Did my dog die from vaccinations?

[oligodendroglial]

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.  

[Fern369]

I have just last week had my 14 year old dog Mae at our Vets for her annual boosters, that was on Monday. On Friday she collapsed with Vestibular Disease attack she was staggering, fell downstairs, eyes flickering , head tilted, and she vomited. I took her to our Vet he gave her an injection to help with the sickness, and said we hope to see some improvement in a few days. I am relieved to say she is recovering bit by bit. I am now thinking the vaccination must have triggered this attack, and I will look for a Vet who will check her Titer levels in future instead of routine vaccination

[Misfits4Me]

I only have titers checked every other year on all my dogs.....They DO go for yearsly checkups, always!!!!!  We are at FIVE/SIX years and holding on all levels still being high for not only Rabies, but Parvo/Distemper, also......One of my oldest did need a Rabies booster after 5 yrs.....My doc is great, he only dosed half the amount because of her size instead of full dose that all other Vets would have given her...That makes a huge difference in reactions to the vaccines......Karla

[Bethanybreeze]

"Still to this day I carry the guilt that I killed my dog by not being a good advocate for her health, but in her memory I have educated myself on the vaccine issue and try to help others by spreading the word about the danger of vaccines."
I couldn't have stated this better, Rottiemama.  After losing my dog to IMHA years ago, I am a total titer-test believer, and warning others not to go down the same ugly road that I (unknowingly) was on when I did exactly what my vet told me, and vaccinated way too often.  
Ironically, my second dog had a rabies titer come back a few years ago that stated right on it "Extremely high level" (of the rabies antibody), even though her '3-year' vaccine was supposedly due.  Wow, if I had blindly taken her in for that "necessary booster", I would have likely been well on my way to killing yet another beloved pet.  NO WAY!!

[Rottiemama57]

My heart is breaking for you, please except my condolences. I went through something similar. I lost a 6 yr old Rottweiler back in the mid 90's that I had since she was a puppy, I followed my vets recommended vaccine schedule to a T throughout her life. I took her in for her scheduled vaccines and with in a matter of a couple of weeks her health took a terrible turn, she became lethargic and then jaundice, we took her in and found she had IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia), her body had turned on itself and within a matter of days she was gone, she died in the emergency hospital where she had been for days while the vets tried to save her. The guilt I felt was overwhelming and our family was devastated. I have no doubt in my mind it was the vaccines, and while the vets all tried to cover each others butts, I was left to search for answers. I found that vaccine reactions are VERY common, much more that they tell us, and many people that I know also had similar stories. I no longer vaccinate my pets (except for rabies that are required by our state). Still to this day I carry the guilt that I killed my dog by not being a good advocate for her health, but in her memory I have educated myself on the vaccine issue and try to help others by spreading the word about the danger of vaccines. There are many great websites where you can learn about vaccine reactions and dangers to pets AND humans. One of my favorite sites is by a former vet turned holistic vet after he basically poisoned himself with the toxins he was putting into his 4 legged patients, the site is www.thepetwhisperer.com Dr Stephen Blake is the Vet. May time heal your heart.

[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~~~

[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!