We've been fighting to avoid getting Cowboy his rabies vaccination because of the chance of setting off his seizures (he's been seizure free for a year and a half after cluster seizuring every couple of weeks!!) and finally gave in yesterday afternoon after his internist said that the only way he could avoid the vaccination would be if the State of California approved it by keeping him quarantined for two months straight (no other dogs, no visitors, etc.). THAT'S not reasonable, and since his renewal is up for his TDI, he got the vaccination yesterday. This morning, this was posted on Newf-L :
Greetings All!
Some big news for The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable
Trust: thanks to graphic designer, Andrea Brin, it now has its own website at
http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/ . If you read the text of the press release below, you'll see the other big news is that Dr. Ronald Schultz of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine has volunteered his time to conduct the 5 and 7 year canine rabies challenge studies. If you recall, Dr. Schultz's research forms part of the scientific base for the American Animal Hospital Association's 2003 and 2006 Canine Vaccine Guidelines. The
December 2006/January 2007 (Vol. 8, Issue 6) Animal Wellness
Magazine features an article by Ann Brightman on the RCF entitled, How Often Does He REALLY Need a Rabies Shot? and Get Out Your Wallets, Rabies Challenge Fund a Reality by Nancy Freedman Smith at A Dog's Life and
http://www.mainetoday.com/pets/dogslife/.
Since last year, Dr. W. Jean Dodds, of Hemopet and Co-Trustee of The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust, and her staff have donated their time to ensure these vital studies are conducted for the benefit of our canine companions.
We hope you'll join us in this effort, too! PERMISSION GRANTED TO POST AND CROSS-POST THIS MESSAGE.
Regards, Kris L. Christine
Founder, Co-Trustee
The Rabies Challenge Fund
http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/World-Famous Scientists Donate Services to
The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust
Two world-renowned giants of veterinary vaccine research -- Dr. W. Jean Dodds of Hemopet and Co-Trustee of The Rabies Challenge Fund and Dr. Ronald Schultz of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine -- have volunteered their time to ensure that critical 5 and 7 year rabies challenge studies are conducted in the United States. The studies are to be financed by The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust, a tax-exemption organization founded by pet vaccine disclosure advocate Kris L. Christine of
Maine in 2005, and will be performed by Dr. Schultz at the
University of Wisconsin. The University has waived its usual 48% overhead fee for these studies.
The concurrent challenge studies will determine the
duration of immunity conveyed by the canine rabies vaccine, with the goal of extending the state-mandated interval for boosters to 5, and then to 7 years. According to Dr. Dodds, "This is one of the most important projects in veterinary medicine. It will benefit all dogs by providing evidence that protection from rabies vaccination lasts at least 5 years, thereby avoiding unnecessary revaccination with
its attendant risk of debilitating adverse reactions. "
Scientific data indicate that vaccinating dogs against rabies every three years, as most states require, is unnecessary. Studies have shown the duration of protective immunity as measured by serum antibody titers against rabies virus to persist for seven years post-vaccination, and results of a 1992 French challenge study led by
Michel Aubert demonstrated dogs were immune to rabies five years after vaccination. Researchers believe the rabies vaccine causes the most and worst adverse reactions in animals and concur that it should not be given more often than is necessary to maintain immunity. Adverse reactions to rabies vaccination can include autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid, joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression; seizures;
epilepsy; and fibrosarcomas at injection sites.
Dr. Schultz states that "
howing that a vaccine for
rabies can provide 5 or preferably 7 years of immunity would have great significance not only in controlling rabies but more importantly in reducing the adverse vaccine reactions that can occur in dogs and cats after vaccination."
More information on The Rabies Challenge Fund and the concurrent 5 and 7 year challenge studies it will finance can be found at the fund's newly established website designed by volunteer Andrea Brin at:
www.rabieschal lengefund.org
To date, the following breed clubs, along with many pet owners, trainers, breeders, and kennel owners have contributed to The Rabies Challenge Fund:
Akita Club of America
American Shih Tzu Club
Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Nashoba Valley
Bernese Mountain Club of SE Wisconsin
Capital City Cocker Club
Chesapeake, Virginia Dog Fanciers Association
Collie Club of Georgia
Dog Agility Racing Team of Chino
Great River Stockdog Club
Heart of Minnesota Great Dane Club
Kennel Club of Buffalo
Kerry Blue Terrier Foundation
Kishwaukee Kennel Club
Kuvasz Fanciers of America
Lehigh Valley Kennel Club
Miniature Schnauzer Club of Southern California
Northern Illinois Schutzhund Club
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club of Canada
Pacific NW Jack Russell Terrier Rescue Network
Soft-Coated Wheaton Terrier Club
Staffordshire Terrier Club of America
Standard Schnauzer Club of Southern California
Wachusett Kennel Club
Evergreen Empire Manchester Terrier Fanciers
Modified because I forgot to add the actual release ::)
Also, I had Cowboy titred last year and the actual numbers won't be released because he's required by law to have the vaccination! (GRRRR) AND to add insult to injury, that test alone is almost $500!!!! That is the last vaccination he's going to have! I'm not willing to put him back where he was a year and a half ago!! We'll titre for everything else but we're done with rabies!