As we've all learned from having the media shove it down our throats with Covid, vaccines can be scary. Yes, they are good for us. They are the reason we don't have a lot of diseases rampaging our country, and a lot of the world. But yes, they are scary.
I didn't think much of it when John and I took Franklin to the vet for his first vaccination. I know in the past with my dogs the vaccines went fine. My parents, John, and I were all fine with the Covid vaccines, even though others had a hard time. So the thought that something may go wrong honestly never crossed my mind in mid-September when we took Franklin for his first round of vaccinations.
John and I arrived. Franklin remembered being at the vet's office and enjoyed wandering around exploring. The Vet and his assistant came in, checked Franklin out, and gave him his shot. Franklin was such a good boy! I don't believe he really knew what was going on, since he's a cat who doesn't speak English, but he took the shot like a champ. Such a good boy! John and I were very proud, and afterwards as we treated ourselves to Starbucks, Franklin was oohed and awed at by the lovely Starbucks baristas. He enjoyed the attention.
Later that day we noticed Franklin wasn't being his usual loud, chaotic self, but we figured the vaccines were probably making him a bit tired and he'd be fine the next day. Well... he wasn't fine. Franklin barely moved, and he wouldn't eat, which NEVER happens. He'd curled himself into a little ball under John's desk and was visibly shaking. John called the vet, and they said Franklin was probably having a bad reaction to the vaccine and that we should take him to them right away.
So of course, we rush over, and yes, Franklin had a fever. Our Vet was so incredibly sweet though. He gave Franklin a shot to help with the fever and any other residual side effect(s), gave us some baby food as that would be easy for Franklin to eat, and sent us on our way. All on the house! I am so grateful that they take such good care of their patients and, most importantly, the patient comes first to them. By the next day, Franklin was back to his normal self, meow-screaming everywhere he went and wanting to play and eat.
Three weeks later John and I returned to the vet with Franklin for his second and final batch of vaccines. Since he'd had a bad reaction the first time, the Vet gave Franklin a shot of Benadryl before the vaccination shot to help fight off any negative reactions, like the fever Franklin had gotten the first time. Poor Franklin wasn't as good at the vet this time, as it was clear he remembered getting the shot and how he had not liked it one bit. Franklin tried to escape as the Vet gave him the Benadryl shot, but after quickly being caught he was a good boy and let them just get the two shots over with. After they immediately handed Franklin over to me and John and we cooed over him, but he wasn't having it. Honestly Franklin just wanted to be left alone in his little cat carrier. Which is fair. Getting two shots is a lot.
I am thankful to write that Franklin was tired over the next 18 hours, but there was no sign of fever or being in pain like the first time. Mostly he slept, but he did eat a little of the baby food, and by the same time the next day Franklin was meow-screaming extra loud to make up for all the meow-screams he hadn't had the energy to perform the day before.
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