Dog Bald Spot After Rabies Vaccine

July 2, 2014

Hi Yvonne,
It sounds like you are doing everything right for your new puppy, feeding a RAW diet, and giving only the minimal vaccinations, so I can understand how discouraged you would feel when something like this happens.

Homeopathic remedies useful for adverse reaction to rabies vaccination, include Lachesis, Lyssin, Stramonium and Sulphur. As you are ‘between’ veterinarians at this time, I suggest the Lachesis remedy.

Give him one pellet of Lachesis 12C TWO times daily for three weeks.

OR, you can dissolve one pellet in a 2 oz glass dropper bottle filled with Spring Water and give 1/2 dropperful by mouth TWO times daily, and succuss or shake the bottle by hitting it against the palm of your hand 20 times before each dose.

From the photos, this could be a vaccine induced alopecia, but it looks suspiciously like either mange or ringworm to me!

So, I strongly suggest that you stop at a conventional vet office to have a skin scraping for Demodex mites, and a scan with a UV light to rule out ringworm. I am really suspicious that the vaccines may have stressed his immune system, and made him susceptible to mange, and/or ringworm!

Applying coconut oil to the area is ok. And fish oil supplements is a good idea. He would need 100mg added to his food two times daily.

(Ischemic dermatopathy is a condition in which abnormal skin is caused by a lack of blood supply to the area.) I do not think that applies in this case.

If he does have mange or ringworm, I would still give the Lachesis remedy. And he may also need some immune supplements.

1. Missing Link Canine Formula
2. Immuplex from Standard Process
3. OrthoMolecular Specialties, Mega C Powder

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

I had originally thought mange also, but he doesn’t scratch it at all, and I thought mange was supposed to be itchy. I will definitely take him to a conventional vet as soon as I can and have him tested for mange and ringworm. Also, you suggested giving him Laichses (sp?). Do you have any suggestions as to where I can get that? Thank you for your help.

July 5, 2014

Hi Yvonne,
Neither mange nor ringworm are itchy.

To purchase Lachesis 30C, it is available on amazon.com, vitamin shoppe.com, Boiron, Washington Homeopathic, etc etc.

Check at your local health food store, like Whole Foods, under homeopathic remedies. I doubt they have anything higher than a 30C. You would need to see a holistic veterinarian for a 200C or higher, prescription.

Portland, Oregon has quite a few holistic veterinarians.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Hi….well, I finally got him into a vet yesterday (July 7). She said it did not appear to be vaccine induced as the vaccine was given 2 months ago (what? I thought it took that long to develop). Anyway, I didn’t argue with her. She thought ringworm and shined a black light on it. Although it did not glow, she said that was not unusual. She then scraped some skin off with a staple to test For Demodex mites – that was negative.

So, she was pretty sure it was ringworm and gave me MiconaHex+Triz to apply several times a day, followed by VetericynVF. In the meantime, since I want to be positive it is actually ringworm and. It some other issue, I asked her to do a culture. When I get those results, I will let you know.

Since the time I first sent you a photo and now (a week later), it has spread to about twice it’s size. I guess that’s what I get for not doing something sooner. Also, she asked me what I feed him….when I told her “raw”, she gasped and said, oh no, vets don’t recommend that at all due to the heavy bacterial load…that it is so stressful on a dog. She suggested I switch to the Science Diet she sells. NOT!!!!!!!

Well, Finn want to the vet yesterday (July 14) and she was very pleased at how well he is doing. The ringworm looks like it has cleared up and his skin in that area is smooth and pinkish again. Now it’s just a matter of waiting for the hair to grow back in that spot. It has only been a week since she started the culture, so we’re still not positive that it was ringworm. But, since the medicine cleared it up, I guess it doesn’t really matter at this point.

Thanks for your suggestion that it could be mange or ringworm. Had it not been for your diagnosis, it could have spread a lot more because I would have just kept waiting for it to get better on its own.

July 15, 2014

Hi Yvonne,
Glad I could be of help!

I would continue Finn on his RAW diet, and I am very suspicious that the Rabies vaccine probably contributed to his susceptibility to ringworm. So, I would be VERY cautious about any future vaccination. And if possible AVOID future vaccines!

Seek the help of a holistic veterinarian to write an exemption form for him.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Well, I got a call from the vet with results of the ringworm culture (it has been two weeks). It came back negative. She said those tests are not infallible and she still feels that Finn had ringworm. I asked her what else she thought it could have been, but she couldn’t give me an answer. Since it has pretty much cleared up she said I shouldn’t worry about it. But I would still have liked to know for sure what it is/was.

After putting the medicine on the spot for a week, it appeared that the top layer of skin peeled off. Now it is soft and pinkish, but very shiney, and it is still bald. If it really was ringworm, and not some other skin condition, do you have any idea how long it will take to grow the hair back? She offered laser treatments for $150 and said that would speed up the hair growth. I declined because we are leaving the area in a couple of days.

July 21, 2014

Hi Yvonne

Finn may not have had ‘ringworm’, but I feel that the Rabies vaccine, caused him to have some type of *dermatitis* that made his hair fall out and skin turn black. The topical medication that was for ringworm, helped to soothe it, but not cure it, because it may not be ringworm. It usually takes 2-4 weeks for the hair to grow in completely, after ringworm.

I suggest, you give the Lachesis remedy as I mentioned previously, for at least 3-6 weeks.

Continue the raw diet.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

I found a vial of Lachesis at a health food store today. I thought the name said Lachesis 30C; however, when I got it home the vial actually says “Lachesis 6C”. Since you recommended using 12C, does that mean I double the dose and use 2 pellets of 6C for each dose? I’m not sure what these numbers and letters mean, I just want to make sure I don’t accidentally give too much.

Thank you for all of your replies. I really hate to be such a bother.

July 22, 2014

Hi Yvonne,
The Lachesis 6C is a REALLY low potency. But no problem, you will NOT overdose Finn! And because the remedies are in homeopathic concentrations, you cannot take 2 pellets of 6C to create a 12C potency.

If you gave Finn ONE pellet of 6C or if you gave him the WHOLE vial of pellets, at one time, he would still only be dosed 6C.

Give him one pellet of Lachesis 6C TWO times daily for three weeks. DO NOT touch the remedy with your fingers. You are supposed to remove the cap, set it on the table, tip the vial upside down over the cap and twist the opening. ONE pellet should then drop out. Pick up the cap, pull up his upper lip, or pull down his lower lip, and then ‘pour’ it into his mouth. (In a human, you would throw it into your mouth and then let it dissolve under your tongue.)

OR, you can dissolve one pellet in a 2 oz glass dropper bottle filled with Spring Water and give 1/2 dropperful by mouth TWO times daily, and succuss or shake the bottle by hitting it against the palm of your hand 20 times before each dose.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

My 1 year old dog had distemper vaccine, she was allergic and went into shock. The vet had put benedryl, steroids, and something for her heart. She finally made it through, but then 2 weeks later she was balding in the area the shot was given to her. The doc. did not know what it was. The skin is clean and clear. No ringworm. So he gave me shampoo for the area and antibotics in case it’s a skin infection. One week later, the bald spot is still the same, has not improved and there are no signs of any hair growth. Can you please tell me if your dogs hair has grown back and what you are using. Thank you.

December 15, 2014

Hi Gules,
Yvonne has not responded to my emails regarding the bald spot on her dog after the Rabies vaccination. In your dog’s case, I am again concerned that it is a direct effect of vaccinosis. Treatment with a homeopathic remedy would be the best.

I’m happy to help, but we only accept new questions from subscribers (the original question above was from a subscriber).
Please sign up and submit your question and photos. I’ll then get back to you right away at the bottom of your newly created web page.
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

My 6th month chihuahua also went bald after receiving the rabies shot. It is still there 6 months later. It was also darker and perfectly round aboout the size of a silver dollar. Did your dog’s hair ever grow back? i know this forum is old but hopefully you get this message.

June 29, 2015

Dear Anonymous,
Unfortunately, I am not longer serving as consultant for Organic Pet Digest. But the appearance of a bald spot in the location of a vaccination, Rabies or other, indicates an adverse reaction to that vaccine, and should be reported to the Veterinarian. Or you could take it upon yourself to locate the manufacturer of the vaccine, and report it yourself. (They usually have a place on their website for clients vs Doctors).

In the meantime, taking your dog to a nearby veterinarian for a skin scraping to rule out Demodex mange mites, and/or a fungus culture for Ringworm, would be a good idea. A holistic veterinarian would then be able to advise you on diet, treatment for ‘vaccinosis’ and/or any other problem that may be present.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

I have been a groomer for more than 30 years. In more recent years, I have seen a lot of these spots and gotten blamed for them.
I contacted the vet across the street from us and was “put in my place.”
One of my customers who had a pomeranian that had gotten one of these spots the previous year came in and let me know that she had taken her pom in for her annual vaccinations and not only gotten a bald spot again but this time the bald spot looked like it ran down her side from the vaccination. As sad as that was, she did let me know I had warned her of this the previous year.(her hair did gradually grow back in and she requested a different distemper.)
I did find an article on this bald spot problem in a pet magazine from vaccinations, highlighted it and gave it to the vet across the street.

September 21, 2015

Dear Anonymous,

You wrote,
“I did find an article on this bald spot problem in a pet magazine from vaccinations, highlighted it and gave it to the vet across the street.”

Good for you!!

At this time, I am no longer answering questions online. For more questions, and concerns, it would be best to find a local holistic veterinarian to help.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman