Vetbiokhim recalls batch of Multikan-8 dog vaccine after reports of severe reactions in Russia

Vetbiokhim has withdrawn Batch 20 of its Multikan-8 dog vaccine following reports of serious adverse reactions and deaths across several Russian regions, prompting an official investigation.

Vetbiokhim has withdrawn batch 20 of its Multikan-8 dog vaccine after reports of serious adverse reactions and deaths in several Russian regions, with the heaviest cluster of cases in the Yaroslavl area. The company said the batch comprised about 60,000 doses distributed across more than ten regions.

Multikan-8 is a combined vaccine used against canine distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, coronavirus enteritis, leptospirosis and rabies. Vetbiokhim says the batch was manufactured in July 2026 and had a shelf life to January 2028, and that it had passed routine quality checks before release.

Owners have reported seizures, excessive salivation, fever, vomiting and diarrhoea appearing days after vaccination. Some animals were euthanised. Similar complaints have also been recorded in St Petersburg, Saratov, Vologda and the Moscow region.

The company says no causal link has yet been established and that further investigation is needed. It plans to send samples for independent testing and dispatch specialists to affected regions. Documentation has also been prepared for Rosselkhoznadzor, the federal veterinary regulator.

Veterinary specialists note that the product is inactivated and cannot cause rabies infection, though allergic and anaphylactic reactions remain possible with any vaccine. In Yaroslavl, the regional veterinary centre stopped using the batch on 14 August. Owners may seek compensation if a link is proven.