Rabies shots -- aren't we overdoing it?

Willowy

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If we just Let the states and pharmacies do whatever they want, soon they'll have us vaccinating every few months..
No kidding! I read through an issue of Veterinary Economics magazine once, and in it some vets were saying how they had managed to convince their clients to bring their pets in for vaccinations every 6 months by scaring them with stories of how prevalent certain diseases are in their area (not mentioning that the diseases occur in unvaccinated animals). So, yeah, give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

But I do agree that you need to know your local laws. Around here, they're much less strict than what otto describes. Someone I know was bitten by a stray/farm cat, and the doctor just said "if you still see him around 2 weeks from now, you'll be fine". Of course he chose that time to disappear for a couple months, so she had to get rabies shots anyway, and as soon as the shots were done he came sauntering back, healthy as ever :tongue2:. Apparently, they say, the virus is self-limiting in colder climates, although I don't know why temperature would affect the spread of a virus like rabies :dk:. If they were as strict about it around here, I would certainly put more thought into vaccinating more often.
 
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minka

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I have explained why I feel the laws should be complied with, for the cat's safety. Everyone has to make their own choices about this, and educating oneself on the local laws and practices can help. Where I live rabies is taken very seriously.

An un-vaccinated cat who has bitten someone is either immediately destroyed, or kept in quarantine for 6 months, depending on who is doing the officiating. The quarantine means isolated, in a cage, for six months. (at the pet owner's expense). I prefer to not risk any of my cats going through that. Ever.

To be treated for a cat bite from one of your own cats, who is unvaccinated, one can lie and say "I was bitten by a stray" and be subjected to the post exposure shots, and the expense of them. Or, tell the truth and say "My cat bit me accidentally when he was startled by a siren going off outside, while I was trimming his nails" (or whatever actually happened). When the truth is told, you better have the rabies certificate in hand. Even WITH that certificate, the reports are made, the forms are filled out, the attending vet is contacted, the dept. of health calls you at home to confirm that the vaccinated cat will be kept in at-home quarantine for 10 days. When the 10 days are up, they call again, to make sure all is well. If you don't return the call, they keep calling, until you do. I have been through this three times.

If I have an emergency, say, and have to rush my cat to Cornell Companion Animal Hospital, the first thing I am asked is if the cat is vaccinated and to please bring a copy of the certificate with me.

When there is a bat in my house, I have the peace of mind of knowing my cats are protected.

Regardless of what I believe is right, I choose to abide by the state law regarding rabies vaccines, for my cats' sake. And so I share my opinion on this, not to try to make other people think the same way, but to help them think it through for themselves, by providing another point of view.

The occurrence of rabies in domestic animals is high enough to warrant that all animals be vaccinated. At least 7 dogs in my area in 2012.

Rabies is prevalent in the USA. More in some areas than in others. But if people stop vaccinating completely, it will eventually be prevalent everywhere.
Like I said, it may be 6 months for where you are, but it's certainly not that here and I don't think that long of a period of time is common.

You don't even have to get shots if you were bitten by a stray. I didn't get any when I was bit. I went into the ER panicking and thinking it'd have to get the butt shots, and the doctor basically shrugged and said I'd be fine. People in animal control and rescues get bitten ALL the time and nobody gets rabies. There are literally less than five cases of human rabies each YEAR. The risk is sooo sooo slim. So yes, you could easily just say 'I was bitten by a stray' and then have to not vaccinate your cat.

Rabies is NOT prevalent in the US.* And as long as your cat is vaccinated once, you are good to go. I don't see what the discrepancy is here. :dk:


No kidding! I read through an issue of Veterinary Economics magazine once, and in it some vets were saying how they had managed to convince their clients to bring their pets in for vaccinations every 6 months by scaring them with stories of how prevalent certain diseases are in their area (not mentioning that the diseases occur in unvaccinated animals). So, yeah, give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

But I do agree that you need to know your local laws. Around here, they're much less strict than what otto describes. Someone I know was bitten by a stray/farm cat, and the doctor just said "if you still see him around 2 weeks from now, you'll be fine". Of course he chose that time to disappear for a couple months, so she had to get rabies shots anyway, and as soon as the shots were done he came sauntering back, healthy as ever :tongue2:. Apparently, they say, the virus is self-limiting in colder climates, although I don't know why temperature would affect the spread of a virus like rabies :dk:. If they were as strict about it around here, I would certainly put more thought into vaccinating more often.
I agree you should Know what your laws are, but I'll be darned if I don't put up a fight against this.
Luckily (unluckily) Grim was vaccinated without my permission last year, so he's 'good' for a while which gives me a chance to find a vet that will take him even if he is not up-to-date.



Also keep in mind that people outside of TCS/the majority of people with cats literally get their cat done once and then never take it back to the vet and we don't have any epidemics of rabies spreading around. IMO that only further proves all this hyper-vaccinating is bad.




*Straight from the mouth of the rabies specialist that treated me.
 
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flintmccullough

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Or,one-could-go-thru-my-experience...........stop-reading..........if-you-are-easily-upset............


When-I-had-to-put-MY-BABY-BOY,down,in-the-ER,a-few-months-ago,there-was-nothing-more-they-could-do,he-was-only-5-yrs-old......

He-was-in-alot-of-pain,and-scared,and-his-mommy-wasn't-right-there-with-him,he-was-in-the-back,I-could-hear-him-crying........

He-bit-the-ER-doctor.

This-is-a-show-cat,very-well-behaved,very-laid-back,never-been-outside,never-even-escaped,and,he-had-his-rabies-shots,and-the-rabies-certificate,in-fact,my-vet's-husband,used-to-work,for-that-ER,internal-medicine-specialst..........that-didn't-save-him........from-what-they-did-to-him.......put-me-over-the-edge.

Because-he-bit-someone,and-he-was-being-euthinized.........they-had-to-cut-his-head-off,and-send-it-out.

It-is-the-law,all-the-above-didn't-save-him,its-the-law.

I-would-greatly-appreciate,no-negative-comments.

Having-to-put-him-down,was-horrible-enough,what-they-had-to-do-afterwards,was-beyond,horrific.
 

violet

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No negative comments from me, just sympathy and hugs. A horrific experience words could not possibly describe. I'm so very sorry.  
 

minka

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Flint.. What a terrible thing you had to go through.. :( *hugs*

I think this is more reason than ever to push for law changes. There is ZERO reason they should have done that.. None at all..
 

Willowy

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Sometimes I think some vets do things just to be jerks. . .there's absolutely no reason to test an animal for rabies if he's "up-to-date" on rabies vaccination. Why would they encourage us to vaccinate if it doean't make a difference, right? Unless they're trying to artificially inflate the percentage of local animals who test negative. Although I guess it wouldn't have bothered me if they wanted to test my cat for rabies after he was already put to sleep for another reason. But then I don't have any particular feelings about what's done with a body (human or animal) after death. I can see how that would be disturbing if you did have particular feelings on the subject, though.
 

flintmccullough

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If.....I-ever-find-out,this-didn't-need-to-happen,a-very-lot,of-people,are-not,going-to-be-happy,and-I-excell-at-this-stuff.

I-was-told,its-the-law,if-I-hadn't-been-so-hysterical,and-not-able-to-think,and-by-my-self,I-would-have-demanded,to-see-the-law.In-hindsight,I-should-have-just-walked-out-with-him,but-I-had-nowhere-to-put-him,and-I-wanted-him-cremated,so-he-is-always-with-me.I-do-know,the-only-thing-I-signed,was-to-put-him-down.

Got-a-very-nice-letter,from-the-lab-or-ER,forget-now-which,that-said,he-was-negative,ah-gee,I-could-have-told-them-that.

So,when-the-subject-of-rabies-comes-up,it-sends-a-chill-thru-me.

Anyhow,its-all-good,have-seen-him,crystal-clear-as-day,5-times,and-petted-him-one-time,and,he-had-his-head.I-remember,my-reg-vet-calling-me-that-day,to-see-how-I-was,very-nice-of-her,and-she-said-something-about-the-white-light,and-don't-be-surprised,if-I-see-him.I-asked-her,if-he-was-put-down-in-the-ER,how,is-he-going-to-get-home.She-said,he-knows-where-he-lives.He-does,and-he-is-still-around.

I-can't-explain,what-dimension-he-is-in,but-he-is-always-here,watching-over-me,and-he-appears,when-I-am-really-down,thinking-about-him,he-came-a-few-weeks-ago,when-I-was-home-sick.

Appreciate-the-support,and-not-negative-comments.

Rabies-is-nothing-to-mess-with,and-apparently-the-law-thinks-so-too,so-I-just-get-the-shot.
 

ldg

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Everyone should ask their vets how often they get vaccinated for rabies. Ours get vaccinated every 7 years, though some do titre testing. The last time one of our vets had his shot was 10 years ago, and his titres are still going strong.... same basic vaccine that's given to our cats...


Flint, I'm so sorry about what happened. :( :rbheart: I don't understand why the ER Doc wasn't vaccinated against rabies, or why the law would require a vaccinated cat to be put down. None of it makes sense. :( I'm just so, so sorry.

:heart2:
 
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flintmccullough

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He-wasn't-put-down,because-of-rabies.He-was-put-down,because-he-had-issues,and-there-was-just-nothing-more-they-could-do-for-him.He-was-scared,and-in-alot-of-pain,and-he-bit-the-ER-doctor.

They-said,because,he-was-being-put-down,they-had-to-send-his-head-out,and,test-his-brain.

It-was-the-most-horrific-day-of-my-life.
 

lunariris

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Actually, as of just last year in 2013, the official vaccination association in the US declared that rabies is no longer considered a "CORE" vaccine, though vets everywhere in our area keep saying it is a "CORE" vaccine. State law hasn't changed at all to meet new criteria the federal organization for vaccinations has deemed appropriate. Everyone locally keeps denying what they changed last year and acts like they haven't heard. Why? Not for the safety of our pets, but to make more money, whether it hurts or helps our pets. But if it's for a vaccination cause, it looks like a health matter that really "helps" our pets, even if it hurts them, it looks good on paper. And the only reason so many people get behind and push rabies instead of all the other more common, and just as deadly, diseases out there for our pets, is because rabies is the only one WE can get. It's not about our pets' health, it's about un-educated people afraid of animals and who want more money collected for revenue.

The first vaccine or so seems legitimate, after that, though it infuriates me. I get the 3-years for our guys only because it is required by law, otherwise, I would have done their first set and the year booster, and then left it until the next 5-10 years, then maybe I'd give them another for a boost. That seems more reasonable. But then again, look at all the money the system would lose. That's what really matters to them, isn't it? I've never personally heard or read about anyone or any pet contracting rabies from an animal that had already been vaccinated at any time in its life, even after it expired. It should also be noted that a 4-year rabies shot exists for cats, but is not available for some reason (I can't help but think it's money-related) in our state, just 1 and 3 year vaccines, and now they are trying to push the 3 year vaccines out the window, saying they 'aren't as safe' as getting them every year. Really? They claim it's the adjuvents, but personally everyone I know and us included have used the 3-year shots for decades, and we have almost a dozen cats. Instead of going in for 27 shots for 9 cats in 3 years, they only have to go in for 9 shots every 3 years unless they are ill and need to go for something else. You see the price difference here, plus the basic $40 + charge just for being 'examined' at the vet, before they even give them the vaccine. At our vets they actually charge almost $30 for a 1-year vaccine, and it's less than $20 for a 3 year. And 4 times my family and I have been lied to that they "no longer carry the 3 year" because it is unsafe. When I informed them I would be seeing another local vet from now on that I know did carry them, they said, "Well we do have them. We just don't like to use them." In Pennsylvania they also, just recently passed a law that allows vets to decide, for just one year, if a pet is healthy enough to get a rabies vaccine that year, and just recently that your vet can decide to give you an exemption for vaccine, for just one year if deemed unhealthy. But you have to come in every year for another 1-year extention, even for chronic conditions you know cannot be cured and will not change in a year. I spoke with the same vets very seriously about aging with their care and vaccination pushing in the future, and they said between the pet's health, age, and the owner and vet, they can decide to stop vaccines entirely on a pet once it hits a certain age, usually between 10-15 years in many pets, though some continue to receive them after. But your vet has to agree to this. It's definitely more a money-maker than making sure your indoor-only cat doesn't get rabies. It's especially horrible since they know these pets do not even go outside and are unlikely (though possible) for them to get out and get lost, the odds of that happening and them coming into contact with a rabid animal in that time and contracting rabies, especially if they've had a vaccine in the past, are extremely rare. They also know that complications of the vaccine include death, allergic reactions, and on-site cancer or tumors, and this is why every time they get the rabies vaccine it's in a rear leg, so if your pet reacts, they can just cut the limb off. That's comforting, to know they take steps to plan in case they have to hack off one of your pet's back legs, so the problems from the vaccine are less likely to start somewhere else and kill them. Thank God they are thinking of their safety first. 

American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP)

Their official site:

http://www.catvets.com/guidelines/practice-guidelines/feline-vaccination-guidelines

Other resources on over-vaccination: 

http://healthypets.mercola.com/site.../2013/07/03/new-pet-vaccination-protocol.aspx

http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/new-feline-vaccination-guidelines/
 

mycatwasthebest

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Firstly, I REALLY hope I don't live in Flint's state. Secondly, my cat had only 2 rabies shot in 16 years, and that was enough. The seizures were terrible the second time and 10 years later her very reputable vet agreed as she was indoor only and old with issues we could skip it and he'd risk the fallout on the slim to 0 chance there was any
 
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