Lyme Vaccine Side Effects in Dogs

My dog, Molly, received the Lymes vaccine along with her regular yearly vaccines on a Wednesday. Sunday evening she died! She vomited the first night, went downhill, lethargic. Diarrhea and worse lethargy. Quit eating, quit drinking and then couldn't even stand or walk without help. Now she is dead and we are heartbroken!

My healthy 8 month old Male Boxer received his second Lyme Booster on Friday. Monday afternoon he began exhibiting the following symptoms: Lethargic like he had a seizure, rapid heart beat, high fever, arching of his back. We took him to the Vet Hospital were they performed blood work which came back fine, tested for tic-born illnesses which came back negative, performed x-rays but found nothing. They administered antibiotics and fluids, he had a seizure during the night which they administered seizure medicine for and also had to give him medicine to bring his rapid heart beat back to normal. The next day he went into cardiac arrest and died. They said the symptoms seemed to resemble toxin poisoning but he did not have any access to poison and no evidence was found that he got into something he shouldn't have. We believe these symptoms were a direct result from his 2nd Lyme Booster.

I brought my 5 & 1/2 year old Yellow Lab Buddy into the Vet for a check up and the Vet informed me that Buddy needed a Lyme's Booster Vaccine. I mentioned that we will be moving to the city (Milwaukee) and he may not need one. The Vet said he needed it and administered the shot. Buddy was in excellent condition prior to the shot.

Within two hours Buddy's eyes started sagging lower than any Blood Hound I ever saw. I called the Vet as I was on my way to Chicago and was instructed to take him in to a Vet. I took him in and the Chicago Vet said he was experiencing Kennel Cough. I said he was not in a kennel and that he just recieved a Lyme's Booster shot. I asked that an I-V be placed into him and was denied. The vet gave me some coughing pills and some Predisone and sent me home.

Two days later Buddy had a siezure. I took him to a animal hospital in Lyle, Illinois and the doctor gave him a shot of Phenobarbatal and sent me home. Buddy had another siezure within two hours. I called the hospital Vet and he said give him the 1 & 1/2 97.2gm of Phenobarbatal and take him to the Vet in the morning. Before I coulld get Buddy to the Vet he had four more siezures two while sleeping. The vet put him on more 97.2 gm of Phenobarbatal twice daily. With siezures these proceedures took place about 15 times in a two week period from vaccine administer date. I then returned to WI and Buddy had another three siezures as I was trying to get him to my WI Vet.

When I got him to the Vet he was so collapsed and in pain that they said they could not do anything. I had to have him euthinized. Buddy was in pefect condition before the shot, I asked both doctors and the hospital to give him an I-V drip and they all said that it was not the answer, that he probably has a brain tumor. As I reseached my dogs failure I came upon the term Anaphylactic Shock, every symptom from start to finished match what Buddy was going through short of respitory failure. He breathing was at the time prior to death one breath every 10 seconds, otherwise evrything matched. The two doctors and the hospital all told me that Buddy could not have had a diverse effect from the booster, it just does not happen. I am puzzled, anyone or any animal could have a diverse effect from any vaccine or medicine. Blood cultures were good, xrays were good. Not one doctor ever check Buddy's blood pressure or breathing. Just temperature and heart rate. My final answer was to myself that Buddy experienced Anaphylactic Shock due to the Lyme's Vaccination. Can you please help me get a good perspective on this situation. Thank You, Roger

June 2011 my wife took our 51/2 yr. Old Minature Schnauzer to the vet for his annual checkup. She was told that We have a very healthy dog. The vet at that time offered to her at that time that our dog Otto be given a Lymes vaccine. Our vet knowing us , that We would do anything for our dog to be healthy she quickly agreed to the shot. She brought the dog home and all was well. 1 month later the dog was to come back for a booster. Within a week after Otto just wasn't himself. Eventually He became very lethargic, stoppd eating which was very unusual for him. Then he stopped drinking water and did not want to go outside. We took him into the vet at which time He told us We had a very sick dog. He was there for the day on IVs and antibiotics and then he was sent home at closing time. Otto was then drinking water but to our dissbelief starting urinating a full stream of blood and nothing but blood came out of him from his back side. The next morning We were back at the vets and had told him of the horrifying things that were happening. He examined the dog and said there was nothing he could do and the dog should be put to sleep. It wasn't what we wanted to hear but it was something that had to be done. A month later we now have a new Minature schnauzer and are definetly changing vets. Are Schnauzers a breed that should never be given this type of vaccine which I have read in many articles. ?????? Thank You very much for any assistance DISTRBD1

Here is Rusty's story .

On October the 5th 2009 I took my 6 year old Airedale to my regular vet . I had received a post card reminding me that Rusty was due for his "so-called" necessary annual distemper/parvo vaccination. Within less than one week after the vaccination, Rusty showed signs of a form of neurological twitch as one might call it. He would twitch or quiver at sounds; his chest shook. I called the vet who said to give him a baby aspirin; maybe he injured himself playing is what the vet indicated. This did not sound right to me, but after all I was following the "so called"expertise of a 30 year practicing vet. The nervous twitching seemed to subside, however, within the next week I felt that Rusty had lost weight. He was also not eating well. I called the vet immediately and took Rusty to his office. He had a fever of 103.4 and had gone from 68 pounds to 63 pounds in that time period. Blood was drawn and sent out that day for testing. The following day I got a call from the vet; he said Rusty had Lymes disease and that his creatine level was 8.4 . He said Rusty was having acute renal failure. He blamed me and said that if Rusty had been given a Lymes disease vaccination at age one, this would not have happened. ( I DID have him vaccinated for the next 4 years (following the first year) on the recommendation of the vet). I asked what could be done for Rusty; I was told nothing could be done to save his life. The vet recommended subcutaneous fluids, but after 3 days of this painful procedure, Rusty showed no signs of improvement in eating or his overall looks. In our hearts, my wife and I felt the diagnosis was probably correct, even though we prayed and hoped that there might be a chance to save him. We asked the vet where we could take Rusty to try and save his life, and after getting quite a negative response, we were finally referred to a specialty hospital in Maryland. Within two days we had an appointment and took him there on Saturday, October 24. The Veterinarian who met with us did not appear to have a positive outlook, but these specialists were willing to try anything to save him.

After the first day of IV treatment, antibiotics and other medicines administered, his creatine level dropped to 5.8 but over a period of the next three days it did not improve. We had to make the heart wrenching decision to have euthanasia, October 28. We spent time with him on this last day, cradling him in our arms, until we felt the time had come to say our final goodbye to our beloved friend. The female Veterinarian who did the euthanasia spoke with me in detail afterwards. She went over all the tests that had been performed on Rusty to help them determine what had possibly caused this renal failure. She said that every test known to them had been conducted, including the Titer test. The conclusion was...He did not have and most probably never did have Lymes disease; he did not have Leptospirosis; nor had he ingested anything that was considered a poisonous agent. Their final conclusion was that they could not determine a definitive cause of renal failure. Sometimes though, I believe the vets in Maryland were somewhat mystified as to what happened; other times I believe they may have known the cause, however due to possible litigation, they were reluctant to speak up.

I will always admire the vet at the hospital. She took the time to relay all the information about what they did to try to determine the cause. As we were getting ready to leave and take Rusty back to our hometown to a vet, different from the regular vet, to have him cremated, she pulled me aside and said.."if we ever get another Airedale, NEVER allow him to get a Lymes Disease vaccination". She has two dogs and never gives them that vaccination. She said there is entirely too much negative data concerning the results of annual Lymes vaccinations. She said the best way to handle this is to have an annual blood test to determine your dog's overall health. She said treating Lymes disease, if present, is easier than trying to save a life after repeated annual Lymes vaccinations. She gave me a hug and she cried with me. She was so genuine and caring. She then said, if you really want to know what happened to Rusty, have his kidneys removed for necropsy. I asked the vet, who would cremate him, to do so. The kidneys were sent out for testing and here are the results.

The Veterinarian Pathologist who conducted the study listed in his report... that over a period of approximately several years Rusty's kidneys showed signs of chronic kidney failure due to possible Lymes disease. ?? So, you may ask, if the specialist at the hospital did all the necessary tests and they concluded he DID NOT have Lymes disease, nor did they see any signs that he ever did, then what caused this chronic kidney disease and eventual acute kidney failure and why are there disparaging conclusions.

So now we come to the bottom line. What happened! Maybe I will never be told the truth, but after spending dozens of hours on the phone with leading specialists concerning over vaccinations and vaccinosis and communicating with many people like you who are reading my story and who have a sad story like ours, I know that I am not alone in this horrible experience. I have spent hundreds of hours on the internet researching kidney failure and vaccines. My wife and I spent over $8,000 to try and save Rusty's life and we lost him because we were not informed; we were not told the truth about vaccines and their side effects from our vet. From what I have been told, and through my own research, Rusty did experience acute renal failure, on top of chronic kidney disease which had been occurring over the years from the annual distemper/parvo and lymes disease vaccines. I am now informed for the future; it is far too sad though that I did not know the truth before hand so that this tragedy did not have to happen to Rusty.

I wish to say that I do not believe all veterinarians in this country are money hungry and vaccinate just for profit. I do believe there are many fine and reputable practicing vets who are more concerned with the overall health and well being of our beloved pets. Sadly, I used a vet, who obviously did not read the American Veterinarian Associations recommendations, set forth in 1994, to stop vaccinating every year for distemper/parvo and to follow the new guidelines set within the past several years, to stop administering Lymes vaccinations.

I will always live with those horrible words from that original vet who said this was my fault . I know the day will come when he will see justice in front of a greater power.

I will always admire the vets who tried to save his life; they all reassured me this was never my fault.

I will always be ever thankful to my wife who felt the same pain I did during this ordeal, and sadly, after four and a half months, her tears for Rusty are ever present. She loves him so dearly as I do. The kind of love and friendship we shared with Rusty will never stray from our minds or hearts.

We now have a new boy living with us. He is an Airedale puppy, who was graciously allowed to be in our Family, by a most wonderful and truly fantastic lady in Michigan who breeds and shows Airedales. As difficult as it is to find Airedales of good stock and finding a breeder who is dedicated to her charges, her heart went out to us and she sold us one of her pups which she was going to keep for herself. She is the most magnificent person in our lives and we love her for her gift.

In truth and loving memory and tribute to our Rusty, I will close with these words.....

If you love your cat, your dog, or any pet that ever requires vaccinations, do what I am going to do. ALWAYS have a complete blood test and urinalysis done before ever getting any vaccinations done. Know what your pet's health condition is FIRST before ever placing your pet at risk for any horror that could be waiting.
THEN make sure you get a Titer test done so you know your pet's level of immunity or possible resistance to that which you may be getting ready to vaccinate for.

You may question this and say, WHY! That will cost quite a few dollars. YES , it will, however, the alternative is spending thousands of dollars like I did to save your friend who may be sick or dying from unnecessary vaccination related diseases. Through the blood test, urinalysis and Titer, you will know where your pet's health stands in it's present ability to fight off these diseases that vets seem to indicate are so rampant in this country. But are they really rampant?

Have these tests done so that you may be able to keep your pet for many, many years with happiness and joy and in good health.

For our Beloved Rusty and our new Boy

Thank You for reading my story .

Bob
Pennsylvania