Just sore from shot or something more?

[Leanne and Cole]

Hi there. My toy poodle Cole has his annual shots the other day and took them like a champ really. That was Friday. Today I went to pick him up and he yelped. I tried to pinpoint the area that was causing him to react like that and I think it could be in his chest.

My question is this. Do you suppose he's simply sore from the needles (even though they were given in his rump region) or could he have pulled/fractured something?

Some more background: he is eating and drinking fine. He was running around in the snow earlier today. He even jumped up on my bed moments ago and the bed is at least three feet high off the ground.

I am going to give him a baby aspirin in a bit, but I thought it was worth a shot to ask here if any of you have ever encountered anything similar.

Thanks for your time!

~Leanne and Cole

[Traci]

Vaccines can and do leave sore muscles, and I would give this another day or two, and if it seems persistent past then, then contact your vet.

Please do not ever give baby aspirin (or any other types of aspirin, NSAIDs, etc) without first consulting your vet. Baby asprin in dogs should only be used when monitored by your vet or for when a specific condition warrants it's use (as determined by your vet). And of course, never ever give aspirin to a cat, they cannot metabolize it, it is toxic to them.

[Leanne and Cole]

I thought it was okay to give him a baby aspirin? Wow, thanks for the information. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt him.

Any advice on how I can make him more comfortable?

[Traci]

Since aspirin can cause stomach and intestinal bleeding, only your vet should be the one prescribing it, and even then, it is prescribed cautiously. Since your vet is familiar with your dog and his health history, knows his weight, etc, he is the only one should advise you on aspirin therapy. Some dogs can tolerate a baby aspirin for extreme pain situations, but if owners are not aware of the effects or not know what to watch for concerning adverse effects, it's best left up to the vet.

As for comfort measures, try to keep from handling him too much for at least another day or so. You mentioned the chest area seemingly painful, but this could have been a tension reaction to your handling, when the pain could actually be in the hip muscle. In any event, just keep an eye on him, minimize handling for a day or so, and see how he is at that time. If he still seems painful after another day, contact your vet.