Evidence for exemption from rabies vaccinations

Confusing information about "wash-out" period when switching from a steroid to an NSAID or between NSAIDs

The following is taken from the Dec. 2000 Rimadyl Technical Bulletin and it speaks of "washout" periods before switching from one NSAID to another or from an NSAID to a steroid: "Table 1: Withdrawal (washout) times -- Once one NSAID is discontinued, a minimum of 48 to 72 hours should be allowed before initiation of another NSAID. When switching from aspirin to another NSAID, a washout period of 10 to 14 days is advised to minimize the carryover of aspirin-induced platelet dysfunction. Prednisone to an NSAID -- allow at least 1 week. Long-acting corticosteroid to an NSAID -- allow at least 3 to 4 weeks."

What is the correct protocol?

Swimming Dogs and Blue Green Algae Toxicity

Rabies Vaccine Efficacy May Last Many Years -- Study Under Way -- Could be Critical to Your Dog's Health!

Donations Needed to Fund Research

Of all the vaccines veterinarians administer, rabies is the most sacrosanct, largely because the disease is zoonotic, a fancy word that means transmissible to humans. Rabies is the only vaccine mandated by law for dogs and cats; New York, like many states, requires revaccination at three-year intervals, which is the longest. (A handful of states, including Alabama, still mandate annual boosters.) But some veterinary immunologists believe the rabies vaccine confers a duration of immunity that exceeds three years - in fact, as much as five or seven years. Problem is, there have been no clinical trials - in which dogs are vaccinated and then exposed to the disease - to prove that. And vaccine companies, which normally conduct the trials, have a strong economic incentive not to. After all, how much sense does it make to spend a ton of money to be told consumers need less of your product?

Which brings us to Kris Christine and her research on vaccination, in the course of which she found Jean Dodds of Hemopet in Garden Grove, Calif., and Ronald Schultz at University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison. These veterinarians helped formulate the American Animal Hospital Association's guidelines. Dodds has lectured endlessly on adverse reactions associated with the rabies vaccine (autoimmune diseases of the thyroid, joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression; seizures; epilepsy; and fibrosarcomas at injection sites, especially in cats). For his part, Schultz has performed serological studies that documented rabies antibody titer counts at levels known to confer immunity seven years after vaccination. But what they needed to do was to formally prove the rabies vaccine's long-term duration of immunity so that state-mandated intervals for boosters could be extended.

Two years ago, Christine teamed up with Dodds to create the Rabies Challenge Fund, which needed $177,000 to fund the studies' first-year budget. Thanks to the contributions of many dog clubs, veterinarians and concerned owners, they now have the money to start. Five years from now, Schultz will likely have the proof of what he has known all along: that the rabies vaccine provides long-term immunity. In the face of that, the government can lengthen the mandated revaccination intervals.

The Rabies Challenge Fund needs more donations. Looming on the horizon each year is a $150,000 annual budget that must still be met. The Rabies Challenge Fund is as grass roots as you can get. Individuals can and do make a difference. Send donations to The Rabies Challenge fund at Rabies Challenge Fund, c/o Hemopet, 11330 Markon Drive, Garden Grove, CA 92841. For more information on The Rabies Challenge Fund, visit RabiesChallengeFund.org.

Veterinarians must warn about drugs' side effects! It's the law!

Ketoconazole is an anti-fungal drug (human drug is called Nizoral) that is used for animals with fungal infections. On October 21, 2006, the Senior Dogs Project received a report from Nice, France, where "Ralph," a dog belonging to an American living in France, died as a result of liver damage. The drug is suspected as being the cause of the liver damage. The report states that the veterinarian provided no warning about the potentially deadly side effects of the drug and neither did the manufacturer's label. The vet had warned only that Ketoconazole might cause vomiting at the beginning of treatment, but that, in time, the vomiting would stop. On the 'notice' sold with the drug, the statement made is: 'This medicine is very well tolerated except for rare cases of vomiting at the beginning of treatment.' Ralph did not vomit at first. He did, however, have diarrhea, orange urine (almost black), trembling, and fatigue, and his skin turned dark and peeled in large flakes. After one week, the side effects had not disappeared. The vet advised cutting the dose in two (from 200 to 100 mg daily), and that was Ralph's death sentence. On the 24th day after beginning treatment, even though the drug had been withdrawn, Ralph began to vomit. He vomited whether he ate or drank; nothing would stay down. A perfectly healthy dog (on August 14) was diagnosed with hepatitis most likely brought on by drug intoxication, which could only have come from the Ketoconazole. He died, suffering greatly.

Veterinary note: Ketoconazole is approved for veterinary use in France; however, it is not FDA- approved for animal use in the US, although it is widely used (note that you can buy it online). Every vet advising use of this drug should be fully aware that it: (1) Does not work for one in five dogs. (2) Can cause severe liver damage, and (3) Has a fairly high number of allergic reactions. There is a safer anti-fungal -- Fluconazole -- but that safety comes at a price -- around $12-$15 a pill -- although there may now be generic versions available or coming soon. There are many situations where fungal infections can be life-threatening. These are generally internal infections, not just skin allergic reactions, so these drugs do have a place and are a better alternative than simply suppressing the symptoms with steroids.

"Antibiotics are often harmful to patients. Sulfa/trimethoprim (Bactrim Rx, Tribrissen Rx, Ditrim Rx, Sulfatrim Rx, SMZ-TMP, other generic names) is an antibiotic that can cause joint inflammation in Dobermans and is implicated in immune mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) in many dog breeds. Thrombocytes are the platelets in the blood, responsible for blood clotting. Thrombocytopenia is a decrease in the number of platelets. Obviously, if they get low enough there is a great risk to the pet. This antibiotic is still widely prescribed, though. It has a broad spectrum of action, it is inexpensive and most of the time it doesn't cause problems. The ITP is almost always reversible if the medication is withdrawn. Remembering that this antibiotic can cause this problem may help to save your pet's life, though. Penicillins can cause severe allergic reactions, even causing sudden death in a few patients. Many antibiotics cause diarrhea. Chloramphenicol has been associated with aplastic anemia in several species. Enrofloxacin (Baytril Rx) and tetracycline antibiotics should not be given to growing pets unless absolutely necessary due to the potential for problems with absorption of the medications into bone and/or teeth, causing defects. Amikacin and gentamicin are aminoglycoside antibiotics. This group of antibiotics can cause deafness and kidney failure. Use of antibiotics should be restricted to conditions which are likely to respond to appropriate antibiotic therapy since these are not harmless medications. When they are necessary it is obvious that some risk of use is justified."

The link at the left takes you to the pages on the srdogs.com site containing information -- both pro and con -- about Rimadyl.

How to Get Information about Veterinary Drugs

Visit the site: "Veterinary Drug Information"