# Rabies shot side effects in small white dogs.



## Nissa Fiona (Nov 4, 2007)

Nissa had her rabies shot today and before her vet gave it to her he said he wanted to tell me that one very slight, possible side effect with this shot is that in small, white dogs there is a chance that she could lose the hair in about a 2 inch circle around the injection sight anywhere from now to a year from now, forever! I went ahead with the shot because it's law in our state and the chance is small that it will happen, but has this actually happened to any of you? As of today she is 6 lbs. 12 oz. at almost 7 months of age.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I haven't seen one. but I have heard of it rarely. I have seen lots of dogs of all breeds get lumps at the injection site. They can take a while to go away. Not a big deal.


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Yep! My Zoe girl was one who got the lovely round bald spot. Thankfully it did grow back in. I talked to Dr.
Jamie about it and she said there is one brand that has had that problem. I checked with my vet and that 
had been the brand they used. They have since switched to another. Wish I could remember which brand
it was.


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## revakb2 (Sep 8, 2006)

Bogie was one of the rare ones. He got his first rabies shot and the last of his puppy shots all at once when he was four months old. Within a half hour, Bogie went into anaphalatic shock. Luckily I got him back to the vet right away, and he was given something to counteract the effects of the shot. A couple of months later, I took him to be groomed. When I picked him up, he had been shaved, but there was a bald spot totally devoid of any hair. It was the size of a silver dollar. I really freaked out. First I thought the groomer had done something to him, but upon closer inspection, I realized it couldn't be from a razer.

I took Bogie back to the same vet, and he had no idea what caused the bald spot or if the hair would ever grow back. Bogie's hair did eventally grow back, but it took quite a few months. When this first occured, I started doing research which led me to some different Maltese sites. I got information from other Malt owners that they had experienced a similar reacttion. It's great that you have a vet who at least knows that this kind of reaction is possible. I wouldn't worry too much. I only found a few people whose dog had this type of reaction to the rabies shot. I think Bogie had problems because he was given too many vaccines too young. I will never let him have more than one vaccine at a time now. As a matter of fact, I haven't allowed him to have any booster shots. I will take him for titer testing soon although I don't think I'll get anything more than the required rabies shot no matter what the outcome of test is.


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## Missy&Maggie (Jun 17, 2007)

> I haven't seen one. but I have heard of it rarely. I have seen lots of dogs of all breeds get lumps at the injection site. They can take a while to go away. Not a big deal.[/B]



I haven't seen it. Maggie did get a lump after her rabies shot which went away in about a month. My vet looked at it and just recommend warm compresses to help it go away.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

fort dodge is the brand and i think there is another that causes hair loss...i would see what brand rabies they use.... never seen it where i work b/c we use pfizer rabies which dont have the issue


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

When my little yorkie (Bebe) came to me she had a spot with no
hair on her shoulder they said was from a rabies shot reaction. I
have no way of knowing what brand. The spot did get bigger over
a few years. I had it scraped to make certain there was no other
reason for it, but nothing appeared. This turned out to be the least
of her problems.


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## LittleDogLVR (Oct 24, 2007)

> fort dodge is the brand and i think there is another that causes hair loss...i would see what brand rabies they use.... never seen it where i work b/c we use pfizer rabies which dont have the issue[/B]


When Lizzie had her Rabies shot she was a little sore / swollen but other than that no issues.
Our Breeder put the "Dont use Fort Dodge" right in our contract....

John


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## beckybc03 (Jul 6, 2006)

My vet did mention this as a possible reaction. Because of that my vet administers the shot somewhere on the dog's chest/underside so that if there is hairloss it would be unnoticeable. Lilly didn't have a problem.


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## Nissa Fiona (Nov 4, 2007)

> fort dodge is the brand and i think there is another that causes hair loss...i would see what brand rabies they use.... never seen it where i work b/c we use pfizer rabies which dont have the issue[/B]


Jaimie,
My vet used Pfizer Rabies because he said they haven't yet had any trouble with it but still had to advise me of it. I wonder why it's only found in "small white dogs" that this happens?


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## tag (Aug 26, 2004)

Ohh, I hope I don't get blasted for this, but here goes....

I don't do Rabies shots, Vinny is 3.5 and has never had it, I was told Lily and Jasper did before I got them, (no proof so I don't know) and Baby Hope won't get it either. Yes its the law here too. 
Before Maltese, I used to get yearly vaccinations for our Lab/Collie mix, Kody and the cats. Once Kody reached an older age, (10?) the Veterinarian said it was better for her not to be vaccinated any longer so not to weaken her immune system as she aged. That same year the cats had their yearlies, Casey was having her second and Danny our Siamese kitten was having his first Rabies vac. Danny developed a huge lump (think golf ball) in the vaccine area, it was there for almost a month, very noticeable on a lean kitten. That is when I decided to look into vaccinations and made a decision, everyone will still get the baby shots, 2 not 3 sets and that is it.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Please check your state law if you choose not to vaccinate for rabies. In some states, your dog can be required to go in quarantine or even euthanized if they bite. NO dog, no matter how nice, can be guaranteed never to bit. Especially if they are in pain. For the health and safety of your vet's staff, please notify them your dog is not vaccinated and have them muzzle your dog if you are doing anything the dog doesn't like. Same for the groomer.


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## tag (Aug 26, 2004)

I should add, I am in no way encouraging anyone to break the law, I am just stating this works for me and my situation. I do let everyone that has to know about our vaccine schedule, my vet knows and understands and we do not use a groomer. Like I said, I have looked into this, thought long and hard, talked to many people and researched some more. I am not sure of other areas but... If a dog does bite someone here in Ontario, Canada, there is a quarantine period of 10 days to ensure the dog doesn't have rabies if there is no record of vaccines.


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## revakb2 (Sep 8, 2006)

> fort dodge is the brand and i think there is another that causes hair loss...i would see what brand rabies they use.... never seen it where i work b/c we use pfizer rabies which dont have the issue[/B]



Pfizer is the brand of rabies vaccine that gave Bogie the reaction. We wanted to file an adverse reaction report with Pfizer, but the vet did not keep a record of the lot and batch number so they would not take the information. That is the biggest reason we no longer use this vet. I comply with the rabies law, but totally disagree it should be mandory for all indoor animals. When was the last time anyone heard of a rabid pet dog? JMO.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=508688
> 
> 
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ive heard this in other dogs that arent white....seen more in those nonshedders and thats prob why he referred it to small white dogs


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## Naylamom (Jan 17, 2008)

OMG!! the vet had to vaccinate my Nayla at 7 wks old because I was traveling with her to the states. And it's the law. I hope it doesn't have any effects on her. The vet assured me that it will have no effect on her. She is now 9 wks and she's doing fine. The only problem is she loves to bite our feets and hands.


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## coda (Jan 21, 2006)

I know I rarely post, but I do read, laugh, and cry at all of the post from everyone on the site. I rarely have time to sit down an figure out how to post picture... BUT

This happened to Coda after he recieved his second annual rabies shot. Unfortunately, my vet(whom I love) did not inform me of this potential side effect. I did not notice until well LOOOONG after his annual shots. We also tested to make sure it was nothing else. The area stayed red and flakey for months.... Today it's normal looking skin and is still bald. :smcry: My goomer knows to keep his cut just long/short enough t cover the bald spot  

I really can't complain about such a minor thing after successful liver shut surgery almost 2 years ago and he is perfectly healthy happy boy! :chili: And that is all that really matters to me.


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## thoness (Dec 18, 2007)

My sister's dachshund had the side effect of discoloration. On the pamphlet they gave her it said if you notice it you can bring them in and they can do something to reverse it. She never did so I don't know what they actually do.


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

I'm having a hard time following which is which..........is it Fort Dodge Rabies vac. that causes the bald spot, or Pzifer?

Second question---Shoni had a 1 yr. type Rabies vac., is that different then the vac. that is good for 3 yrs.? I want to do as little as possible, but my vet says he is "due" for another rabies in 1 yr., (our state is a 3 yr. law).


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

> I'm having a hard time following which is which..........is it Fort Dodge Rabies vac. that causes the bald spot, or Pzifer?
> 
> Second question---Shoni had a 1 yr. type Rabies vac., is that different then the vac. that is good for 3 yrs.? I want to do as little as possible, but my vet says he is "due" for another rabies in 1 yr., (our state is a 3 yr. law).[/B]


The vaccine is the same stuff. However, the accepted protocol is to give it as a puppy, booster at a year, and then everything is good for 3 years after that. Your vet's recommendations sound fine.


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## kodie (Aug 24, 2004)

Has anyone ever heard of a dog getting rabies from a mouse that gets into the house??


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## bocacutie (Jul 15, 2008)

My 3 year old Maltese had a 3 year FT DODGE rabies shot and she had the same 2" round bald spot. BEWARE OF THIS BRAND!


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## Canada (Jun 4, 2009)

Glad the vet's visit went okay.
I am assuming you mean Nya had her shot today?
(Not Nissa?)


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## Maltbabe (Oct 10, 2010)

*Ladie*

Ladie has a bald spot frm the shot. Hair has never grom back but her coat is thick and I can only see it when I bather her. I wish I didn't have give them these shots. They scare me :mellow:


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