Until the studies are proven and complete….keep in mind and I know you know this….once a study is complete it still has to be verified and proven that it is a reliable study so although this rabies challenge is almost complete it is still far from over. According to the county we are now in, a dog should never bite (even if teased by a stupid person). We are stronger as a pack than as a lone wolves. I was forced into giving my dig a rabies shot in April… It is now October and see has to get a leg amputation due to a severe reaction to the rabies shot!!!! See if the shot conferred immunity. Sandy. The risk of infection may be greater in people with weakened immune systems or people with diabetes. Rabies is only transmitted by animal bites: FALSE. The only exception is when the booster is delayed, in which case public health officials have the option of increasing the observation period. I’m not clear on the actual reason if he was up to date on shots? If these sound like rabies symptoms, you’re on the same page with me. (You’d never know it to look at him!!) If this is the case and the dog cannot be observed for 10 days, you should seek medical care immediately and probably will need shots. You having supporting documentation, like the Compendium and a past vaccination certificate (and a friendly attitude) should keep you safe. Thanks! I’m just really scared they’ll try to kill my dog. “Protective” levels of titer is a construct, and an arbitrary one. To vaccinate and do possible harm and worry about that, or don’t vaccinate and worry about that. It may sound trite or “woo woo” even, but your expectations and fears will often bring you into the line of sight of what you fear most. Animals who have rabies are often highly suspicious and greatly aggravated by water, especially moving water (hence the other name for rabies: hydrophobia). Tetanus is a bacterial disease. They can pass on rabies or other canine diseases through their saliva or blood. L: How is that a problem? It can be transmitted by bites and scratches from an infected animal, often a dog. THIS is not the common cold! Other persons on this blog may want to know this. Some types of katydids may nip your hand if you pick them up. Her dog obviously doesn’t have rabies and has been in quarantine for 2 weeks but this is the 3rd person she’s bit. Dad’s number was all they had. The most important question in our visit revolved around this critical question: Would Sam be put to sleep if he bit someone and was out of date on his rabies vaccination? I have a beagle mix, Barney, who on the way home from his 3rd rabies shot had a seizure in the car. Could that be the ‘Rabies Tautode’ that you mentioned in a later post? The odds of lifetime immunity are high if you wait till that age. This is yet another situation where you’ve got to do your research and be more knowledgeable than your vet. I will have to learn how to do it myself. I’m planning on getting the titer, since we’ve been out in the woods a couple of summers now, where she could have picked up immunity. His rabies is due in March of this year, so I am anxiously researching. As an educated professional you should be ashamed of yourself for giving people the false sense that this is ok to not vaccinate their animals. 2. Hi all, My 11 yr old westie had a bad allergic/digestive reaction to hi 6 mo. Dogs bite and Sadie’s a dog. My dog was not up to date the other dog was. If it is, do I need to give him a different homeopathic? Hi Doc, I will definitely do the titers and have the paper ammo. My 4 year old Westie has been totally over-vaccinated, so this year will be different. Hey Sally, The previous owner died before I could get her vaccination records. Therefore, evidence of circulating rabies virus antibodies in animals should not be used as a substitute for current vaccination in managing rabies exposures or determining the need for booster vaccinations (27–30). If your skin was broken, wash the area with warm soap and water and gently press on the wound to promote a small amount of bleeding. The nurse threatened to sue me, even though she had no serious injury and hadn’t required stitches. Required fields are marked *. I will go to jail next time over them saying my pet has to be euthanized. If you’re bitten by a dog that shows signs of rabies, such as acting erratically or foaming at the mouth, you should get a rabies vaccine. Do you have any suggestions? Avoidance of unnecessary regulatory medicine makes perfect sense to me, especially if you see the bites as part of expected behavior. Keep an eye on the wound for signs of infection. “Titers do not directly correlate with protection because other immunologic factors also play a role in preventing rabies, and the ability to measure and interpret those other factors are not well developed. I thought we were past the trust issues but tonight he bit me twice when I entered the room – puncturing the skin above my left ankle and drawing blood at my right knee. His owner died, and a woman across the street who had four or five Persians herself, took the cat to adopt it out to someone. As for efficacy my doctor does not send me a postcard for tetanus but I know if I get cut by a knife I go in and get a booster even though I have already had the vaccine (more than once). I give it before and after the shot, so far so good. Whether the dog is yours or someone else’s, you may feel shaken after being bitten. Just don’t let your guard down for a bite that seemed completely unwarranted. That was the message from two different vets in town, and it was stated strongly and authoritatively. “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t”. Even a friendly, gentle animal may sometimes bite. Wow, several thoughts. 3) Find a homeopathic or traditional vet that will agree with you that your dog meets the requirements for a medical waiver, and will sign it. I now have a binder with each of my pets records and the printout of the cdc and county requirements. Animal control was very helpful in our initial phone discussion — and busy — as they just looked in the window on Day 1 and then again on Day 10 as this wasn’t a high-risk situation. Good stuff, everybody. In the United States, rabies is mostly found in wild animals like … Lesson learned but now I’m in the middle of a potential huge mess that could very well end our friendship. Let me tell you that if she had been “up to date” on her rabies shot the thought of suing would never cross my mind. than dumbbells like this, regardless of vaccination status. I really don’t want to give up walking them though because they love it so much. No 10 day hold by animal control “we are overwhelmed by the fires and all the pets we’ve got from it’. Google “blue buffalo lawsuit” AND READ! At the time a rabid animal bites you, there's no way to know whether the animal has transmitted the rabies virus to you. Both times the injury was caused by my own small breed dog who was up to date on vaccinations. It’s as if rabies is affecting everyone’s clear thinking, much as it clouds that of the rabid animal, causes him to “lose his mind” and bite unthinkingly. She just bit the boy who was all up in her face. (SOURCE: Compendium Part 1(A.)(10.)) The silver lining is that you are now fully prepared should you ever get into a bite situation like this again. Think, damn it, think!”. This gentle dog that had spent his first five years sleeping on Dad’s feet, bit a nurse who lived nearby who walked past the yard one day. The person who got bit needs to report to the health department. And even if it turns out not to be rabies, arent you going to get sued for pain and suffering due to your negligence? That can be scary enough even when vaccines etc are up to date. If you are unsure about what your clinic says, get a second opinion! It will be a milestone for sure when the results of The Rabies Challenge Fund change the minds and then the laws to benefit our pets. Learn about tortoises, cockatiels, Labradors, hamsters, sea monkeys, and other great pets for…, Katydids are found on every continent in the world except for Antarctica. I am thinking of getting another Westie, but without all the shots and vaccinations.