Giving Rabies vaccine to dogs

[bock]

My 9 year old Lab mix is due for her 3-year Rabies shot next month. I have been reading a book, Whole Health for Happy Dogs, by Jill Eliot. Jill, a Holistic vet, believes Rabies shots do much more harm than good to our pets. I have never had my dogs get Rabies before, and I just am really nervous about bringing her in. I am not sure if it is required by law or not in California. If I have a choice, do you think I should give her the shot?

 

[theoldchick]

If she has been vaccinated on a regular basis you can have a rabies titer drawn to see if she is still fully immunized. The AVMA has changed vaccine protocol in the last few years. Discuss these changes with your vet to keep your pet legal.

 

[key west chick]

Rabies is the only vaccine my dogs get. To me, I just cant risk a bite from something that could possibly be a carrier and infecting my dog. Or my dog biting someone while not current on their vaccine and having them euthanized. Rabies is nothing to mess around with. Once symptoms show, there is no cure. For dogs or people.

 

[catsmithpuddin]

I give rabies to my dogs and will keep doing it. We have too many critters around that are potential carriers. I have seen a critter after rabies took it's course and I don't want any part of that for my dogs.

 

[amity3520]

Rabies vaccines are required by law in all states. Honestly, if you live in a big city setting and your dog is inside a lot it's less likely for it to get rabies... but I'm assuming you would probably need to get it license if you're anywhere near a city, and licenses require rabies vaccines the majority of the time. How did you go nine years without getting it, out of curiosity? Definitely discuss it with your vet, but I have been working at a vet for quite a while and have yet to see a reaction to any rabies vaccine.

 

[bock]

Thanks everyone! It sounds like she will be getting the shot again. I just worry about all the issues I am learning vaccines can cause.

amity3520, we have always vaccinated her in the past, she is up to date on all of her shots. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. I am just thinking that she probably still has the immunity from the last Rabies vaccine she had 3 years ago.

 

[patandchickens]

A titer costs more $ than a rabies shot but will give you some sort of insight as to what her immunity status is likely to be and whether you are likely to want another booster or not. Some states are even starting to recognize titers in lieu of vaccination but I do not know offhand if California is one of them.

One thing to keep in mind (this is not a promise about what will happen in every individual case, but is a reasonably-correct overall generalization about *most* cases) -- if (heaven forbid) something should happen, like your dog bites someone, and you can prove that he has been rabies vaccinated by a vet multiple times during his lifetime and in the not-too-prehistorically-distant past, the health department tends to treat it differently than "never been documentably vaccinated" and may only require a modest quarantine rather than super-duper total 6 month isolation or euthanasia. So it is not generally *as* risky (legally) not to booster older dogs as it is to not vaccinate dogs in the first place. NOt advice here, just an observation.

Pat