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Puppy's leg swollen, painful, lethargic after shots. Is it normal?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 3 months and 28 days old | 17.8 lbs

I have a 17 week old puppy (17.8 pounds) that had multiple vaccinations later afternoon. On one injection site, it has swelled to almost the size of a golf ball. It is extremely sensitive to the touch and he is a bit lethargic. Every time he changes position he whimpers. He is starting to limp as well. I went to the 24 hr vet and they confirmed he did not have a fever so they sent us home. Should this be more of a concern or should I wait till the morning.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on January 15th, 2018

Poor Luke! Swelling at the injection site is pretty unusual, but can be very uncomfortable. The swelling can be controlled with anti-inflammatory medication, and should definitely be reported to your vet so they can potentially modify the vaccines Luke gets in the future. In the meantime, you should try to keep Luke comfortable and calm until he can be seen by his vet. I hope all is well!

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