Comments on How Safe is Your Pet from “Just a Rabies Vaccine?”

Dr. Falconer, So sorry about the long-winded post with no pause breaks! I guess I'm used to posting on FB and if you do a "return" there, you have posted it!
So nice to know that's not the case here (although I wish there were an "edit" button!) Esther, you are right about your point that our mainstream vet did not know about titeris being sufficient. I was rather caught off guard by that one also. Sadly, I'd be willing to bet that few, if any, vets in our area know about that. I was discussing the fact that titers are acceptable with the receptionist at the clinic where we take our older dog for acupuncture and chinese herbs. They were unaware of that as well. WHY isn't this being advertised?? With titers being more expensive, you would think the vets would see this as a boon to their business - an upsell, if you will. Sure, not everyone would take advantage, but some would!
One more funny story (about raw feeding). We took both dogs in June to have complete blood work/EKG and check up (everything except vaccines - which I made clear). Our younger dog, a Chow mix, used to have terrible teeth and gum disease. He had 4 infected teeth removed back in 2011. (Needless to say, before we knew better, our dogs were on kibble.) The vet on duty was a substitute for our regular vet that day, and she looked at his teeth and was amazed at how good they looked. I wouldn't have said anything, but she went on and on and then asked if he had had a recent dental. (At this point my mind was racing and I was trying to figure out how to diplomatically get out of there without a lecture. I decided I'd rather have the "raw food" lecture than the "raw bones" lecture.....) I laughed and said, "No...he's raw fed." She said "Oh....Uh.....Oh. Well, you know there was a recent recall?" (Bravo had just recalled some of their products). I said "Yes, we know. But it doesn't affect us." She said "Ok" and that was that. Poor vets! I could almost feel sorry for them....almost. When they don't bother to inform themselves of what lies beyond vet school, they are like the person who perpetually claps off beat or throws himself into a Mosh pit after everyone has stopped dancing!

Dr. Falconer, I read this horrific story (so glad Tigger is going to be ok!) and wanted to share my own journey to refusing to vaccinate anymore. Our older dog, now 15 (Bijou) and our younger dog, now 8 (Rocky) were due for their 3 year vaccines last year: distemper, parvo and of course the dreaded Rabies. I walked in and told our vet "I want to titer for everything." He reminded me that titers were not accepted - as far as he knew - in lieu of vaccination for Rabies. I told him, "Yes, I know, but I still want to titer and we're not going to vaccinate". He told me he had to put "Declined all vaccines" in the file - and I told him that was fine. In essence, we flew under the radar for a year.
Fast forward to this year -- Bijou needed a dental. Our dogs are raw-fed, but she had a tooth that appeared to be bothering her. Our mainstream vet has the unfortunate belief that vaccines are harmless. He has even said as much. He insisted that Bijou be up on her Rabies in order to protect his employees (although it was never clear to me how a dog who has been anesthetized could bite, but I digress...). He also wasn't happy that she wasn't getting the Parainfluenza and Bordatella - and he constantly reminds us that we live in an area of Lepto and don't we want to vaccinate for that, too?. I told him we weren't going there. He said he'd give me a pass on Parainfluenza and Bordetella if we'd take care of the Rabies. (I had brought her in that day for him to sedate her and see if there was something he could see. He said she needed a dental - which I knew already, and knew he would do x-rays when she was completely out. She has some picky eating habits and has a history of IBD which we've basically cured with a raw novel protein diet -- but because we're not sure what foods she has an intolerance for, we are restricted in what we can give her to eat.) I told him I'd bring her back in a couple of days for the Rabies and then at least 2 weeks from then, we could do the dental. He said he could do the Rabies that very day, but I wouldn't let him because she had been sedated, to which he replied that he has given vaccines when animals are getting dentals and it was no big deal. I told him she did not need all of that in her system and I would return. Period.
When I returned home with her, I got a call about 30 minutes later from the Clinic. They had checked with A.C. to see if titers were sufficient for a tag and license (I'd always wanted to know, but wanted to get a "burn phone" to find out!) and lo and behold -- they are! I said "I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth" and we have titered "above the radar" this year. It's been 5 years since our two have had any shots -- and their titers have not wavered for parvo or distemper in the two years we've titered and their Rabies remain very high.
I have shared your wonderful and comforting booklet on Rabies and will do so with a friend who has 2 Doxies - one of whom has a history of increasingly violent reactions to Rabies. Her (now FORMER) vet vaccinated YEARLY and my poor friend didn't know any better. When Curry would have a reaction, the vet would just give her more Benadryl!! My friend said the episodes were getting worse each time and she was fearful that the next time the Benadryl wouldn't work. That's when I told her that her vet was vaccinating too often and negligently since only healthy animals are to be vaccinated anyway. I will share your booklet with her and also tell her what our mainstream vet discovered. (We also have a vet who practices Chinese medicine and acupuncture, but sadly he's not "full time" so we have to have another vet.)
Anyone reading this: do not give up! Change is coming. The Rabies Challenge Fund is in its final stages and when that is completed we can all push for titers and waivers to be accepted in lieu of vaccinations in all 50 states. Hang in there, everybody!! Fly low until then!!

Thank you for all of your shared wisdom!
I have a 5 year old 10lb Chihuahua who has reacted to vaccinations from the first after getting him at 10 weeks old. Of course he was given several shots at one time (at only 3 pounds). His reaction was within 3 hours, severe anaphylactic shock thankfully I noticed his little face swell enormously. Not knowing then what I know now I continued to vaccinate until this happened again. At this point I knew better than to continue and adopted a NO vaccination attitude.
Forward to last June.... I took him in for a teeth cleaning and was told that he needed a rabies vaccination and when I declined they said that if he bit anybody in the office he would be quarantined and possibly put down, so I relented. Within a week he displayed severe anxiety and I took him back to the vets office and was given zanax which I did not give him. Since he is now a dog that hides under the bed often and has definite issues. Thankfully he is most often a really happy little dog. Recently he had severe swollen lymph nodes and we feared lymphoma, but the test said no. I am wondering if a year later this could be caused by the vaccination?
We live not at all near a holistic vet... I have been putting rock rose (Bach remedies) in his water dish, but so far not seeing any improvement. Any suggestions???

I just had to have one of my dogs vaccinated a month ago. Required by law and the county knows she is here. I didn't want to. They would accept a titers and a note from her vet stating that she was not "healthy" enough to be vaccinated in lieu of the vac. They would not license her if she did not have the vac, but would have her titers on record just in case she got picked up. Since I didn't have time to get the titers before her license would expire (results would take a month to come back), I went ahead and let the vet give her a shot at the clinic. I am not thrilled with myself. She has more emotional issues than physical and I wonder if they are worse because of the vaccine. I will continue to watch her for signs of vaccinosis. She is around 8 now. In 3 years I will have a plan in place for her.
As for the format of this blog, I prefer your regular witty style. It was fine to read but I get more from the other format. Thanks always for your wonderful blogs, articles, and caring. Blessings

Unnecessary vaccines killed my cat and I sued my vet. Vaccine Associated Sarcoma killed my cat on February 14, 2011, and my lawsuit has been ongoing since then. I am representing myself and have made it all the way to the Texas Supreme Court which dismissed their appeal. I am awaiting a jury trial date. You can read the whole story here www.vetnegligence-vaccines.com and like my facebook page for recent updates https://www.facebook.com/VaccineAssociatedSarcoma?ref=hl
I do not vaccinate after initial puppy and kitten shots.

I only ever vaccinated one of my two dogs with rabies. It's not required where I live, but I wanted to be a 'good dog owner'. I did my homework and found a good breeder who bred for all the things I was looking for. She got the full round of recommended puppy shots and at 16 weeks she got the rabies. That was when things started to go wrong. She was my first puppy, my family never had dogs when I was growing up so I missed a lot of things that I shouldn't have. She started getting a pot belly. People who saw her said she was a chubby puppy, some said she might have worms. Neither of those things are overly concerning. It wasn't until a couple more months went by and I took her in to talk about getting her spayed. That was instantly forgotten when the vet examined her. He noticed there was fluid in her abdomen. He took her to the back and 'confernced' with the other vets for a couple hours. He came back and we decided to do some tests. Skip ahead many months and several hundred dollars later and I still had no answers. First they thought it was her heart, then her liver, then spleen and then kidneys. I finally could not afford any more tests and I never did find out what was wrong with her. The breeder gave me a replacement who I proceeded to again give all the puppy vaccines suspecting nothing and ended up giving this one severe pollen allergies. The first dog lived with me until the age of five when (I think) her bowl twisted. The ulta-sound showed her intestines flapping like ribbons even then and she only got bigger. Now looking back I see she had almost all the hallmarks of rabies vaccinosis. She was a spunky girl though and seemed happy right up til the end.

A few years back one of my dogs, a one year old cockapoo, was given a few vaccines at a time, including his 1 year rabies booster. When we got home from the vet visit, within an hour of the vaccines being administered, he was lethargic, his gums and tongue were grey and he was not fully alert. I rushed him back to our vet at the time and they gave him a benadryl shot and then suggested that we split up his vaccines next time into a few visits.
We haven't vaccinated our dogs since that happened two and a half years ago and we've since been working to try to repair the damage done to our pups by too many vaccines.

I had a large charcoal grey cat that adopted me some years ago. After having him for a year, I found out that he had feline aids and that he should not receive the rabies vaccine because of his compromised immune system, so, he never did...until one day, supposedly, he attacked a small dog that approached him as he was resting under a car outside my house. I didn't see the incident, but the dog's owner told me that in trying to "save" her dog, she was scratched by my cat and that the cat chased them down the street! I was dumbfounded, my cat was a bit psychotic, but really, she actually ran away from a cat! I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of my cat chasing a woman and her dog down the street! So, the next day animal control shows up and my cat has to be detained for 10 days (he'd had no current rabies vaccine). My vet agreed to take him in and let me come twice a day to feed him, so that he didn't have to go to "the pound". 10 days later before I could take him home he had to be micro-chipped and vaccinated for rabies, I reminded the vet that he had told me this animal could not be vaccinated, and he then denied ever telling me that. I said that this vaccine would probably kill my cat and the vet shrugged his shoulders and said that he had no choice in the matter. Two months later, after suffering with cancer, my Smokey died on my kitchen floor. I never went back to that vet and he had been a long time, personal friend. I have had other unfortunate outcomes from visits to traditional vets which is what prompted my search for someone who practiced alternative medicine for animals. I now have 3 dogs and they are under the care & guidance of Dr. Falconer, who I was so fortunate to find when I acquired my first puppy.

My 12 yr old cat had mild seizures and was VERY sick after her rabies vaccine, which the vet gave without my permission, saying it was the law. (She was just there for upper respiratory infection caused by a bad tooth.) In April she was so not herself--just sitting upright with her head down and not eating, playing or even walking around--that I took her to the cat care "experts" who x-rayed her and found a tumor the size of a golf ball. They advised me to put her to sleep or start her on chemo drugs and leave her in hospital, to the tune of $800 a week. I told them no way and took my baby home. I started her on the cheap stuff first, just baking soda in raw maple syrup 3x a day. Then we did a round of Essiac tea thrice daily, then went on the vital pet lipids, celloquent powder and lots of supplements. She is now back to being her old self, "singing" and playing, and she has gained back all the weight she lost--2 &1/2 pounds. I know her bad episode was related to the vaccine. She won't be getting another.
I wonder if there is anything I can give to stop the seizures? She is still making progress on sulfur, sublingual vitamin B, olive leaf extract and Lysine, along with her vitality "meds", but the seizures haven't stopped completely. The cavity in her tooth has healed and she is clear of infection, thanks to the MSM, pink salt and minerals. Suggestions?

OMG!! This is a client of mine! I am so glad she caller you! He was so close to death the last time I talked to her, that she was going to euthanize him the day after her sons birthday. I can not express my gratitude that he was saved after a vet did so much harm to him. Thank you for sharing this story and I plan on posting it as well. We will make a difference in the law, we have to!
Grateful,
Marti

We have a pup that developed seizures shortly after her first rabies vaccination. These gradually became further and further apart until her one-year rabies 'booster' which set her off on another cycle of seizures. The further away from her rabies vaccines she gets, the further apart her seizures become. We are seriously considering becoming law-breakers when her next 'booster' is due. (just a note and certainly not to be rude, I prefer your usual narrative for your articles. I found this to more confusing and made me want to skim,...again, please no offense meant)

Rabies is a tough one. I have not found a way to avoid this one vaccine. I have been successful using waivers for the others but not Rabies.
As an example of hard this can be - A few years ago, in a small town in Montana, we were caught overdue for rabies at a dog park and given 30 days to make it right or leave the county. After 2 rounds with the Sheriff, showing evidence of previous vaccination, titer tests and even the local vet intervening on our behalf, there was no option other than quit my job and move. I was trapped.
Its been almost 3 yrs since we were forced into that vaccine and I expect a postcard in the mail any day now. I have no intention of vaccinating again and I accept responsibility for that decision. Although its the "unlawful" path, I would much rather play the odds with getting caught and work to affect change in the laws.

This is SO timely. I resuced a kitten around 10 weeks old - over 3 years ago. I did the first round of vaccinations, and think I did the 2nd and I also had her spayed. She has always been an indoor cat. I have been feeding her Platefuls along with Epigen 90 (your recommendation) as a supplemental food. I got a new 5 lb bag, my dog ate some and had diarehha. Then I gave it to my cat the following day and came home to diarehha. So she was to be contained in the bathroom, the room I had used for timeouts. The room she absolutely HATES!. She is semi-feral and I have had significant battles to keep her contained for the past 5 days. One night when I turned the shower on to clean off poop from my foot, she freaked out so much I got a glimpse of what a truly wild animal looks like. I was afraid for myself. I just took her to the vet this morning to get her ready to become an outside cat - becasue I realized she is too wild and that I am not equiped to take care of her when she needs anything (e.g. she won't let me handle her now,etc.) To my shock, I was told because she had bit me, and that I couldn't verify that she had any rabies shot, which I am sure she had her 1st, they had to put her in quarantene for 10 days. This was protocol because she didn't have 2 rabies vaccinations 2 years in a row (only then can you legally skip for 3 years). They also have freaked me out pretty good stating that the rabies virus could have been dormant in her for 3+ years and that I potentially have been exposed to rabies. I will only know if she dies within the 10 days. Also after thinking about it after leaving the vet, I was concerned for my 11 yo dog, since the virus is tramsmitted through saliva, they have shared a water bowl. My dog has had at least 2 or 3 rabies shots, but I haven't given her one in at least 5-6 years. Dr. Falconer any comments you might have as to how to address this situation - would be so greatly appreciated!

Another excellent article! We lost a cat years ago after a feline Aids vaccine which led to a full case of feline Aids.
Our pup just had his 4 month Rabies vax yesterday. Although I am vehemently against vaccines and haven't vaccinated fully our other dogs we've had, I still have been too fearful to forego the "lawful" Rabies vax. Especially since our dogs go camping with us and the only place I carry our Rabies tags and paperwork is in our RV. We did do the Tautode protocol you sent us and he will get his final Rabies tautode dose today. We comforted our Pup (or rather ourselves) with the statement "That is the only visit you will ever have with a Dr. WhiteCoat." (hopefully, we never have to visit an Animal hospital, which would only be if there were serious trauma)
I look forward to Part 2 and maybe we will never do this with another animal.
Thank you Dr. Falconer!

I lost my border collie mix at 6 yrs old to lymphoma, she was diagnosed 3 months after her 3rd rabies vaccine ... I have learned so much, & am so convinced vaccines are not just unnecessary, but toxic ! ...
I now have a 5 yr old lab mix... Daisy received one "1 year" rabies vaccine as a 6 month old pup (she had one set of 'puppy shots')... Since then we have done a titer yearly and she is still showing full antibodies ! ...
Here is my question : we travel in our motorhome... How do I work around the "rabies vaccine records" requirements ? ... I am not worried at all about her getting rabies or anything else... Very simply, she would have to be exposed to rabies before this could ever become an issue ! ...
Thanks ! Suzi

My shihtzu was 'due' for the 3 year rabies vaccination this spring. When the vet was going to prepare for the vaccine I took a deep breath and said 'No, no more rabies shots for him'. I got a puzzled look and questions about my decision. We went back and forth with our own court-room style arguments! I basically said that I will not vaccinate because the law says it's necessary. My pets health is my main concern. Duration of immunity says he's covered and that's all I need. I had to sign a waiver, which I gladly did. Phew.

Facing a dilemma right now....none of my dogs have gotten a booster since their first rabies vaccination; for some, that was almost 5 years ago. I have a 16 month old who has not had the first rabies vax yet.....I'm worrying about what to do if animal control comes knocking on my door.

The vaccination "situation" is such a huge problem, we do have to figure out how as pet owners we can effect change. The best I hope I see is getting titers accepted as proof of immunity. When it comes to the horrors of commercial pet food we can vote with our choices, with vaccinations we are stuck by law.
I'm used to living outside the mainstream and not using groomers or boarding kennels. In my city I have to try to live off the grid and not license my dog or I'll be forced to do rabies. I would like to do therapy work with my dog but that means up-to-date vaccinations, and I'm not willing to risk her health for that. I feed raw and there have been some issues with therapy groups about not allowing raw fed pets to do therapy work. I'm not interested in having to lie about my beliefs so it means one lovely little dog who has a lot to offer won't be able to be an official therapy dog.
So much needs to change. But thank god when we are forced to vaccinate we have homeopathy to help support our pets finding their way back to balance.

My papillon has had one rabies vaccination at 6 mos old, I got him at 11 mos, and had Dr Dodds do a titer which was inadequate level. I'm reluctant to get another! Should I get the mercury free and then give the sulfur ? I do everything I can think of to keep my dogs healthy, prey model food, oils, organic cleaners, etc, what do you think would be my best plan of action???

After avoiding rabies for my maltipoo for 9 years I was forced to vaccinate him when I moved to a small town. (I had been in the country so could forgo the licensing). I sought out the vaccine with the least harmful adjuvant and did a homeopathic remedy before and after. Four weeks afterwards he began having seizures. I took him to another vet with better knowledge of homeopathic remedies who did an entire work up on him. After one dose no more seizures and the fearful tendencies which had come on also disappeared. The only good thing that came out of it is he will never have to be vaccinated again as he now has a "get out of jail free" card. We must change these laws.