Esther
Hi Jeri: I am really happy and amazed that Baton Rouge, LA has allowed your dogs to get licensed with titers for Rabies. And I am more amaze that your veterinarian did not know this to begin with, and had to call A/C to find out.
He is right when he say the laws are written to protect the people but like Dog Lover said:
“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty” – Thomas Jefferson.
I believe that veterinarians get the Rabies vaccines themselves, I do not know if all do, but I have heard some do. But they titer later on, they do not keep getting it every year. I am aware that the Rabies titer is very expensive because years ago, I refused to re-vaccinate a dog even though I had a holistic veterinarian at the time, she was not in agreement with me. But I told her I would not do it and run a titer, his values came so high he could have gone to Hawaii at the time. Never mind this dog was sick and that should have been enough, later on he died of cancer. At the time we did not know he had cancer, only then she said I was right. It was too late, we could not save him. Your are right when you said Dr. Falconer is the ONLY veterinarian to come out and advocate not to follow the Law. He is an honest person that have his beliefs, and he is fighting for what he believe is the correct thing to do. I admire him for that, his honesty always shines through. He has this drive and conviction to reach and teach people with this wonderful blog and his excellent ability to write. No matters what he says there are not too many vets doing what he does. It has to take a lot of time and commitment to write a newsletter every week. Thank you Dr. Falconer for caring!!
I do not think you are boasting when you said you tell your vet what test to do and what titers. I do the same with the conventional veterinarian, like I said they have go along with everything but this R is the big one. I could only hope the do not call the county because I know they are not good about it. They asked for the vaccine at the dog park. A friend has a dog that had a reaction to the Rabies vaccine. A dermatologist wrote a letter to send to the county for the dog to be exempted. They did not respond for about 1/2 a year until finally she heard from them, and the exemption was granted. I also hope the Rabies Challenge study will be finished soon. In the meantime we will have to fly under the radar, I really hope I can accomplish this.
Dr. Falconer said earlier about a lady that showed her dog and never had trouble with vaccines. Well, I show dogs and they do not ask you for vaccines at the shows. I belong to a training club that accept titers for everything. But the dog park has the police at the door asking for the R vaccine. Shame on them!!