[Kris L. Christine]

Originally Posted by RooRoo

Kris, do you have any information about rabies waivers in the Commonwealth of Virginia? I've been searching and cannot find anything and my Vet is not aware of a way to get a waiver.

RooRoo,

Several days ago I spoke with Dr. Murphy, the State Public Health Veterinarian, and suggest you call her (804) 864-8141 to ask about a waiver -- make sure you tell her about the last reaction. I found her to be extremely helpful, straightforward, and warm.

Kris

Virginia Department of Health
Office of Epidemiology
Division of Zoonotic and Environmental Epidemiology
109 Governor Street, P.O. Box 2448
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Phone: (804) 864-8141
Fax: (804) 864-8139

Catherine McManus, VMD, MPH - Veterinary Epidemiologist

Julia Murphy, DVM, MS, DACVPM - State Public Health Veterinarian Phone: (804) 864-8141

VIRGINIA CODE Title 3.2 Section 3.2-6521 LIS > Code of Virginia > 3.2-6521

§ 3.2-6521. (Effective October 1, 2008) Rabies inoculation of dogs and domesticated cats; availability of certificate; rabies clinics.

A. The owner or custodian of all dogs and domesticated cats four months of age and older shall have them currently vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian or licensed veterinary technician who is under the immediate and direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian on the premises. The supervising veterinarian on the premises shall provide the owner of the dog or the custodian of the domesticated cat with a certificate of vaccination. The owner of the dog or the custodian of the domesticated cat shall furnish within a reasonable period of time, upon the request of an animal control officer, humane investigator, law-enforcement officer, State Veterinarian's representative, or official of the Department of Health, the certificate of vaccination for such dog or cat. The vaccine used shall be licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for use in that species.

B. Rabies clinics, approved by the appropriate health department and governing body, shall be held at least once per year when the governing body finds that the number of resident veterinarians is otherwise inadequate to meet the need.

(1984, c. 492, § 29-213.67; 1987, c. 488, § 3.1-796.97; 1988, c. 538, § 3.1-796.97:1; 1992, c. 294; 1993, c. 817; 1994, c. 636; 1996, c. 351; 1998, c. 817; 2006, c. 836; 2008, c. 860.)

Originally Posted by orangedog

I say change vets... my vet will only do what I want her to do, she does not push ANYTHING (not lyme vaccines, food, etc.) your other option is to find a holistic or natural vet who will work with you. Remember vaccine and rx food companies pay vets to push their products so change vets and get the correct care you know your dog needs.

I agree completely. Change Vets and try to find a holistic or natural vet. Your current vet doesn't seem to be qualified to be caring for anyone's dog.

Puppylove, if you live in Tennessee, you have to be REALLY careful about making sure your dog gets all of the required shots, especially rabies, but it appears that you are having a problem finding out which ones are required where and when? :? This could be a regional situation.

In the Southeastern US, rabies is endemic; ie: It is ALWAYS around somewhere in numerous small animals like bats, mice, squirrels, etc-- such animals tend to die off more quickly in a harsher environment when they're infected. If your dog has a tendency to chase such critters, over-vaccinating is better than under-vaccinating. That one in a zillion critter that fights instead of running away is highly likely to be infected.

That may be why the people you've consulted have recommended annual vaccines, whatever the law might be and even though they are three-year shots these days. A good many of them may not be comfortable about stretching it out over three years here in the Southeast, while they might feel perfectly safe about a three-year shot in a colder region. Tennessee would be a "border" area where both views might prevail in different people.

I've had dogs of one kind or another all my life, have always gotten them whatever vacs the vets reccommended, and have never had to nurse a dog through canine distemper, parvo, or, God fobid, had to have one put down for rabies.

And they have all, so far, lived good long, healthy lives.

[puppylove2009]

Okay but here is my issue: They told us they are still giving the 3 year dosage but they are giving it every year. Doesn't that seem like way too much?

Also does anyone know what it is in NC.

Moving out of TN next month

The three year shot may be all that's available to the vets.

In human medicine, they have to watch to see which strain of the flu is going to turn up each year, and actually have to have a few cases established before they're sure about what it making the rounds. That particular shot is what you get when you get your "flu" shot. If another strain of flu turns up, your shot isn't going to help. But the original shot is all that's available to the doctors until one for the second strain is developed and mass-produced.

What I'm saying here is that it may be that the old one-year version of the rabies shot may no longer be available... but some of the southern vets are not comfortable with waiting three years between shots because rabies is endemic here.

If you'll think about it a moment, what happens when a dog rescue organization takes in a new foundling? Answer: They see that the dog is seen by a vet and gets his shots.

What if the dog has already HAD his rabies shots a month earlier?

Nothing happens. An extra rabies shot a month later does no harm, and goes a long way toward protecting the health of the dog and his handlers.

What I'm saying here is that this is probably more of a judgement issue than a cash ("greedy" vets) issue.

I'll try to clear up a little confusion here.

First of all, vets do not receive "kick backs" from food or pharmaceutical companies, although they may receive other forms of compensation, such as free medications such as heartworm preventatives, for their staff.

Unfortunately vets do not receive much training in nutrition during their schooling. They spend the majority of their time learning to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries. They "push" the foods they've been told are good foods. Some vets do not sell Science Diet, other than the prescription foods. There aren't a whole lot of choices in those.

Vets do have access to both a 1 year and 3 year rabies vaccine. The pharmaceutical company they purchase their vaccines from should have both readily available. If a vet is choosing to use the 3 year vaccine every year, they may have a valid medical reason for doing so. Or they may be doing it out of habit.

While some states may accept a 3 year rabies vaccine, counties and cities in those states can have different laws which supersede the state law. One must comply with whichever law pertains to their individual situation.

Other than the state required rabies vaccine, NO ONE can force you to vaccinate your pet against your wishes. They may refuse to board or hospitalize your pet without current vaccines, but they can't make you vaccinate your pet just because they say you must if your pet isn't being housed in their facility.

There is a valid reason to vaccinate against bordetella every 6 months. Technically, it's not a vaccine, it's a bacterin. Some forms (intranasal) of the bordetella bacterin has a duration of only 6 months. My personal opinion is that this is a "vaccination" that is totally unnecessary. It does not protect against all forms of kennel cough, which can be either viral or bacterial. It doesn't even protect against all strains of bordetella.

There is a difference between "holistic" and "homeopathic". A vet can use traditional forms of treatment and medications and still be holistic. But the holistic practitioner does not just treat symptoms. They treat the pet as a whole system; soma (body) and psyche (mind, emotions, "spirit"). The holistic practitioner does not discount the fact that the mind plays an important role in illness and healing.

Homeopathy is a whole 'nother philosophy. A homeopathic practitioner is also usually holistic, while a holistic practitioner may or may not employ homeopathic modalities.

In regards to the OP; find another vet. You can also respectfully point out that 3 year distemper combo vaccines are now available, and the current recommendations from all US veterinary schools call for 3 year vaccination schedules.

Do a search on Dr. Jean Dodd for more information on vaccines, vaccination schedules and recommendations.

[Kris L. Christine]

Originally Posted by puppylove2009

Okay but here is my issue: They told us they are still giving the 3 year dosage but they are giving it every year. Doesn't that seem like way too much?

Also does anyone know what it is in NC.

Moving out of TN next month

Dr. Thomas Morris, North Carolina's Public Health Veterinarian's office on call for Dr. Carl Williams, Public Health Veterinarian (919) 707-5900.

I spoke with Dr. Morris and he said the state accepts any licensed rabies vaccine and that there are 1 and 3 year rabies vaccine approved and licensed by the USDA and North Carolina accepts those.

North Carolina General Statutes

GS_130A-185

§ 130A‑185. Vaccination of all dogs and cats.

(a) The owner of every dog and cat over four months of age shall have the animal vaccinated against rabies. The time or times of vaccination shall be established by the Commission. Rabies vaccine shall be administered only by a licensed veterinarian or by a certified rabies vaccinator.

(b) Only animal rabies vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture and approved by the Commission shall be used on animals in this State. (1935, c. 122, s. 1; 1941, c. 259, s. 2; 1953, c. 876, s. 2; 1973, c. 476, s. 128; 1983, c. 891, s. 2.)

Ah... information from someone inside a vetrinary who knows what's going on from the inside! Thank you!

I may have been predjudiced by the matter because all of the vets I've ever encountered were men and women who were genuinely concered about animals, first and foremost. One of my favorites about 25 years back was one who, on my very first visit, made me wait for my dog's appointment while he handled a freebie emergency for a wild duck that had gotten tangled in a fish hook and line. That spoke volumes to me. I made a note of that and kept going to him!

[Kris L. Christine]

Originally Posted by vetgroomer

There is a valid reason to vaccinate against bordetella every 6 months. Technically, it's not a vaccine, it's a bacterin. Some forms (intranasal) of the bordetella bacterin has a duration of only 6 months. My personal opinion is that this is a "vaccination" that is totally unnecessary. It does not protect against all forms of kennel cough, which can be either viral or bacterial. It doesn't even protect against all strains of bordetella..

Vetgroomer,

Dr. Schultz agrees with you, here's what he is quoted as saying "Kennel cough is NOT A VACCINATABLE DISEASE, realize this and stop the boarding kennels from making the dogs sick." (October-December 2007, Vol. 26, #3 Journal of American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Summary of a Presentation by Dr. Ron Schultz written by Patricia Monahan Jordan, DVM)

Kris

Originally Posted by puppylove2009

What do you do if you feel your dogs are being overvaccinated?

How do you know what vaccines are necissary every time?

I know the law here for Rabies is that a rabies vaccine is required once every 12 months. (Which is too much where we are moving its every 3 years)

Bordetella vaccine is required by the practice (if you want your dog to go there you get the bordetella

It used to be every year but now they want us to do it every 6 months.

(Our dogs don't go to doggy daycare and aren't boarded.)

How do we figure out what shots are needed and what ones are just to rake up the vet bill?
__________________________--

Also our dog is being treated for tummy issues and they keep pushing that Hills I/D junk for us to buy....the first time we didn't even know we got that until we got home (aren't they supposed to tell you)

They are always trying to push Science diet

Well they vet knows he is allergic to corn and that is a corn based food. Yet they are still pushing it

Last time he was being treated for tummy issues I told them no he doesn't like it, and I don't care for that company....there food lacks in nutrition and I told them what we were feeding.....not a surprise that they didn't know why it was better...much less hadn't heard of it (California Naturals)

How do you deal with situations like that?


I mean I wasn't going to give him a food that would hurt him

I do not know how to deal with it.

I think if it were not for the state laws forcing people to have certain vaccines yearly when they are not needed, we would not have to over do it.

[Kris L. Christine]

Originally Posted by lookstare

I think if it were not for the state laws forcing people to have certain vaccines yearly when they are not needed, we would not have to over do it.

Lookstare,

To the best of my knowledge, rabies is the only vaccination required by law, all the others are optional.

Kris

In my state Rabies is the only one REQUIRED by law... all others are optional. There are both 1 and 3 year vaccines and if you vaccinate BEFORE your current vaccine expires you can get a 3 year, if it expired you must get a 1 year vaccine.

Because I am at dog shows all the time and do kennel my dogs a couple times a year for vacations I get a 3 year DHPP vaccine for my dogs and a bordetella (ONLY because the kennels require it) once a year. I just turned down a much lower rate at a nice kennel because I found out they require a 6 month bordetella vaccine with I think is CRAZY!

I think SOME vaccines are good but stay far away from Lyme, Lepto, Corona, etc.