Anti-vaxx nuttery now extends to pet vaccines including RABIES!

I've tried three times now to post a link to no avail. It's in U.S. News & World Report from September 7.

Anti-Vax Trend May Harm Pet Dogs, With Half of Owners Against Immunization

Will this work?

Apparently so ^! But it took me a few attempts, OP, and different sources.

My doggie daycare dropped vaccination requirements (rabies, distemper, parvo, etc) a year or so ago. They sold to new owners who reinstated them because they lost business due to a kennel cough and parvo outbreak.

Thank you, r3! I was about to cut and paste. Very strange. I hope my attempts don't pop up later.

I knew a girl who didn't vaccinate her pets. But then they died.

Oh Jesus Christ, these people are insane and abusive.

I live in Wisconsin and by law, you must vaccinate a dog for rabies by age 5 months. Not that these imbeciles will abide just because it’s a law here.

I must renew my calls for the US to purchase Greenland. We buy that fucker and make Dump the "King" of Greenland. Then we ship him off there, with his miserable family and supporters along with the anti-vaxx loons and other assorted crazies.

The other option is to send them all to Florida and then cut it loose, a la Bugs.

R7 again, to add to my comment re rabies, here’s the complete vax schedule for pups:

What was the owners' rationale, r4? That's so irresponsible. They were probably attracting new clientele from irresponsible dog owners, then bam. Even a fully vaccinated dog can get sick in that setting because the facility lacked herd immunity at a certain point.

Hey- Something we hadn't thought of: Eradication of MAGATS by Rabies! Not only will their pets now be easily susceptible, if they get bit they'll refuse the ONLY REMEDY -a series of LONG, PAINFUL INJECTIONS IN THE ABDOMEN!

The nuttiness about pet health started with dumb diet and nutrition fads and this is unfortunately a logical (to illogical people) extension of that.

The cure for MAGATs = let Cujo sort those motherfuckers out.

[quote] Hey- Something we hadn't thought of: Eradication of MAGATS by Rabies!

Given how much they foam at the mouth already it’s going to be hard to tell who has it and who doesn’t.

These anti-vaxxer cunts are a real pain in the ass. They are impossible to have a reasonable conversation with too.

Will PETA step in now? If so, on whose side? The animals will suffer if they aren't vaxxed but PETA's weird so I couldn't swear that they'll be pro-vaxx.

But the vax will make Muffin autistic!

My last cat (an indoor cat, as all my cats were) developed a malignant tumor at her vaccination site, which is not a rare occurrence. This kind of cancer is called vaccination associated sarcoma (VAS) and it eventually killed her. If I had a cat now, I would avoid getting her vaccinated if I possibly could, but where I live yearly rabies vaccinations is the law, and vets won't treat unvaccinated pets. I can see the rationale for that requirement, but vaccinations CAN kill.

R10, the owner's wife went all new-age freaky-deaky and changed the policy.

Regarding the sarcoma, now the vaccine schedule and dosing is staggered so this won’t happen at the vaccine site. My friend’s cat died of this many years ago. They have changed the protocol and it’s safer now.

While anti-vaxxing your pets may have gained more adherents in the wake of the Covid nutcases who refused to get their own vaccines, the notion about over-administering vaccines to dogs and cats has been around for at least the last 20 years. I’ve seen people recommending avoiding all canine vaccines, including rabies and kennel cough. There have been several outbreaks of kennel cough in the DC area over the past several months.

I’ve had dogs for most of my life and have always followed the standard protocol as recommended by the vets, all of whom I’ve trusted. (My dogs have lived to be17, 17, and most recently, 16 years old, respectively.) Breaking News: vaccines work. Duh. 🙄

Who the FUCK would risk RABIES for their Dog or Cat? Especially if they take one foot outside? It's an especially painful death, and I don't believe there's a cure for animals once bit, like in humans. Fuck these ignorant Assholes, and their G-d Damned Conspiracy theories.

Pet ownership is the new Christianity and these people are ZEALOTS.

It is possible to "over" vaccinate your pets. But never getting them vaccinated (especially with rabies) is just asinine.

Meh. This one is simple to solve.

Don't want to vaccinate your pets? Cool. They need to be removed and either placed in a house where they will receive the proper care or they will be euthanized. End of discussion. You don't negotiate with terrorists.

R25 In America, we call that taking the high road.

I'm not so sure "or they will be euthanized" is taking the high road.

Rabies is not that big of a threat anymore as only about 5000 cases per year happen. I don't think it's necessary for an indoor cat or dog to get a rabies vaccine.

Also, my cat got a bunch of vaccines at once and was so sick she couldn't move. The vet said she likely wouldn't need a few of the vaccines so they didn't give them to her when I would take her in from that point on.

rabies is entirely LETHAL, the one disease with the lowest rate of recovery, that includes human who receive treat. that means death.

Europe dropped animal treats laced with rabies vaccines from airplanes over wooded areas and pretty much got rid if rabies.

[quote] I don't think it's necessary for an indoor cat or dog to get a rabies vaccine.

How many "indoor" dogs do you know?

Quite a few, actually. People who live in apartments all around me have indoor dogs. My friend has one and puts down puppy pads for her tiny dog to use.

untreated rabies has 100% fatality rate and a short window for treatment in humans. It's also spread by not just bites, but scratches so think about that when you see a cute abandoned kitten. Anti-vaxers ruin everything.

[quote]What are these assholes going to tell their kids when Fluffy and Fido die from distemper or rabies

What are they going to tell their kids when Fido gives *them* rabies?

Anyone who doesn't fully vaccinate their pets is a fucking moron and isn't responsible enough to have pets. End of.

The rabies obsessed poster is cracking me up. Your pets have around a 1% chance of ever catching rabies. But do go on screaming about it.

No human cases of rabies from domestic pets in 33 years.

Bats are the most likely cause of rabies so don't keep a bat for a pet.

R28 you fucking ignorant fuck, I wonder why there are only 5000 cases of rabies last year? Maybe because people got their pets VACCINATED! And it virtually wiped out the disease. I fucking hate anti-vaxxers almost as much as I hate MAGA’s. You self involved fuck nuts.

It's your responsibility to vaccinate your pets. If one of them gets rabies and scratches a child - you are totally and completely fucked for the rest of your life.

Anti-vaxxers of any kind are the scum of the earth. All 50 states should have mandatory vaccine requirements and enforce them.

More of a problem is guys who won’t neuter their male dogs because they take it personally.

Oh, clutch your pearls, r38. I never once said I was anti vax. If you live in an area where bats are out biting your pets while they frolick outdoors under the full moon on the regular, get the fucking vaccine.

It's especially important to vaccinate for rabies now that wildlife is finding its way into suburbia and cities. I grew up in the 70s in the same neighborhood I live in now, and the most exotic it got was squirrels. I've spotted raccoons, skunks, and coyotes. Unheard of back then. A backyard tussle with an unvaccinated dog could be deadly.

R28 takes down his umbrella in a rainshower because he isn't getting wet—he doesn't need it!

Cat people would NEVER.

rabies and distemper are non negotiable in normal circumstances. the problem with vaccination hesitation started with many vets and states vaccinating every year even though rabies vaccines are good for 3 years. Some elderly dogs react poorly to vaccines and a vet won't require them if so. Not super common though.

Being responsible for animals means actually being responsible. Anti-vaxxers (as well as those who are pro-vaxx just not for their animals or not right now or whatever fucked up rationalization they're using) need to get their animals vaccinated or have them taken away. Keep an aquarium or something.

R32 that’s a terrible life for a dog. They need walks, not just for the exercise but for mental stimulation.

Tell that to all the people living in tiny apartments, r47.

R43, your analogy is bad. Let me fix it for you. It's like taking down an umbrella when the weather says it has a 1% chance of rain.

I live in a tiny apartment and have to take not just one, but two elevators to take the dog out.

[QUOTE]Tell that to all the people living in tiny apartments, [R47].

Are they teacups or other very, very small breed? That's the only circumstance the dog would be totally fine.

I was in line at VIP Pets (lower cost vaccines, worm testing, etc. through pet stores) behind a young apartment-dwelling couple with a standard size chihuahua. The poor animal had claws curving into its pads because it never left soft carpets or hard floors and never got its claws clipped. It was pitiful to see. Regular sidewalk use could have helped tremendously.

I have 2 dogs and we live in the city. One is 5 and the other is 2 1/2. I started walking them between 3-5 miles every morning since the pandemic. They love it and actually I love it as well. Rain or shine. It exhausts them. They are the happiest dogs in the world. Walks are essential.

This entire movie could've gone so differently if only his backwoods owners had gotten him vaccinated against rabies.

^ For the record, I felt bad for the dog that entire film. Poor thing was suffering.

The heart worm pill is kinda bull shit.

Infuriating. The shelter where I volunteer is in the middle of a distemper outbreak and to see the vet staff carry the limp dogs to the sick building is heartbreaking. Vaccines work.

And screw you, R54. My childhood dog died of HW back in the last 80s but I don’t know any dogs who have died of it since preventatives have come out. Wonder why that is?

They look up to, sorry, I mean they worship someone who knows nothing about everything and says he knows more than anyone on everything and then they do the same. Are we supposed to be surprised by the outcome?

Ah R54 nothing better than to wake up to a declarative statement without an ounce of proof behind it other than research it. It’s a horrible, horrible death for a dog. So leave your anti-vaxx and internet conspiracies for Covid.

The heart worm medication I give my dog is ivermectin. Ivermectin is a great medication for worms and the dog thinks it’s a delicious treat. R54, what do you have against ivermectin?

On the plus side, if Fido dies of rabies you won't have to tell the kids anything. Fido will have lashed out in his frenzy and they'll be dead too.

Anti-vaxxets continue to be morons and on the wrong side of every argument. Fuck 'em.

r58 This reminds me of a recent conversation I had with a family member about giving Revolution to my cat. She "read on the internet" that it's deadly to cats. This same person was gung ho that ivermectin was a fool-proof cure for COVID and was 100% behind its use. I told her that Revolution is basically topical Ivermectin and she shut up.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about nuance in medicine and realize not all viruses and vaccines are created equal. People on both sides of this issue have gone borderline religious zealot in their positions over the past 3 years. I've found myself getting into disagreements with both since I'm somewhere in the middle.

There is no "middle" with anti-vaxx loons. Their dumb as fuck opinions kill people. We saw just how many people they can kill and how fast they can kill them during Covid.

Pick a side, R61, you can't fence sit this one.

R61's family member might be perfectly consistent, however, if she believes that Ivermectin is safe and effective for human Covid but inappropriate for treating feline parasites. Loony, but consistent.

But I happen to have had R61 blocked, FWIW.

[quote]There is no "middle" with anti-vaxx loons.

That's...not the issue I'm in the middle on.

[quote]People on both sides of this issue have gone borderline religious zealot in their positions over the past 3 years.

r62 You're clearly one of the people I'm talking about, just on the other side. I stopped taking the "anti-vaxxer" accusation seriously when people started calling [bold]fully vaccinated[/bold] people "aNTi-vAXx" because they were against mandating the COVID vaccine.

As someone upthread mentioned, certain vaccines (in cays only) gave been associated with feline injection site sarcoma. It's usually fatal. This was mainly associated with the adjuvant used in killed virus vaccines such as rabies and feline infectious leukemia. FVRCP (includes feline "distemper" has been available as a modified live vaccine and not considered a risk for sarcoma. Fortunately, there is a new line of vaccines (including the 3 year rabies vaccine) that is adjuvant free. For those with cats, the line is called Purevax®.

The reality is that risk of rabies transmission to humans is extremely low in the US. There have been 2 cases since 1960. Total cases of human rabies infections in the US is generally in the range of 1-3 per year and almost always from wild animals. It is more of a problem in some other countries with large populations of roaming dogs. Certainly pets that have outdoor access or exposure to other animals should be vaccinated, but it's hardly essential for a totally indoor cat to be vaccinated for rabies. It's not a requirement in my city/state and my vet advised against it (that was before the newer vaccine was introduced). The way I look at it, the only way my cat could get rabies is if I got it and bit him!

BTW, I'm not antivax. I just got my 5th COVID vaccine last week along with this year's flu shot. I've still never been vaccinated for rabies though.

I understand not getting the rabies vaccine for an indoor cat. That’s very reasonable.

I wish there was a way to edit posts here. In the above post it should have read that there has only been 2 cases of domestic cat to human transmission of rabies in the US since 1960. We usually have 1-3 cases of human rabies annually. Some years it's zero cases, but some years as many as 5.

When I told my vet about how resistant my dog was to taking his heart-worm medication in any form, she said that the chances he would get it were super-low anyway. And this doc loves to prescribe anything for everything.

I look forward to rabies becoming Health Threat Number One in America in 2025.

I had a dog in childhood that died due to a heavy heartworm burden. We lived it a state that had a high incidence of heartworm. It's been reported in all 50 states, but the risk is very low in some places.

I have a friend that didn't get annual flu vaccines, but insisted on PEP for rabies after a cat scratch. She was more likely to die of almost anything else than rabies. Certainly more likely to die of the flu. Much more likely to win the Mega Million Dollar jackpot than get rabies from a cat scratch. Sometimes it's more of a phobia than rational thinking.

[quote]I look forward to rabies becoming Health Threat Number One in America in 2025.

Coming soon to central Florida!

Jesus fucking Christ, people. What is wrong with you?

Get yourself vaccinated for whatever we've got the vaccines for up to and including Covid.

Get your animals vaccinated for rabies, distemper and every other goddamn thing.

This is not rocket science you fucking morons. The list of weak, pathetic excuses for not taking proper care of your pets is fucking appalling. Are you mentally ill?

Anti-people-vaxxers and anti-pet-vaxxers are just insane and none of your pathetic stories excusing your own bad behavior are sufficient. Seriously, if you're not into responsible pet ownership, that's cool. Don't have any pets. Try gardening.

R73 Do you really believe that? Have you had your rabies vaccine. What about yellow fever (actually, I did have that one)? Both are available for humans. I'm sure there are a bunch more available too that aren't usually recommended.

Yes of course I "really believe that" as do most other people. Just start with all of the recommended ones and go from there if anything further is recommended. Yes, I have had the Yellow Fever vaccine (extensive travel) and no I have not had a rabies vaccine although all of my animals have had their rabies vaccines. This is what responsible adults do.

R75 I guess we kind of agree if you qualify your response with "recommended". Two different veterinary clinics (Nob Hill Cat Clinic and Especially Cats; both in San Francisco) advised against vaccinating my cats for rabies FeLV and ITP (virtually no vet recommends that one), but did recommend FVRCP (3 way vaccine that includes feline distemper). The reason for the recommendation was lifestyle. None of the cats I've had in SF EVER go out except to the vet and I live in a high rise in a concrete jungle with no possibility of escape. I didn't "doctor shop", those are the two cat specialists veterinary clinics in SF and the only 2 I've used. I followed their advice. I also follow my own doctors advice which means I get the flu shot every year, keep updated on COVID, had the shingles vaccine and will get Pneumovax once I am 65 (few years away). I had the yellow fever vaccine and took antimalarials before a trip to Africa and intend to ask if I should get the RSV vaccine now or later. That IS following medical advice (not "holistic or homeopathic quacks"). Probably better than following the advice of anonymous people on a message board who probably have no medical background and are only giving their opinion.