Pain after Rabies Vaccine in cats

The FDA has received 73 reports of pain in cats after Rabies Vaccine. That is 2.8% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.7% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

73Reports

58%Marked serious

26%Recovered

11%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

17 26%

1–2 days

18 28%

3–7 days

9 14%

1–4 weeks

18 28%

Over a month

3 4.6%

How the animals did

Recovered

19 26%

Still unwell when reported

27 37%

Died

2 2.7%

Euthanised

6 8.2%

Not known

19 26%

Problems reported at the same time

41 56%

40 55%

22 30%

17 23%

14 19%

13 18%

12 16%

10 14%

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 pain in cats?: 73 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).

Pain with similar medicines

Pain after Feline Core Vaccine 71 reports · 4.6% of its reports
Pain after Feline Leukemia Vaccine 52 reports · 6.5% of its reports

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