No Dear, I am not trying to scare anyone. You made a comment in your post about a rabies "test" and I was simply clarifiying the fact that there is no rabies "test". Most commonly already dead animals that are suspected of having rabies have the brian tested as that is the only way to confirm rabies. I think it would be pretty obvious to most people that no one is going to kill your dog to test it's brain for rabies.

I agree. I discussed this with my vet last night over the phone -- this thread sparked an interest in me -- and he assured me that yearly vaccinations are the way to go for my 2 dogs. I trust my vet. My family has brought alllll of our animals to him over the years (since I was a child) -- 1 rabbit, 2 guinea pigs, 1 parrot, 1 german shepherd, 7 cats -- and my vet has always been up front and honest with us. Now, I bring my 2 dogs to him and I trust that he will continue to take wonderful care of them.

Thank you Dear, but when I referred to "test" in my post I meant "showing signs of rabies while in quarantine". It is basically a test period where the dog is observed for any signs of rabies snce the symptoms are so obvious.

JCarlson~ How did your vet dismiss the recommendations of the majority of this colleagues and the schools of veterinary medicine who have all adopted a three year schedule? What did he say to rationalize his decision over theirs. Don't get me wrong...I am truly not trying to argue with your decision as I do respect your trust in your vet and I am sure he is good at what he does, but I am honestly curious about what his reasoning was.

PLEASE ....Can't someone post their feelings without being questioned for every little thing? For every response I see there is a debate question back to that person -

When someone states their opinion - why not just let them have it without making it into a controversary......Not to sound rude here but.... That 'Dear' comment quoted above was very condesending...you do know some people talk like that normally don't you ? My mom calls everyone dear - she means nothing by it.

No one answered my questions.

I'm not going to reveal what my vet and I discussed privately. I do not have to explain my decision to anyone. I will continue to do what I feel is best for the health and well-being of my dogs. However, I will say that I believe this thread is contraversal. Lately, it seems that many threads are heated and end up getting closed by Admin. I'm really getting sick of it. Why can't we all just AGREE to DISAGREE? I agree with Vilette when she rightly said, "Can't someone post their feelings without being questioned for every little thing? For every response I see there is a debate question back to that person."

I am no expert on titers Kristy, but I don't think it is "expensive" when put in the perspective of preventing a serious condition. It is a blood test basically and different vets charge differently for blood tests.

Yes, immunity decreases as the time from "exposure" gets further away in time so in that sense "immunity fluctuates".

The internet can be a dangerous place and to me this is a perfect example. PLEASE,PLEASE dicuss with your veterinarian what vaccination protocol is best for your pet in your region of the country do not take the word of someone on the internet. They are far better qualified to answer your questions and address your concerns with vaccinating.
IMHO to NOT vaccinate at all is a fools decision.
In my state we have many many cases of Lymes disease, I need to vaccinate my pets YEARLY for this. There has been no 1 yr rabies law in my state for years that I know of.
My dogs have always had the 3 yr shot. My wild animal hunting farm dog however gets one every year. I do not want to lose her to a disease such as rabies, it is a horrible way to die. If it takes a yr or 2 off of her life she will pass on with me knowing I did everything I could do to protect her.
I should add that my own vet is on the 3 yr protocol on most other shots. MOST not ALL.

Good advice Dawn, especially for those in areas of the country where lyme disease is a concern.

The following was written by Dr. Dunn of petcenter.com and I think he does a good job of providing a common sense approach to this issue and answering what pet owners should do since vets don't even agree...

What some veterinary associations are saying:

Questionnaires and phone calls to veterinarians in various areas of the country showed that there is a wide variety of opinions regarding vaccination protocols. In fact there was a reluctance to be quoted or to fill out a questionnaire requesting data on vaccine failures, reactions, or dangers and suggested vaccine procedures. The assumption could be drawn that no one really KNOWS for sure which way is THE RIGHT WAY. Let’s take a look at what some organizations are willing to put on paper...

Here is what the FIRST INTERNATIONAL VETERINARY VACCINES AND DIAGNOSTICS CONFERENCE, held in Madison, WI, in July, 1997 had to say:

Unofficial Recommendations:

*Vaccinate puppies and kittens against the clinically important infectious agents such as distemper virus, parvovirus, panleukopenia and rabies.
*Avoid vaccinations before six weeks of age. Give two to four doses of vaccine spaced two to four weeks apart.
*Give annual booster vaccine at one year of age. Thereafter give boosters every three years, unless required more often by law.
*Monitor serum antibody levels annually between boosters. (tjd: This means that your dog or cat should have a blood test done to measure the level of "immune memory" to a disease.)
*Geriatric animals generally do not need booster vaccinations. Monitor serum antibody titers instead.

Dr. W. Jean Dodds, a noted researcher and immunologist in Santa Monica, CA suggests that when giving a Rabies vaccine... not to administer it at the same time as other vaccines. Three to four weeks later, other vaccines can be given but Dr. Dodds believes that after ten years of age booster vaccines are generally not needed and may even be unwise.

She states "For animals previously experiencing adverse vaccine reactions or breeds at higher risk for such reactions (e.g. Weimaraners, Akitas, Harlequin Great Danes), alternatives to booster vaccinations should be considered. These include avoiding boosters except those required by law such as Rabies; measuring serum titers annually for specific diseases; and considering homeopathic alternatives to vaccinating. Some homeopathic approaches are considered as 'unconventional' and the pet owner should be provided with an appropriate disclaimer and should give informed consent to this approach."

Listing each veterinary association’s vaccination protocols would be quite lengthy, plus some protocols will be updated at various times. For your reference you may wish to call an organization and request their current protocols. Your area veterinary school is another source of advice on vaccination procedures.


What should a pet owner to do?
Realize that pet health care providers who truly have your pet's best interest at heart, do not all agree on what is the ideal vaccination protocol to follow. Accept the fact that some pet health care providers truly believe that across the broad spectrum of optimum health, vaccinations throw the animal's vital energies out of balance. The truth is that vaccines have undoubtedly prevented countless millions of disease related deaths; unfortunately, a few individuals may have been harmed along the way.

Like anything else in life, there is a middle ground that must be struck, an educated and informed judgment that needs to be made when considering the risks versus the benefits of vaccinating the pets in our care. Let us all keep an open mind and a sensitive heart to this issue of vaccinations. If you do have concerns that need addressing, tell your veterinarian that you would like to consider all the options prior to vaccinating your special pet.

Someday, hopefully soon, when we discuss vaccinating our pets, no one will have to ask if we are giving Too Many, Too Often