Dogs in Russia dying with rabies-like symptoms after being vaccinated against rabies

Dog owners across several regions of Russia say their pets have died or become severely ill shortly after receiving routine rabies vaccinations with a product called Multikan-8. Reports have circulated on social media, Telegram channels, and in news outlets.

Most cases have been reported in the Yaroslavl region, where local outlet Yarcube said 20 to 25 dogs were known to have died as of August 17, with owners blaming batch No. 20 of the vaccine. Several more dogs remain seriously ill. Similar reports have surfaced in Saratov, Kaliningrad, the Leningrad region, the Moscow region, and Tyumen.

Multikan-8 protects dogs against distemper, adenovirus infections, parvovirus and coronavirus enteritis, leptospirosis, and rabies. It is produced by the Moscow-based company Vetbiokhim.

Symptoms resembling rabies

Owners say both puppies and adult dogs began falling ill three to five days after vaccination, showing seizures, limb paralysis, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, high fever, and heavy drooling, along with attempts to gnaw at the injection site. The resemblance to rabies symptoms has alarmed owners, and people bitten by affected dogs have sought emergency care, where doctors recommended a full rabies vaccination course. However, rabies can only be confirmed through laboratory testing of brain tissue after an autopsy, and no such results have been reported yet.

One Yaroslavl resident told independent outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe that her three-year-old dog seemed fine for two days after vaccination at a state clinic, then began favoring the injected leg, stopped eating and drinking, and developed vomiting, diarrhea, and tremors. The dog died shortly after a vet visit, despite a suspected diagnosis of enteritis.

Authorities stop short of blaming the vaccine

Veterinarians and officials have not yet directly linked the deaths to Multikan-8, noting that reported symptoms vary and that no autopsy results are available to establish a clear clinical picture. The state-run Yaroslavl Veterinary Center said it stopped using the vaccine on August 14, is preparing a complaint to the manufacturer, and has notified Russia's veterinary oversight agency, Rosselkhoznadzor.

Vetbiokhim confirmed it is investigating the reports, stating that vaccination alone is not sufficient to establish a causal link with the deaths. The company expressed condolences to affected owners and recalled batch No. 20 of the vaccine pending a full investigation.