Rabies shot = fear induced aggression?

barbb

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I just learned of a horrible situation with one of our foster kitties who we recently transferred to a Petsmart adoption center, in hopes of improving his chances of adoption.

This cat has always been the most loving and gentle little boy and has never lifted a paw to anyone. He has been a foster in our system almost one year. His foster mom had been sick, so he had not been getting to enough shows and we felt he deserved better. So we transferred him. The new group loved him and said he could not get enough petting, hugs, and brushings.

Last Monday he got his rabies shot at the Banfield clinic. On Saturday they took him back to the clinic (at the store) where he had a claw trim.

A volunteer with 20 years experience carried him from the clinic to the adoption center. As she was about to put him back into his cage (a large 2-cage area) he completely freaked out and bit her.

She did not want to drop him and have him running through the store in his state, so she held onto him. He bit her 13 more times before she was able to get him in the cage.

I have heard that rabies shots can induce aggression and fear-agression responses and am wondering if anyone has had any similar experiences.

Poor little Chazz is on quarantine now and will be euthanized unless we can find him a mercy home. He is such a good boy by nature. And the volunteer had to go to the hospital since one of the bites went into the bone. She had been his caregiver and does not hold ill will toward him. The entire situation was completely without warning.
 

tcdaver

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Originally Posted by BarbB

I just learned of a horrible situation with one of our foster kitties who we recently transferred to a Petsmart adoption center, in hopes of improving his chances of adoption.

This cat has always been the most loving and gentle little boy and has never lifted a paw to anyone. He has been a foster in our system almost one year. His foster mom had been sick, so he had not been getting to enough shows and we felt he deserved better. So we transferred him. The new group loved him and said he could not get enough petting, hugs, and brushings.

Last Monday he got his rabies shot at the Banfield clinic. On Saturday they took him back to the clinic (at the store) where he had a claw trim.

A volunteer with 20 years experience carried him from the clinic to the adoption center. As she was about to put him back into his cage (a large 2-cage area) he completely freaked out and bit her.

She did not want to drop him and have him running through the store in his state, so she held onto him. He bit her 13 more times before she was able to get him in the cage.

I have heard that rabies shots can induce aggression and fear-agression responses and am wondering if anyone has had any similar experiences.

Poor little Chazz is on quarantine now and will be euthanized unless we can find him a mercy home. He is such a good boy by nature. And the volunteer had to go to the hospital since one of the bites went into the bone. She had been his caregiver and does not hold ill will toward him. The entire situation was completely without warning.
I posted this about 5 days ago about my cat.



"My just about 2 yr. cat Steeli. Steeli just had his second visit to vet where he has received his second Rabies shot.

The shot was a three yr. booster and the next day he started acting weird and aggravated. I called the vet and she said he was having a reaction to the shot.

I have read online about this problem and want to know if anyone else has this problem, and if it ever goes away. From what I have read, it can last for ever. I truly hope it won't.

I give Steeli a generic for Clairitin to help with his symptoms, but I'm worried about how long I can give Steeli these pills daily.

The symptoms are, he bites at his self like he has fleas
He will just jump up and chirp and let out a cry and take off running like he is trying to get away from the irritation. How ever it affects him.(I wish he could talk).
He twitches his skin and you see his body twitch.
He has also gotten more agressive and bites sometimes.
I know he does not mean too because then when I tell him no, he stoops his head and walks away slow and looks back at me.

My thoughts are he had a three yr. booster and it might take that long for the effects to ware off, I hope.

Can anybody help, and has anybody experienced this first hand and can offer some hope for a positive outcome?

Thank you in advance Dave"


That day at the vet he bite me right down to the bone awhile I was trying to keep him from biting the vet, I couldn't believe I got bit like that with an experienced vet in the room. She should have known that Steeli was getting real aggressive. Now he never used to be this way, I still love him and we still have him, but it is a real challenge if we need to do something he does not like, he now gets aggressive. He also still has some kind of irritation that goes on with him, that I'm worried will never go away.

I believe this is all from a rabies shot, he never was like this before he got vaccinated. It is a real crying shame for Steeli and ourselves who now have to live with this.

Dave
 

emmylou

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Are you sure it isn't just a normal behavioral reaction to either being given a shot or having the claws trimmed? It's perfectly normal for animals to be terrified and react badly at the vet when given shots, etc.

I'm surprised they would consider euthanizing a cat for freaking out in that situation. Couldn't they wait a week or two to see if he returns to normal?
 
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barbb

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That's a good question, I totally agree with you. I wish she had let go of him because he was just trying to get away.

Now it is a question of liability and also this happened at a shelter in WI and it is apparently law there of some sort. From what I've been told, the law in my state (IL) is even stricter altho I have not had an opportunity to study them yet.

I was hoping to find out more about the rabies reaction since we'd still be finding a home for him if he is not euthanized. Unfortunately where it stands now he will be put down Tuesday or Wednesday- despite all our pleas for the shelter to sign him over to me or another person who will take full responsibility for him and we are willing to put it in writing.

On the rabies shot, I posted to the vet expert on this forum. Based on what I have researched, anyone who reads this post and who gives rabies shots to their pets should seriously give their pet antidotes or other solutions to counter the chances of a reaction- because a reaction can be permanent and devastating, and the vet community seems to be well aware of it.
 

emmylou

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Yes, it sounds like it wasn't the cat alone who was responsible for how bad the biting got... because when a cat bites someone, the cat is usually let go or put down. But the volunteer continued to hold the cat tightly, and it sounds like s/he didn't scruff the cat to stop the biting.

It's terrible that they're planning to put the cat down. Hopefully people will try everything they can to get him out. Would they let him go if one promised to remove him to another state? I don't understand it -- does the law require euthanizing any cat who tries to bite when going to the vet?
 
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barbb

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I just wanted to post a follow up, and say that our wonderful boy DID find a wonderful home and he is just as happy as he can possibly be. His new mommies adore him, and he has not lifted a single paw in anger to anyone, nor has he bitten one single soul.



I think when most cats bite, it is out of true mortal fear. I think people put cats into unnatural situations and expect them to act like nothing is wrong.

It is all too easy to just kill any cat that could be remotely aggressive, rather than to look at the cause and not worry so much about liability.

Anyhow be happy for our little boy, and give three cheers for the loving wonderful ladies who gave him another chance and a loving home!
 
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