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SIDE EFFECTS
The rabies vaccine is the only legally-required vaccine for companion animals in the United States. It's administered primarily to protect humans from their pets should those pets be bitten by rabid bats, coyotes, raccoons, foxes or other animals. This is all well and good EXCEPT that the vaccine is known to cause serious side effects, and even death, in cats and dogs.
Possible adverse side effects include, but are not limited to:
- Aggression, destructive behaviors, separation anxiety
- Odd obsessive behaviors (like tail chasing and paw licking)
- Autoimmune diseases, including organ disease, allergies and skin problems
- Chronic digestive problems
- Fibrocarcinomas at the injection site (particularly in cats)
- Muscle weakness
- Seizures and epilepsy
For more information please see the rabies vaccine video done by Chiclet at YouTube
Most of us are not told about these possible adverse effects, and even when our dog develops them, we are unaware of the connection. My dog Jiggy developed immune-mediated hepatitis at one year of age not long after receiving his rabies vaccination. It took months of research into vaccination (which grew into years) for me to suspect the connection. Of course, I'll never know for sure if this was the direct cause of his immune-system meltdown, but it certainly is for countless other dogs. It is what spurred my writing of Scared Poopless: The Straight Scoop on Dog Care.
YOUR DOG AND THE RABIES VACCINE
If you dog is due for her rabies shot, consult a vet who is trained in homeopathy. A homeopathic remedy given with the shot will lessen the chance of ill effects. Find a referral list for holistic vets at http://www.AHVMA.org or check http://www.drpitcairn.com/referrals/referrals_intro.html for vets trained in homeopathy.
Repeated vaccination does not make an immune dog MORE immune. Renowned vaccination expert Dr. Jean Dodds compares immunity to pregnancy: you're either immune or you're not. Furthermore, if you're immune to a virus, you're also immune to the virus in the vaccine!
If your dog is ill or immune compromised, he or she may be able to receive an exemption to rabies vaccination. You will likely still have to pay license fees, but your dog may avoid the shot either for the licensing period or the life of the dog, depending on the situation. Your veterinarian will have to apply for exemption giving reasons and providing documentation.
Have your vet document all reactions to all vaccines in case you need to apply for an exemption in the future.
Even though your kennel, groomer or doggy day care facility may require proof of rabies, more and more establishments will accept titer testing. If they require vaccination more frequently than the law requires, we suggest you endeavor to educate them or find another establishment.
Flying within the Continental U.S. may or may not require proof of rabies vaccination. Check the website of the airline in question. Flying internationally is more complicated and may require antibody titer testing, a vaccination linked to a microchip or tattoo, and/or vaccination within a certain period. The website www.pettravel.com is a good place to go for details. You must plan ahead.
Do not vaccinate immediately before travel. Your dog may experience life-threatening adverse effects and may die because she doesn't reach medical assistance in time. Give your dog at least a week after vaccination before flying.
Keep copies of your vaccination records in a safe place in your home, in all your automobiles and in your dog's travel bag. The records at your vet's office may or may not be available when needed and you don't want to have to revaccinate unnecessarily if your dog bites someone or you have to board her unexpectedly.
If your dog is at high risk for rabies, know that the only way to guarantee that your dog is immune to the rabies virus is to have his or her antibody titers tested. Your veterinarian can perform this simple (not cheap) blood test. An animal may be repeatedly vaccinated and yet never develop immunity if his/her immune system is malfunctioning.
If you suspect your dog is suffering adverse effects from a rabies vaccine, I hope you'll consult a holistic vet. Among other things, they may recommend a homeopathic remedy to clear the vaccine from your dog's system. If you continue to treat your dog's symptoms without treating the cause, you'll likely be treating increasingly bad symptoms for the rest of your dog's life.
CHANGING THE LAW
Blood antibody testing provides good evidence that the rabies vaccine protects for five to seven years yet most laws require vaccination every three years and some locals even require yearly vaccination.
Renowned veterinary vaccination experts Drs. Jean Dodds and Ronald Schultz (Chair of the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison) are volunteering their time (and the University is waiving its usual 48% overhead fee) to conduct five and seven year tests to prove how long the vaccine protection lasts and to increase the time between shots. They will also test the safety of the shot's ingredients and will establish an adverse effects reporting system--something desperately needed..
Learn more about the vaccine and the study at http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/page4.html. (Recognize my dog Chiclet in the photo?). Donate at http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/donate.html. Even a few dollars will help and may someday save your dog or cat's life.
By the way, the term Challenge Study does NOT mean that the need for the vaccine is being challenged. It merely describes the type of testing done: vaccinated dogs are exposed to the disease to see how long the vaccine is effective. It is the Gold Standard of testing and necessary if we are to change laws.
As of this spring, Kansas and Wyoming are rethinking their vaccine laws. Arkansas is next. If you want to get e-mail alerts about how you can help, send an e-mail to Rabies Alert and ask to be added to the mailing list.
STARTLING FACTS ABOUT RABIES AND THE VACCINE
***Unlike the vaccines for parvovirus and distemper, which are made with modified live viruses, the rabies vaccine is made from a killed viruses. The rabies vaccine is killed. Why? Because vaccines have been known to cause the diseases they're meant to protect against.
***Interestingly, there is a vaccine which can be given pre-exposure directly to humans, but it's recommended only for people at high risk of infection. Dogs and cats, unfortunately, are vaccinated regardless of risk.
***More than 50,000 dogs were needlessly killed in China when three people died from rabies. All for want of a shot. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5233704.stm
***How common is rabies in the US? According to the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, there were 4 human cases in 1997, 1 case in 1998, none in 1999, and 5 in 2000 (one was "a patient who had come from Ghana after being bitten by a dog; all the others were thought to be associated with bats." Bats! Read more: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1279140
Disclaimer: Jan Rasmusen is not a veterinarian. The information above is provided for information purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for advice from a qualified health practitioner.
copyright 2006 Jan Rasmusen All Rights Reserved
Jan Rasmusen is the award-winning author of Scared Poopless: The Straight Scoop on Dog Care. Learn more about her book and sign up for her free newsletter at http://www.Dogs4Dogs.com.
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