Young dairy calves encounter many immune challenges and it would benefit a farmer to recognize an immune challenge before clinical symptoms. An injection of phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) causes a cell-mediated immune response and may be used to evaluate the response of the immune system. Electric disbudding creates a stress that may show differences in inflammation at the injection site of the PHA-P to identify the existence of an immune response. Twelve Holstein heifer calves were used from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls Lab Farm and grouped into a disbudded treatment (D) and a sham treatment (S). All calves were clipped, sanitized, and injected with 0.1 mL of 1.5 mg of PHA per mL as referenced by Ballou et al. (2008) intradermally at both the scapula and ear 2 d before D and S, and immediately following D and S. Blood samples and caliper readings were recorded at −48 h, −42 h, −36 h, 0 (at time of D or S), 6 h, 12 h, and 48 h. Blood was analyzed for cortisol, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. Caliper readings measured the amount of swelling at the injection sites. The mixed procedure of SAS (2012) was used with time as a repeated measure and calf as a random statement. There were no significant differences between treatments for caliper readings or blood measurements. Least squares means of caliper readings for treatment D were 7.57 mm and 6.77 mm (P = 0.16) and treatment S were 6.71 mm and 7.87 mm (P = 0.01), in the ear and scapula, respectively. Results show that using PHA-P does not indicate an immune response in dairy calves when they are disbudded. However, more sensitive calipers may provide different results.