Help, I accidentally gave my puppy her bordatella vaccine SQ instead of Intranasal. What should I do? Can this be harmful to her?

Updated On August 5th, 2021

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | unspayed | 3 months old | 27 lbs

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Answered By Tomasz Wnuk

Veterinarian

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Hello and thank you for contacting PetCoach. Injection of a vaccine that is supposed to be given intranasally can produce local skin irritation and inflammation. I suspect Sunshine may develop a small lump at the injection site, that should disappear within a few days. I don't think there will be any more serious harm to your puppy, however I could not find any clinical report detailing reaction to subcutaneous administration of this vaccine. Please, keep an eye on Sunshine at home for the next 12-24hrs. If she starts showing any worrying symptoms (panting, breathing problems, lethargy, weakness, facial swelling) take her to your local vets right away. Obviously, the vaccine will not produce any immunity against kennel cough and it should be repeated in 7-10 days

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    Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

    Veterinarian

    Oh no! Accidents happen - we're all human. Bordetella vaccines meant for intranasal use but given subcutaneously often cause sterile abscesses, but some case reports of liver failure within one week of injection have also been reported. Start by calling the vaccine manufacturer to see if they have any recommendations, as this is a pretty common accident. I suspect that they'll recommend taking Sunshine to her vet for an exam, as that would also be my recommendation. Your vet will likely prescribe a course of antibiotics to treat the high potential for abscess formation. They may also recommend checking her bloodwork in a few days to track her liver values. Best of luck - I hope that everything goes well!

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