Comments on: Rabies Vaccination Medical Exemptions for Unhealthy Dogs

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 03:49:48 +0000

Thank you so much for your response and I am just glad that she is okay- and HOPE that she will stay okay. I live in California and it seems like the law hasn’t passed here to let dogs who are ill to be exempt from rabies vaccine… am I right? The information I saw on your site regarding this was from 2010.. Has there been a change since then? If the law hasn’t passed how should I go about asking for exemption from the vaccines? Thank you once again! for once there is somebody who really cares about dogs!

By: Jan

Jan — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 23:41:41 +0000

Evelyn, it’s amazing your dog is okay. Small dogs should never ever get multiple vaccines at once. Ever. Each vaccine increases the reaction rate by 25%. Any competent vet should know this. It was reported in the AVMA Journal. Your dog got six vaccines at once! And toy breeds shouldn’t get Leptospiroris except in extreme cases. Read about the problems of DHLPP and other shots here: http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2009/09/30/vaccinating-small-dogs-risks-vets-arent-revealing/

Does your dog need DHLPP again? If she’s an adult, that is over 4 months of age, she probably didn’t need it in the first place. Please read this about eliminating unnecessary canine vaccines.

Puppy shots are for puppies! Vaccinating a 10-year-old dog can be very dangerous. And no dog with Cushings should be vaccinated at all. The dog should be able to get a medical exemption for rabies vaccination. If you want proof that your dog has immunity, give a titer test. Learn about it here. http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2008/10/22/titer-test/

And don’t see that vet again. See a vet who is practicing medicine in the 21st Century!

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 09:10:12 +0000

Hi,
I have a maltese dog, and she has just gotten a combo shot and bordetella last weekend before I saw all this information. She got her rabies and the DHLPP last year but I was told by the person at the vet clinic at petco that she would need the DHLPP again this year. Now I know she doesn’t need it every year… (she is almost 2 and half) I decided to do some research because the vet doing the shots was telling me about a “very scary parasite that used to be only on the east coast but now is shwoing here” – heartworm.. and she wanted us to let our dog get tested right there and then if negative put her on a “preventative.” my husband was smart and he decided to do some resaerch first since we had a bad experience with flea/tick medicine before.
My question is … does she EVER need DHLPP again in her life?? it seems like you propose that she wouldn’t need it as she is an adult.. but some people insist that there is no proof that vaccines last over 3 years… My mom also have two dogs and they are both 10 years old… one has cushings disease.. it would help very much if I can just know what to do about giving them the necessary or not giving them the unnecessary shots- specifically DHLPP.. since rabies i know is required by law.
Thank you so much for your time.

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 21:29:01 +0000

Crystal, thanks for posting your story.

BostonTerriers are among the small dogs who have the most adverse reactions to shots, especially multiple vaccines (as in combo shots) given at once. See my article: http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2009/09/30/vaccinating-small-dogs-risks-vets-arent-revealing/

Then read http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2010/12/02/what-to-do-when-your-dog-has-a-vaccine-reaction/ There will be info there on what to do now. Especially, see a vet with experience in homeopathy.

I hope this helps.

By: Crystal

Crystal — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:41:06 +0000

Hi, I am having a very hard time finding information regarding the rabies vaccination safety in a puppy that survived distemper. I got my puppy when he was 3 months old and 3 days afterward became very ill. I have worked around vets for 3 years and had him tested for multiple things the outcome, first he had giardia, then distemper with a mycoplasm infection as well as a multitude of other complications due to distemper. After thousands of dollars he made it through the distemper and then found that he also had scabies. The distemper did break the blood brain barrier and he is left with a pretty severe myoclonic twitch and also knuckles on one side, also all of his joints now are loose and pop with every movement . He is now 9 months old and made it through his normal puppy shots but I am very leary to give him his rabies vaccination due to how it works. Additionally I would really like to have him nuetered but my vet is a little leary about that due to all that has already happened she states that he could die under anesthesia. Would it be safe to give the vaccination, and if not I am in Ca and need to start fighting for rabies exemptions. Thank you

By: Jan

Jan — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:06:29 +0000

Darla, I have three thoughts. 1: Try contacting a vet in Hawaii for assistance. Check out the veterinarian referral list at http://www.dogs4dogs.com/vets
2: See if a vet here will provide documentation of your dog’s vaccine reaction. Do a rabies titer test and see if titers meet Hawaii’s high standards. This may be a waste of money, I warn you.
3. If all else fails, and you don’t want to leave your dog here, find a good holistic vet and have him/her vaccinate your dog. This vet will be able to provide support other vets may not know about. And I don’t been Benadryl and steroids.

Sorry, but that’s all I have.

By: Darla

Darla — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 03:43:51 +0000

Does anyone have any sucess stories of importing dogs to Hawaii without a current rabies vaccination? My 2 yr old Lhasa Apso/Poodle mix had a severe reaction to rabies/multiple shots a year ago and was very lucky to have survived after actually turning blue and pretty much checking out, rushed to other vet for emergency treatment. We are tying to relocate to Hawaii and am wondering if there is any hope of a vet letter for exemption?

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:15:50 +0000

Caroleigh, I am not an attorney (or a vet) but I’m pretty sure that titer tests won’t be allowed in lieu of vaccination. They aren’t anyplace that I know.

One problem is that the USDA does not recognize a “titer standard” for rabies vaccines. The Rabies Challenge Fund (www.rabieschallengefund.org) is working on producing a titer standard. They are in their fourth year and will do titers at the end of year five, and will also prove that the vaccine lasts 5 years. I hope you’ll support their work.

Re vaccinating an immune-compromised dog, even manufacturers advise against it. Your best bet is to try to change the law. People are doing it all over the country. Find your current law at http://www.dogs4dogs.com/rabies-laws . Check out “The Rabies Challenge Fund” page on Facebook for more info on how people are changing the laws in other states. You need to get your state representative to sponsor a bill. It sounds as though your vet might help.

In the meantime, you can try a titer test, copies of laws allowing exemptions in other states, a copy of Dr. Dodds letter, and perhaps a letter from a vaccine manufacturer — which will likely be hard to get. Their labels say “for healthy dogs only,” but they don’t say what “healthy dogs” means and are loathe to limit sales in any way.

BTW, titer testing yearly isn’t really necessary. The top experts say test titers for parvo and distemper once, get a strong test, then presume lifetime immunity. It’s a little different for the rabies titer, but as it has no legal use in the US except for importing dogs to Hawaii, is probably not necessary unless you are worried about your dog being exposed to rabid animals.

By: Caroleigh Heaton

Caroleigh Heaton — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:51:32 +0000

Hi, Jan ~ I’m finding it very difficult to figure out exactly what my rights are re: mandatory rabies vaccination in TN. My vet told me recently that the law has changed from requiring revaccination every year to once every 3 years. I am assuming that this is due to a changed recommendation in “the most recent issue of the national ‘Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control’ published by the Association of State Public Health Veterinarians..” I have 2 small dogs (9 and 10 lbs.). My 6 yr. old poodle/chihuahua, in excellent health, has been titer-tested for the past 2 years (good immunity), but, by law, is due to be revaccinated. Neither I nor my vet believes this is necessary, and I don’t want her to receive another vaccine. My younger dog, a 2.5 year-old poodle, received his puppy vaccines and one-year boosters, then was titer-tested last year (titers also good). About a year ago, Remy was diagnosed with SLO (Symmetrical Lupoid Onychodystrophy), an auto-immune disease. Through much study and trial-and error treatment, we seem to have finally gotten it under control. His SLO is in remission; his claws are strong again and growing, and he is on the lowest doses of the “least offensive” (as my vet says) medications and high quality supplements he can be, for now, without triggering a relapse. I believe that vaccines may have been a cause of his SLO, and I feel strongly that vaccinating any dog with an immune-system disfunction is ill-advised. My vet agrees – as long as Remy’s titers are good, vaccination for him is high-risk and not recommended. What ARE my rights in TN? Thank you for your help

By: Jan

Jan — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:22:19 +0000

If possible, wait at least three weeks between other shots and any medication before getting the rabies shot. You should get titer tests to prove immunity to other shots and then not give them again if immunity is proved. Read about titer testing at http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/category/titertesting/ Read about avoiding vaccine reactions at http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2009/10/08/protecting-dogs-from-vaccine-reactions/