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Make rabies great again
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 4:31 am
by Scooter
Anti-Vaxxers Are Now Refusing to Vaccinate Their Pets
Anti-vaxxers are coming under fire after people started learning that there's now a movement of pet owners who believe vaccinating their animals will cause autism.
The link between vaccines and autism has long been debunked by a variety of healthcare professionals. Despite the mountains of evidence negating the discredited study that spurred the modern anti-vaccine movement, there are people who still believe there's a link between being vaccinated and developing autism.
It seems now anti-vaxx pet owners are afraid that if they vaccinate their cute and cuddly animal friends they'll become autistic as well. Which is hugely problematic.
Vaccines are as much a necessity for lifelong animal health as they are for humans. Before they can go out into the world, they need several vaccines to protect them from various disease, primarily rabies.
The ASPCA has a full list of recommended shots, and the majority of pet owners make it a point to get them as soon as possible. But just like parents of human children, there are some pet parents who would rather opt out of the vaccine scene.
This dog owner, however seemed convinced something was wrong with her canine companion soon after his annual vaccine.
While the fear is not as common as people not wanting to vaccinate their kids, the idea of anti-pet vaccinating is being criticized just as much by the general public.
There’s always going to be a group of people who go against the norm, and that seems to be the case in Brooklyn, NY. The American Animal Hospital Association reported a growing anti-vaxx movement among Brooklyn’s pet owners. They specifically wrote that it’s only in a “small minority of young, hip, urban millennials.” Yup, that’s Brooklyn in a nutshell!
But what could have led pet owners to this presumption anyway? The source of the anti-vaxx sentiments could be traced to a few misinterpreted studies. A study at Tufts University by Nicholas H. Dodman found that hormones that were more apparent in children with autism could also be found in dogs.
Nowhere in the study does it mention vaccinations, nor does it provide any medical basis for diagnosing an animal with autism. Unfortunately, some pet owners assume their dogs being antisocial or obsessing over their tails is a sufficient indication or a neurological disorder.
Re: Make rabies great again
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 1:18 pm
by Big RR
I don't see why they're playing that autism card--except for rabies which is a serious public health problem (as anyone who has seen old Yeller can attest to--who wants to shoot their dog after he saved their life?), I do not think any vaccines are mandated by law. Go ahead and keep Fido in a bubble if you want and not vaccinate against serious diseases--you don't need to manufacture an excuse to refrain from the vaccines.
Re: Make rabies great again
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 1:59 pm
by Bicycle Bill
Because by dredging up the already-debunked link between autism and vaccines, it starts the scare stories all over again with regard to vaxxing the children with the people who only believe what they read on Twitter.
And tell me again just how you tell a dog has autism? "He's just not himself and there is sadness in his eyes" ?
Gimme a break....
-"BB"-
Re: Make rabies great again
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 2:21 pm
by Big RR
No, the autistic dog seems turned inwardly, (s)he can't stand changes in routines (thrivng on the same routine every day from mealtimes to walks, etc.) or understand sarcasm, and is often content being by him or herself. I think most dogs are "autistic". Damn vaccines, their very existence must be the cause of this.
Re: Make rabies great again
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 4:38 pm
by ex-khobar Andy
If the dog is not barking in full sentences (e.g., Timmy has fallen down the well and we'll have to hurry but can we stop at the store and pick up a bag of Dog-o-Grub on the way because we're nearly out) by the time he or she is five years old, it's probably autistic.
Re: Make rabies great again
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 10:01 pm
by Burning Petard
Shots for pet dogs are usually required as part of the licensing process. But many people ignore getting a dog license. As noted in the first post here, it usually happens when other pet services insist on a shot record. With my dogs it was rabies, distemper and kennel cough. When it was available I also got the lyme disease shot for the dog.
Polio and smallpox vaccine changed life for humans. The distemper vaccine changed the whole world of hunting dogs and hunting dog training. Distemper was such a killer of pups that most would not invest the time and effort into training a hunting dog until the dog was at least a year old. That required a style of training that is now looked at as just brutal. Six month old pups are now performing in field trial competition at a level that used to be seen only in 5 year old champions.
Yet I have a daughter that resisted vaccine for her children--who are now 16 and 21. The twenty-one year old has gotten a full slate of vaccinations on his own, including HPV. She had her own logic involving risk management and probability of side effects and herd immunity.
snailgate
Re: Make rabies great again
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 11:42 pm
by Joe Guy
Dogs and people don't get autism from vaccines but humans are known to grow more stupid from the internet.
Re: Make rabies great again
Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 11:46 pm
by BoSoxGal
Okay, aside from the weird suggestion that dogs can get autism at all, much less from vaccines,
There IS a very rational objection to the current vaccination schedule for companion pets, including between veterinarians - not crazy conspiracy theorist owners.
The AVMA has endorsed a large body of research that indicates (very logically) that dogs and cats achieve lengthy if not lifetime immunity from their early schedule of vaccinations, much like humans. The AVMA asserts vaccines are certainly good for 7 years, and in many cases probably for the lifetime of the animal. Titer testing is available to determine if immunity persists.
Because of the research of recent decades, a 3 year rabies vaccine is now standard in many veterinary practices. Some veterinarians are reducing the recommended vaccination schedule, but far too many won’t change the yearly schedule which a significant body of research suggests is far more than cats and dogs need, and likely in a substantial number of animals triggers autoimmune disorders and cancers that often spring from the overstimulation of the animal’s immune system. Why do they do it? $$$
This is very likely what happened to my rescued Rez dog, who went blind overnight from SARDS, an autoimmune disorder, and who now suffers diabetes which in dogs is always type 1 (irreversible) and often linked to immune system issues. Because of her health issues and her age, her veterinarian no longer recommends vaccines.
I’m on my phone so haven’t done much linking - if you do a google these documents are readily available. Here’s a good article to start with:
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/vaccin ... contention
Re: Make rabies great again
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 5:44 pm
by Burning Petard
BSG, the scientific controversy on dogs is how often to vaccinate, not do it or don't do it. Local law here (not sure if it is state or county reg) requires rabies shot every three years, with annual dog license. Local kennels, trainers, walkers, etc. ask for 'health statement' from local vet that says according to that vet's protocol the dog has been examined regularly and has needed shots.
Distemper broke my mothers heart and we never had another family dog when I was growing up.
snailgate
Re: Make rabies great again
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 11:21 pm
by BoSoxGal
I’m pretty sure I said exactly that, as does the article I posted a link to.
But thanks for explaining for me!