Chihuahua Puppy's ears fell after allergic reaction to vaccinations

by Colleen
(Texas)

My 14 week old Chihuahua just had her second round of vaccinations yesterday. She had a severe allergic reaction that caused her face to swell up and resulted in a late night run to the animal hospital for a steroid shot and benadryl.


The swelling went away before the end of last night and she's been acting like everything's wonderful but her ear's are all floppy now and don't stand up.

She had one floppy ear before but now both ears are floppy. Her ears were incredibly swollen last night. Could the swelling have damaged the cartilage in her ears permanently?



Hi Colleen
I'm not sure about this as I'm not a vet, but I do know that puppies ears are very reactive to stress/illness/anxiety etc.

It's possible that the reaction to her puppy shots caused enough stress on your pups' system to cause her ears to drop temporarily. I personally doubt that it would cause permanent damage to the cartilage.

I'd give it a few days and see if they recover. You could check with your veterinarian for advice, or try an online vet - it's a very cost effective way of getting a professional opinion. Just visit my Ask A Vet to submit a question.

Best of luck with your pup, hope she makes a full recovery from her nasty reaction.