to the house to come back later. The vet called us about a half hour after we got home and told us Mia had passed away. She said she died very peacefully and her heart rate just slowed.

Mia’s case was very baffling. She was diagnosed with Optic Neuritis and the Veterinary Neurologists suspected possible brain lesions. When I talked to the vet after Mia’s death, she said that Mia most likely had a Central Vestubilar Disease. I feel Mia probably died of GME (an immune mediated condition) induced by her vaccinations.

If you have any advice or knowledge of what could have happened to Mia please write me. We are totally heartbroken and in need of closure of what happened to our previously healthy dog. Is it possible that the vet gave Mia too many vaccinations and her immune system couldn’t handle it? Is this a practice that is done with many animals? If so this could be VERY concerning.

Wishing to here replies - or please contact me at ***@**** - Thank you.  

[ginger899]

I am very very sorry this happened to your Mia. Deeply sorry.
I can hardly BELIEVE vets STILL are not recognizing that their heavy-handed approach to vaccination is KILLING DOGS!! They still will not face it and admit it.
(I am sorry but I am quite angry about this)

It is my belief that whatever the "normal" protocol, the immune system of a young dog like Mia....in fact, the immune system of ANY dog can easily be overwhelmed by receiving 5 loads of vaccine all in one shot to deal with!
I believe the vaccines should be given with great caution, and one at a time, with weeks in-between.
I also believe that young, or immune-compromised dogs, or geriatric dogs either shouldn't be vaccinated at all, or titers should be run to show the level of immunity before going ahead with any shots.

I am very upset indeed to hear of yet another death caused by the heavy handed approach to vaccination which continues, despite evidence to the contrary!

[Misfits4Me]

I agree w/ Ginger....I also am so sorry for your loss & heartache.....There is a search bar within this forum......It reads: Search this forum (Dogs Community). Type in "Vaccinations". It will bring up other threads by people that have asked your same question......Although, right now may not be the time; read them when you feel like it.....

I'm praying you will find peace & comfort with all this.....Again, I am so sorry for your grief.....Take care & come back for support if you need.....Karla

~~~RIP Mia~~~