Dehydration after Rabies Vaccine in cats

The FDA has received 137 reports of dehydration in cats after Rabies Vaccine. That is 5.3% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 2.0% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

137Reports

76%Marked serious

25%Recovered

26%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

34 28%

1–2 days

43 35%

3–7 days

22 18%

1–4 weeks

15 12%

Over a month

8 6.6%

How the animals did

Recovered

34 25%

Still unwell when reported

44 32%

Died

10 7.3%

Euthanised

26 19%

Not known

23 17%

Problems reported at the same time

113 82%

87 64%

58 42%

43 31%

38 28%

36 26%

33 24%

31 23%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Type: vaccine.

Mild, short-lived lethargy, soreness or a small lump at the injection site are the most commonly reported vaccine reactions.

Questions owners ask

Can Rabies Vaccine cause dehydration in cats?: 137 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 1 day of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Dehydration with similar medicines

Dehydration after Feline Core Vaccine 114 reports · 7.3% of its reports
Dehydration after Feline Leukemia Vaccine 41 reports · 5.1% of its reports

All reported side effects of Rabies Vaccine in cats · Medicines most reported with dehydration