Puppy Loose Stool After Vaccination : (7 Menacing Facts)

Sometimes, you may notice that your puppy is passing loose stool after vaccination. And that may get you concerned – as you try to figure out whether it is normal, what causes it and what you can do about it. This article tackles those issues comprehensively.

Is Puppy loose stool after vaccination normal? Yes, Puppy loose stool after vaccination is quite common. It is one of the side effects that we sometimes see, as the body reacts to the vaccine. In most cases, the stool goes back to normal after a day or two. If it becomes persistent or otherwise gets worse, it is best to consult a vet about it.

It is worth remembering that vaccines are usually made using dead (or otherwise altered) cells of disease causing germs. Therefore when the body comes into contact with the vaccine, there always has to be some sort of reaction.

That is what sometimes leads to puppy diarrhea after vaccine.

Then again, loose stool after vaccination in puppies is not a universal thing. In other words, diarrhea after puppy shots isn’t always there. There are puppies that get vaccines, without experiencing any diarrhea afterwards.

In some cases, the loose stool after vaccination puppy ends up with may not even be due to the vaccine per se. Therefore you may find that the puppy has soft stool after shots, but that is not due to the shots themselves.

Nonetheless, one of the common dog vaccine side effects is diarrhea. Thus if you are seeing puppy diarrhea after shots, it could very well be due to the shots.

Thankfully, most cases of diarrhea in puppies after shots resolve on their own, within 24-48 hours.

But if your dog has diarrhea after vaccinations which is persistent or worsening, some intervention may be necessary.

Is It Normal For Puppies To Have Diarrhea After Shots?

Upon noticing puppy loose stool after vaccination, the first thing you may want to know is whether it is normal.

So the underlying question would be on whether diarrhea in dogs after vaccines is a normal thing.

And the answer is that diarrhea in dogs after shots is quite a normal thing.

It is normal in the sense that it happens often. And some vaccine manufacturers may tell you to possibly expect some dog diarrhea after shots.

Alternatively, when vets are explaining what to expect after your pet’s vaccination, they may mention diarrhea.

It is similar to how we see puppy loose stool after deworming – and regard it as more or less a ‘normal’ thing.

Thus the loose stool is one of the puppy after vaccination side effects that are expectable.

But there are times when the puppy loose stool after vaccination can be abnormal.

If, for instance, it is too much or if it persists for too long after vaccination, then it may not be normal.

For instance, if you have the dog sick 4 days after vaccination (with loose stool), then that may not be normal.

But a case where, for instance a puppy got diarrhea 12 hours after second set of vaccines, that may be normal. That is if the diarrhea doesn’t persist for too long or become worse with time.

Do Puppies Always Get Diarrhea After Vaccination?

Another key question you may have, upon noticing puppy loose stool after vaccination, is on whether it is something that always happens.

So you would effectively be wondering, do puppies get diarrhea from shots in all cases? That question, on whether puppy vaccine diarrhea is a universal thing, may also arise if you are preparing to take your dog for shots.

So you seek to know, do puppies have loose stool after vaccinations in all cases, so that you can prepare accordingly.

(It is similar to asking, do puppies feel unwell after vaccinations in all cases, so that you can prepare accordingly).

So what is the true position? Is puppy diarrhea after vaccines to be expected in all cases? Do puppies get loose stools after vaccinations in all cases?

The simple answer is ‘no’. There are many instances where puppies get vaccines without experiencing loose stools thereafter.

So it is not something that always happens.

Can puppies get diarrhea after vaccinations? They can. Or to put it differently, can vaccinations give my dog diarrhea? The answer is ‘yes’. But it doesn’t always happen.

Therefore if you are preparing to take your puppy for shots, you need to know that it may or may not get diarrhea thereafter.

The whole thing is similar to asking, can dogs feel sick after shots? And you find that the answer is ‘yes’ – though it doesn’t always happen.

Sometimes, you may see puppy loose stool after vaccination when the puppy goes for the first shot. Then it doesn’t get loose stool after subsequent shots.

Thus if you are witnessing puppy diarrhea after first shots, that may be the case.

Ultimately, the answer to the can dog shots cause diarrhea question is ‘yes’. But it doesn’t always happen.

Puppy Loose Stool After Vaccination – What May Be Causing It?

The moment you observe puppy loose stool after vaccination, you will probably want to know what may be causing it.

Now the answer is that puppy loose stool after vaccination is usually due to the body reacting to the vaccine.

Remember, the vaccine is made from dead (or otherwise altered) disease causing germs. Once these get into the dog’s body, there are bound to be many reactions.

One of the end results there is usually where we get dog loose stool after vaccination.

Even if there is puppy upset stomach after shots, it would be due to this effect.

But while answering the do puppies have loose stools after vaccinations in all cases question, we saw that the answer is ‘no’. It is not always that puppies get loose stool after vaccination.

This may be explained by the fact that different dogs react differently to vaccines.

Even one dog may react differently to one vaccine at different times.

That is why, for instance, you may get a case where puppy has diarrhea after first vaccination. Then the puppy doesn’t end up with loose stool after subsequent doses of the same vaccine.

Or you may notice diarrhea after rabies shot in a puppy. Yet there is no puppy diarrhea after parvo vaccine (in the same dog). That may get you wondering, why does rabies shot give dogs diarrhea while the parvo shot doesn’t.

Yet what may be at play is your dog’s reaction to the respective shots.

Thus the dog diarrhea after rabies shot would be due to its unique reaction – and not something that is universal to all dogs.

The whole thing is actually similar to how we see diarrhea after rabies vaccine in humans in some cases, and not others. It’s all about the body’s reaction.

Puppy Loose Stool After Vaccination – Is It Something To Worry About?

One of the questions about puppy loose stool after vaccination is on whether it is something to worry about.

The true position is that dog diarrhea after vaccine is usually transient, and not too serious.

Thus, unless the diarrhea becomes very heavy or persists for too long, then it is not something to worry about.

For instance if, after vaccination, the puppy has diarrhea but still playful, it would not be worrisome.

But if the puppy is extremely lethargic (to the point of not moving) and has persistent diarrhea, then it would be worrisome.

Or if it is a case where puppy has diarrhea and is now throwing up after her last vaccine (which was last week), then it would be troublesome.

Even a case where puppy has had loose stool 1 week since vaccine would be troubling.

Other symptoms that may be manifesting can also be helpful in telling whether the whole thing is worth worrying about.

For instance, any case of blood in poop after vaccination dog shows would be quite worrying.

Actually, the blood in dog stool after vaccination may not even be due to the vaccine. But it would still be extremely worrisome.

Or if, besides loose stool, you notice the puppy hyper after vaccination (in an abnormal way), then it may be worth consulting your vet.

There have been cases where we have heard people complaining ‘my puppy died after vaccinations’. So these issues are not to be taken lightly.

Even a case of puppy not pooping after vaccination would be something to worry about, if it persists for too long.

All in all, a case of puppy loose stool after vaccination that is modest and doesn’t go beyond 12-48 hours wouldn’t be worth worrying too much about.

Puppy Loose Stool After Vaccination – What To Do About It?

After noticing puppy loose stool after vaccination, one of your key concerns may be on what to do about it.

Firstly, it is important to remember that the puppy loose stool after vaccination is likely to be primarily due to the puppy’s body’s reaction to the vaccine.

Thus if, for instance, you were wondering, why does my new puppy have loose stools after vaccination that would be the reason.

Knowing the likely reason behind the loose stool is important in figuring out what to do about it.

So, to put it differently, the puppy loose stool after vaccination is just a side effect of the vaccine.

Indeed, for instance, going through the common DHPP vaccine side effects diarrhea is prominently mentioned. So it is something to expect.

Thus most cases of puppy diarrhea after shots and deworming are simply due to the vaccines or deworming agents’ side effects.

What do you need to do (about the diarrhea)? One option is withholding food from the puppy for 6-24 hours, to hasten its stomach’s recovery.

Then once you reintroduce food, start with a bland diet (like white rice and chicken), in order not to strain the puppy’s system after the diarrhea ordeal.

But if the puppy loose stool after vaccination worsens, take the puppy to the vet immediately.

Or if the puppy loose stool persists for too long after vaccination, take the dog to the puppy urgently.

Keep it in mind that diarrhea can lead to complications such as dehydration.

Thus if your puppy still has loose stool like beyond 48 hours after vaccination, it may be best to see a vet.

The vet will then figure out whether the persistent or worsening loose stool is due to the vaccine or anything else – and treat it.

Final Verdict – Puppy Loose Stool After Vaccination

It is common for puppies to have some diarrhea after vaccination.

In most cases where puppies have diarrhea after vaccination, it is due to their bodies’ reaction to the vaccines. For instance, a case of puppy diarrhea after rabies vaccine would usually be due to the puppy’s body reacting to the vaccine components.

But it is also possible for a puppy to have diarrhea after vaccination, yet the cause for it turns out to be something else other than the vaccine.

If diarrhea after shots is due to the vaccination itself, it is usually mild and transient. Normally, the dog regains normal stool movements within 24-48 hours.

Sometimes, what may be necessary, to help a puppy with loose stool after vaccination may be to give it a bland diet. There are also those who may withhold food for a while (like 6-24 hours) to hasten the stomach upset recovery.

Ultimately, if the case of puppy loose stool after vaccination worsens or persists beyond, say, 48 hours, it is necessary to consult a vet urgently.

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Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️