After reading so much about vaccinations I'm terrified about getting 2 of my dogs vaccinated for Rabies on Thursday. One dog is 3 1/2 and had one before I owned her but is fine so I assume had no adverse reaction. OTOH, the other dog is my newest and has never received a Rabies vaccination (she is close to 1 year old). I'm scared.

I seem to remember reading an article about things to do before and after the vaccination in hope of stregthening the dog's system????(I'm not sure if it was on Leerburg and I can't find anything similar using Search)

Does anyone remember that and can post the link? Any other advice?

Thanks.

 Quote: cathi kemp

After reading so much about vaccinations I'm terrified about getting 2 of my dogs vaccinated for Rabies on Thursday.

Hi Cathi,
First of all, deeeeep breaths. It's pretty easy to get overwhelmed by information on this website - a lot of it challenging what you thought you knew - but the info isn't there to scare you into decisions that might not be right for you, it's there to compliment what you already know, and better help you weigh your options.

Some members here choose not to vaccinate at all (for reasons you're obviously learning about), but most just choose a minimal protocol that avoids taxing the immune system with the trauma of too many vaccines administered all at once, or slow deterioration from many more shots than necessary over a lifetime. Rabies in particular is still very much a concern in some locations, and the risk from the vaccine just doesn't outweigh the risk of the actual virus (remember also that it IS the law for all dogs in all states to be current on their rabies vax , which could actually become a life threatening legal problem if you own a dog that could ever possibly bite someone). That said, some small dogs these days live more like house cats and have virtually no risk of exposure to anything...

This may or may not be the information you're looking for regarding bolstering your dog's system in preparation for the vaccination, but it does have some good suggestions (a search on "nosodes" will also turn up additional info):

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=195936

Also, here are Dr. Jean Dodds (a very well respected and knowledgeable source, and leader of the Rabies Challenge Fund) vaccination recommendations:
http://www.weim.net/emberweims/Vaccine.html

And some other excellent articles on vaccinations and alternative treatments:
http://www.caberfeidh.com/HHC.htm

I'd at least try not to walk into the vet's office terrified... if you need more days/weeks to research, prepare, and become confident about your choice, move the appointment back. It'll be worth your piece of mind.

~Natalya

Yea Natalya,
I'll rise my hand here. The big thing for me is not over whelming the dog's system with a whole bunch of things to deal with all at once. Any vacs one decides are to done is one at a time with the dog in good health, as in not fighting off something else.

So far.....so good.

 Quote: randy allen

Yea Natalya,
I'll rise my hand here. The big thing for me is not over whelming the dog's system with a whole bunch of things to deal with all at once. Any vacs one decides are to done is one at a time with the dog in good health, as in not fighting off something else.

So far.....so good.

Huge ditto ... so huge that I had to post a "ditto" (a useless tagalong ) on this. I would like every owner to see and remember this, because too many vets (not all, of course) do not.

There is so much that we read here and elsewhere about moronic vaccination combining and vaccinating dogs who are ill. Wrong wrong wrong, IMHO.

 Quote: natalya zahn

This may or may not be the information you're looking for regarding bolstering your dog's system in preparation for the vaccination, but it does have some good suggestions (a search on "nosodes" will also turn up additional info):

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=195936

I believe this might be it.

BTW, I'm giving the rabies vaccination because it is required by law.

 Quote: natalya zahn

I'd at least try not to walk into the vet's office terrified... if you need more days/weeks to research, prepare, and become confident about your choice, move the appointment back. It'll be worth your piece of mind.

I've known about vaccinosis and been reading about it for years. I think that is the problem. It's too much information and I lazily am looking for the quick & dirty. I can't move the appointment because I've already received my 2nd notice for license renewal.

PS-I do not vaccinate other than rabies because it is required by law here.

I mostly am looking for what others have given before and after a rabies shot to boost the dog's system. It looks like the couple of folks I just read about prepared for 2 weeks which obviously won't work for me. I'm just going to hope for the best.

Thank you for your responses.

Rabies vaccine is the law, but it is also certain death if the dog contracts the disease. THERE IS NO CURE. Additionally, if your dog does come into contact with an at risk animal (bat, raccoon, skunk) and has not been vaccinated, the law calls for quarantine of the animal for minimally 180 days in most states (however the health department in all cases will recommend that you euthanize the dog). This happened to my dog. She was quarantined in an approved kennel for 3 months and then at home for 3 more months. It was expensive and not fun for me or my dog and all because there was a down bat in our back yard that tested positive for rabies and I could not say how close (or how far away) she was to the bat.

I also received the rabies shots. Aside from being a little woozy after the immunoglobulin (which the dog does not receive), I had no side effects and neither did my dog, as she started her shots immediately after the bat incident even though she was only 3 months old--also a requirement by the health department.

So everything is fine - no reactions to the vaccinations by either dog. Woo hoo.

I took my dogs to my local animal shelter for the vaccinations. The tech who was working there asked if they were up to date with all of their others. I said I don't vaccinate, she said "well now you're going to have to hear my spiel" and I said "well then you'll have to hear mine so let's not do that to each other". But she started in with how many cases of Parvo they've seen, blah, blah, blah. I silently screamed UNCLE and moved on.

One option you have as well is to have titers done. Although, I found out from my vet here (in small town ND) that it's going to cost me about $150/dog to have the titers done to see if they still have the antibodies in their system for all the diseases they have vaccinations for. And listening to they vet or techs spiel on what they've learned at school can be annoying, especially if you've done the research and know the stats/facts. I also, sit, nod and cry "UNCLE" in my head too.

 Quote: Keleah Stull

One option you have as well is to have titers done.

In addition to being expensive, I don't believe many cities/towns will accept titers in place of an actual rabies vax certificate (when it comes to requirements for licensing). I think of titers more for peace of mind, they aren't legally equal to getting the actual vaccine.

Glad your pups are fine Cathi, and who knows, maybe in another 3 years the laws will be different and you can avoid future shots!

~Natalya

 Quote: Natalya Zahn

I don't believe many cities/towns will accept titers in place of an actual rabies vax certificate (when it comes to requirements for licensing).

Yeah, I'm 99% sure this is the case here in Los Angeles.

 Quote: Natalya Zahn

Glad your pups are fine Cathi

Thank you

 Quote: Natalya Zahn

and who knows, maybe in another 3 years the laws will be different and you can avoid future shots! ~Natalya

Wouldn't that be nice!