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rabies shot

4K views 29 replies 10 participants last post by  Zoe093014 
#1 ·
anyones dog have a bad reaction to rabies shot? my dog is currently in hospital for HGE 10 days after rabies shot. This happened last time he had rabies shot. Vets tell me it is unlikely to be from the shot after 10days--- this is exactly what happened last time he had the shot. I did not want to give him shot but gave in.........anyone else?????
 
#2 ·
Yes, while my dog, fortunately, didn't get HGE, he did run a high fever after this last Rabies shot. I had to take him to the emergency vet, because, of course, his fever spiked over the weekend. It was 3 days after his shot. They told me the same thing... "Probably not the shot". When I called my regular (integrative medicine) vet on Monday, she said, "Most likely WAS the shot."

I can get him a waiver for the future and titer him, but that would mean we can't travel to Canada with him any more. So I haven't decided what to do yet... pre-medicate him and hope for the best (since his reaction was MUCH milder than your dog) or use the waiver. With a dog who TWICE got HGE following a Rabies shot? NO WAY would I give it again if I lived in a state where I could get a waiver.
 
#3 ·
rabies shot reaction

Thanks SO much for your response. I expressed grave concern over giving him this shot- the 2 vets i spoke with said it was an 'unlikely' reaction. They administered the shot with benedryl- but that was a joke, as far as i was concerned. I KNEW that 10 days after the last shot, he starting vomiting and it got much worse quickly after. Seems like vets are pressured to have all dogs vaccinated against rabies and no one wants to admit there might be a problem.especially in NY. He is still due for the OTHER shots......i will titer for those. The boarding place has rules about vaccinations- so i guess ill need to find an alternative. I am going to try to find a more holistic type vet and hope for the best. My instincts where right in the first place- and now, my dog is ill and suffering and its costing us a fortune. And i feel guilty :(
Thanks for your feedback- really helped validate my feelings.
 
#11 ·
Thanks SO much for your response. I expressed grave concern over giving him this shot- the 2 vets i spoke with said it was an 'unlikely' reaction. They administered the shot with benedryl- but that was a joke, as far as i was concerned. I KNEW that 10 days after the last shot, he starting vomiting and it got much worse quickly after. Seems like vets are pressured to have all dogs vaccinated against rabies and no one wants to admit there might be a problem.especially in NY. He is still due for the OTHER shots......i will titer for those. The boarding place has rules about vaccinations- so i guess ill need to find an alternative. I am going to try to find a more holistic type vet and hope for the best. My instincts where right in the first place- and now, my dog is ill and suffering and its costing us a fortune. And i feel guilty :(
Thanks for your feedback- really helped validate my feelings.
In fairness, vets ARE pressured to make sure every dog is vaccinated for Rabies. They can lose their license for not vaccinating a dog.
 
#4 ·
I am convinced that the rabies and other vaccines damaged my Tucker's immune system. He'd shake, drool, wobble...just awful. My vets also said it wasn't related or harmful. He has food sensitivities now, got very sick after his shots each time he got them, and nearly died from intestinal issues last winter. I won't let them give him any more shots, now.
 
#5 ·
YES! Thank you. Samson has always had a 'weak stomach'.....lots of vomiting his first few years. He also had reactions to Canine Advantix and Frontline. In hindsight, i am wondering if it was all a reaction to the vaccines. And to make it worse, after I had Big discussion about whether to give him this shot, once he got sick, the Vet doesn't return my calls. I am So done with that office.
 
#6 ·
my ella had a severe delayed (7-10 days after shot) allergic reaction to the rabies vaccine. she was very unsettled with severe itching, swollen eyelids, red hot ears and wheezing. when i asked my vet to look back at her records, sure enough she had experienced a milder reaction the first time, that we did not associate with the vaccine. my vet did tell me this kind of reaction was highly unusual, but i suspect it is just under reported. he also told me they are looking into decreasing the rabies dose for small dogs.
 
#12 ·
The reactions are not that common. But we have a vaccine sensitive breed that IS also a small breed. And, of course, if it's your dog that has the reaction, it doesn't matter one bit whether it's an "unusual reaction" or not.
 
#8 · (Edited)
#10 ·
Check out this vet in NY.
Dr. Martin Goldstein DVM
Smith Ridge Veterinary Center
600 Oakridge Commons Plaza
South Salem, New York 10590
914 533-6066


I'm not sure where South Salem is in relation to you, but I would travel as far as necessary to find a sympathetic vet. Dr. Goldstein is way ahead of his time in regards to vet medicine and he does telephone consults.

I would also consider donating to the Rabies Challenge Fund on Dr. Dodds website. The rabies laws are ridiculous and need to change. I personally refuse to support any business who demands unnecessary vaccines. I know rabies is currently the law in every state, but there are businesses who will be reasonable and accept waivers and titers even if its not spelled out in the law. If there is a way around the rabies vaccine Dr. Goldstein will know it.

Good luck! Your dog could die next time or suffer permanent neurological damage. Those reactions are warning signs.
 
#14 ·
How to Report Animal Drug Side Effects and Product Problems

Please report ANY adverse reactions your pet has. The above link will tell you how. Be aggressive. Don't take any excuses or denials that you had a reaction. FDA is required by law to document all reports for what its worth.

I am a law abiding U.S. citizen, BUT.......... IMHO, bad and outdated laws should be challenged. The rabies law was implemented in a time when pets were not cared for like they are today and there was no data on the long term risks vs benefits of the vaccine. 30 yrs ago the average pet owner would not have spent the money to titer their pets. So, the law made some sense. But today, I expect vets to have the freedom to practice good medicine that helps, not harms and to be able to individualize medical treatment. One size does not fit all.

btw~I've noticed that the younger vets just coming out of school are more indoctrinated than a veteran DVM.
 
#21 ·
the one, and the three year are the same. Just shows what a crock of ship this whole thing is.
 
#19 ·
From the time Django was a puppy he ALWAYS had a reaction to the rabies vaccination. Fever for days, lethargic, it was awful. His last rabies shot was 9 years ago. He was diagnosed with Addisons when he was 3 and ever since then, I have had him tittered for rabies. I know there's a risk with not having your dog vaccinated for rabies but I am on top of things on our walks, when he greets someone, etc. Side note, he had horrible reactions to all vaccinations and hasn't had any in 9 years thanks to tittering.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Ricky is due for his rabies vaccination at the end of this month. I had a conversation with his Vet yesterday with regards to this thread. He said, yes some dogs are reactive to the rabies vaccine, but in his experience it is a small minority. He said that it is difficult to diagnose an illness after a vaccination. Most people assume that it is the vaccine, which is sometimes true, but most of the time not.

Rabies vaccination is the law in California and no exceptions. Many people try to fly under the radar and not vaccinate their dog. He said if a client brings in their dog without current vaccinations, and they refuse vaccination, he is required by law to report them to the State with the client's contact information. In his experience the risk of getting rabies is far greater than the risk of an adverse reaction to the vaccine. He said there is no argument to that.

If a dog is known to be reactive to the rabies vaccine, they start him on a regimen of antihistamines one week prior to the vaccination. In his practice (something like 20 years) he has never known this not to work.

Ricky had his rabies vaccination three days before moving in with us last year. We did not see any reaction other than a loving dog who had boundless energy and one helluva an appetite! So we are confident in the rabies vaccine for Ricky and he will be vaccinated for a three year dosage, in two weeks.

I also asked the Vet about antihistamines. Ricky gets the "itches" every once in a while, mostly on his paws. The Vet said just buy some Benedryl at the store, but BE CAREFUL of the dosage. He said as far as he knows the smallest human dosage is 25 mg. The safe dosage for a dog is 1 mg. per pound (approximately). So the safe dosage for Ricky is 1/2 tablet per day. He said to give that to him for a week and then stop. He said if Ricky continues to itch after that, I should bring him in for an exam.

Each one of us is responsible for what is best for our pet, our companion, our alter ego. Working with a Vet you trust will result in determining what is best for him. I am confident we are doing what is best for Ricky by having him vaccinated for rabies.

Ricky's Popi
 
#23 ·
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#25 ·
"Sadly, despite the new guidelines that are now two years old, members of the traditional veterinary community have been slow to adopt the new recommended protocol. According to Mark Kimsey, a DVM who works for Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., a veterinary pharmaceutical company, "Basically, what we're seeing is there's a gradual trend toward three-year protocols."

Dr. Richard Ford, a DVM who is on both the AAHA canine vaccination task force and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) feline vaccination advisory panel, agrees with Kimsey. "It's a slow change," says Ford. "Most practices still recommend annual vaccinations. All the vet schools are teaching triennial vaccinations."

Ford believes, based on feedback from vaccine manufacturer sales reps, that 60 percent of veterinary practices are still re-vaccinating on an annual rather than every 3-year basis. "Some acknowledged the reality and changed their protocols, while others, fearing loss of a major source of revenue, argued against anything other than the time-honored paradigm: annual boosters," said Ford.
It appears there's no shortage of vets out there willing to openly admit they don't want to lose the income from unnecessary vaccinations and new, safer protocols be ****ed. Hopefully you're not taking your own pet to a veterinarian with a similarly misguided, dangerous practice philosophy"
 
#27 ·
"Sadly, despite the new guidelines that are now two years old, members of the traditional veterinary community have been slow to adopt the new recommended protocol. According to Mark Kimsey, a DVM who works for Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., a veterinary pharmaceutical company, "Basically, what we're seeing is there's a gradual trend toward three-year protocols."

Dr. Richard Ford, a DVM who is on both the AAHA canine vaccination task force and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) feline vaccination advisory panel, agrees with Kimsey. "It's a slow change," says Ford. "Most practices still recommend annual vaccinations. All the vet schools are teaching triennial vaccinations."

Ford believes, based on feedback from vaccine manufacturer sales reps, that 60 percent of veterinary practices are still re-vaccinating on an annual rather than every 3-year basis. "Some acknowledged the reality and changed their protocols, while others, fearing loss of a major source of revenue, argued against anything other than the time-honored paradigm: annual boosters," said Ford.
It appears there's no shortage of vets out there willing to openly admit they don't want to lose the income from unnecessary vaccinations and new, safer protocols be ****ed. Hopefully you're not taking your own pet to a veterinarian with a similarly misguided, dangerous practice philosophy"
I guess we're lucky that most vets around here follow the 3 year protocol for Rabies, (in fact, even on our elderly cat, we get 6 month reminders for check-up... Probably appropriate at her age, but on every one, it shows when next vaccines are due, and it always says the three year anniversary) though WAY too many still at least OFFER annual Lepto and Lyme.. Leaving it up to an uninformed pet owner, who often says yes, thinking they are doing the right thing for their animal.

What I HAVE noticed is that many vets are now pushing annual titers for people who choose that route, where Dr. dodds recommends every 3 years. i suppose, if it gets people to bring their animals in, there is some benefit in that, and there's no harm to the animal... Just to the owner's pocketbook.
 
#26 ·
"You might have noticed that rabies vaccines are labeled for either one year or three years. What is the difference between

the two vaccines? The answer is that there is no difference. It is the exact same vaccine.

Veterinary immunologist Dr. Ronald Schultz states: “There is no benefit from annual rabies vaccination and most one year

rabies products are similar or identical to the 3-year products with regard to duration of immunity and effectiveness.

However, if they are 1 year rabies vaccines, they must be legally given annually! Rabies vaccine is the only canine vaccine

requiring a minimum duration of immunity study. However, revaccination annually does not necessarily improve immunity.

However, annual vaccination does significantly increase the risk for an adverse reaction in the dog.”
The annual revaccination recommendation on the vaccine label is just that: a recommendation without the backing of long term

duration of immunity studies, and, surprisingly, it is not a legal requirement. Rabies vaccine is the only commonly used

vaccine that requires that duration of immunity studies be carried out before licensing in the United States. Even with

rabies vaccines, the label may be misleading in that a three year duration of immunity product may also be labeled and sold

as a one year duration of immunity product .In 2009, Alabama became the last state to allow dog owners to vaccinate their

dogs every three years instead of annually. Dr. Dee Jones, Alabama Public Health Veterinarian states that veterinarians may

use rabies vaccine “in accordance to its label” in a letter written to state vets. “The state is now recognizing and

accepting the use of a three-year vaccine that is labeled for such,” he wrote. “However, it is worth belaboring that the

state is not mandating the use of three-year vaccine. The decision to use a one-year or a three-year rabies vaccine lies

entirely with the veterinarian and the animal owner.”

Despite Dr. Schultz’s efforts at educating veterinarians, your veterinarian is allowed to inject your dog annually with what

is essentially a three year vaccine. This means he gets all of the risk and none of the benefit. Before you give your vet the

benefit of the doubt when he urges you to vaccinate annually, consider what Dr. Schultz has to say about how well most

veterinarians understand immunity. Dr. Schultz states: “many practitioners really don’t understand the principles of vaccinal

immunity. A significant number of practitioners believe the annual revaccination recommendation on the vaccine label is

evidence the product provides immunity for (only) one year. This is simply not true. Many practitioners also believe that

they are legally required to vaccinate annually and if they don’t they will not be covered by AVMA liability insurance if the

animal develops a vaccine preventable disease – Not True. Furthermore, certain companies will not provide assistance if

practitioners don’t vaccinate annually with core vaccines. Not True – In fact most of the companies have now demonstrated

their core products provide at least 3 years of immunity.
Some vets have suggested that giving a vaccine annually that has a duration of immunity of 3 or more years provides much

better immunity than if the product is given only once during the three years. – Not True. As well as regional/state rabies

programs that suggest annual rabies vaccination programs provide better protection than revaccination once every three years

regardless of whether a 1 year or 3 year rabies product is used. – Not True

“It’s much cheaper to revaccinate the pet annually than it is to treat the disease the animal will develop because it didn’t

get revaccinated annually.” The “better safe than sorry” philosophy – If a vaccine is given that is not needed and it causes

an adverse reaction that is unacceptable and very expensive.

Some have cited they need to revaccinate all new dogs/cats coming to their clinic irrespective of vaccination history even

when vaccination records are available from another clinic. Presumably the “other clinic” used the wrong vaccine or didn’t

know how to vaccinate. – Not True

“Dogs need to be revaccinated annually up to 5 to 7 years of age, then and only then would vaccination every three years be

okay.” – Not True"
 
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