Hello,
I have a question about rabies vaccinations. By law we are required to vaccinate our dogs every three years. My older one has done fine with all of his vaccinations. However, last year we got a puppy and she had an AWFUL reaction to lepto. This is before I knew about vaccinosis... now I can write a book...She had sort of horrendous acne-type rash on most of her body that she scratched until she had wounds all over her. We tried everything we could lay our hands on. Finally a friend of mine told me to put her on raw food diet which I did and that's when things started to get better. Finally after many months she is better and "only" has a large scar covering her entire neck. This also resulted in a bunch of food allergies. If I give her any grain by accident she has a reaction. Well I am supposed to get her vaccinated for rabies and I am afraid to death after last year's ordeal. What am I supposed to do? The vet refused to sign a waiver. He mocked me for saying it was from the vaccine and said she probably just got scared. Then I must be halucinating or something because this started RIGHT AFTER THE SHOT! Also her behavior has greatly changed, I have a completely different dog than I had before the vaccine. Before she was a friendly and outgoing puppy who loved people and new places. Now she bark at anyone and anything, the other day she was scared to death of a bag of compost that I put in the flower bed. She has a huge fear issue. Is it possible she has some neurological damage from this or is it just a behavior she acquired because she was so ill? How do I deal with that? Clicker training? Rewarding quiet?

thanks,

Lenka

Hello and thank you for the reply,
My puppy is actually 1.5 years old. I have been so terrified to let her have the vaccine that she only got nasal kennel cough about 10 days ago when we had to leave her in boarding for one day. That seemed to have gone OK. She actually started the whole fear thing right after the lepto vaccination. So that has been a year. The vet is someone my husband works with so that makes things ever worse. I am encouraged that the fear thing can be dealt with. It has been a nightmare. I am on the coast...anyone this way?

thanks,

Lenka

You might shoot Kris Christine a PM about laws and what it really takes to get a waiver.

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showprofile&User=17763

I went ahead and sent her a PM.

Figured we all might learn something here.:smile:

Thank you sooo much!

Lenka

She still hasn't read the PM.

I don't think she is on here religiously, but does check in semi-often.

Hi,
I have been reading the general discussion forum every day and forgetting to look here. So I am back. I just posted a question in the general forum because I felt like it would have more exposure there. I am not trying to shop for advice. My life is extremely busy and I am on vacation till the end of August. Then I have to go back to school and my very ill husband needs to be able to handle the dogs. So my hands are very full and I am trying to handle many things. Thanks for all the advice and info. My other dog has an appointment with another vet on 8/19 so I will ask her if she would help us out.

Lenka

Thank you Michael and Lenka for the pm. I did respond to Lenka, but will also post that response below in case anyone else can use the information.

Lenka,

Massachusetts does have a medical exemption clause in their law, but it is an inadequate one (see the language below).

If I were in your position, I would call and get a copy of my dog's entire medical record -- this should contain documentation of her adverse reaction to the leptospira vaccine. Both the rabies and leptospira vaccines are "killed", adjuvanted vaccines and are known to cause more adverse reactions than the modified live virus vaccines (see below).

Then, I would take her medical records and go get a 2nd opinion from another veterinary care provider.

Good luck, Lenka.

Kris

According to the 2003 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelineshttp://www.leerburg.com/special_report.htm (Page 16), "...killed vaccines are much more likely to cause hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., immune-mediated disease)." Further, the AAHA task force reports on Page 18 that, "Bacterial vaccines, especially killed whole organism products …..are much more likely to cause adverse reactions than subunit or live bacterial vaccines or MLV vaccines, especially if given topically. Several killed bacterial products are used as immunomodulators/adjuvants. Thus, their presence in a combination vaccine product may enhance or suppress the immune response or may cause an undesired response (e.g., IgE hypersensitivity or a class of antibody that is not protective)."

MASSACHUSETTS (WITH medical exemption) -- http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/140-145b.htm The General Laws of Massachusetts Chapter 140: Section 145B. Vaccination against rabies; certificate; tag; proof of vaccination; penalty Section 145B. Whoever is the owner or keeper of a dog or cat in the commonwealth six months of age or older shall cause such dog or cat to be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian using a licensed vaccine according to the manufacturer’s directions, and shall cause such dog or cat to be revaccinated at intervals recommended by the manufacturer.

In order for a dog or cat to be accepted at an animal hospital, veterinarian's office or boarding facility an owner or keeper of such animal shall show proof of current vaccination against rabies; provided however, that if a dog or cat has not been so vaccinated or such owner or keeper fails to show such proof the animal shall be vaccinated against rabies prior to being discharged if the animal's medical condition permits.

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Kris L. Christine

Founder, Co-Trustee

The Rabies Challenge Fund

http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org

Michael,

I notice that you are from Arkansas, you are probably already aware that your state adopted the 3 year rabies protocol in January 2010?

ARKANSAS (NO medical exemption) -- http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/aboutADH/RulesRegs/RabiesRule.pdf SECTION II. VACCINATION
A. Initial Vaccination: The owner of every dog or cat four (4) months of age or older shall have the animal vaccinated against rabies. ......

B. Revaccination: The owner of every dog or cat shall have the animal revaccinated during the twelfth (12) month after initial vaccination. Thereafter, the interval between revaccinations should conform to the Compendium of Animal Rabies and Control, 2008, Part III: Rabies Vaccines Licensed and Marketed in the U.S., published by the Naitonal Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. (Appendix A)

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Kris L. Christine

Founder, Co-Trustee

The Rabies Challenge Fund

http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org