U.S. Free of Canine Rabies Virus - Page 1

An article was published by “Reuters” on September 7, 2007

U.S. Free of Canine Rabies Virus http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0741162020070907 

by Maggie Fox  (Health & Science Editor)  September 7, 2007

"The elimination of canine rabies in the United States represents one of the major public health success stories in the last 50 years," CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding said in a statement

For more information on the canine rabies vaccine 
http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org/page4.html
For more information The Rabies Challenge Fund http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org/about%20the%20RCF.html

Rabies Challenge Fund Reaches First-Year Goal:  http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/index.cfm?ID=26297

Pets: Rabies vaccine research may save some pain  http://www.newsday.com/search/ny-lspets5278482jul02,0,6559208.column

The Vaccine Challenge http://www.animaltalknaturally.com:80/2007/05/01/the-vaccine-challenge-show-91/ 

How Often Does He REALLY Need a Rabies Shot? http://animalwellnessmagazine.com/m/m86/main.htm;  

Get Out Your Wallets, Rabies Challenge Fund a Reality http://www.mainetoday.com/pets/dogslife/007915.html. 

Are We Overvaccinating our Pets?  http://www.spanieljournal.com/28lbaughan.html 

Rabies Challenge Kicks Off Fundraiser: http://www.courierpub.com/articles/2005/10/12/lincolncountyweekly/local_news/4news.txt 

Nationwide Campaign Launched to Fund Rabies Vaccine Study http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/index.cfm?ID=14204; 

Challenging the Rabies Vaccine  http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-lspets4432971sep19,0,1274963.column;

The Rabies Challenge Fund  http://blogs.mainetoday.com/dogslife/002976.html 

David,

Does England still have a rabies quarantine? I've always wondered how you and your country people can have dogs which compete and are titled in Germany. Seems that sitting in quarantine could take a pretty big chunk out of a dog's life.

Louise,
We still have QUARANTINE kennels, for dogs which have NOT been Pet Passported, or dogs from countries which are NOT on the list of countries APPROVED for our Pet Passport Sceme.

Pet Passports take around 7 months to obtain,

1) Microchip
2) Rabies vaccination
3) Blood test
4) pass blood test
5) dog allowed to travel back & forth between APPROVED COUNTRIES (with Tick& worm treatments each time)

for full details:http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/index.htm

We still have QUARANTINE kennels, for dogs which have NOT been Pet Passported, or dogs from countries which are NOT on the list of countries APPROVED for our Pet Passport Sceme.

Does this now include the USA?

of course the USA is on the approved list of countries

     I don't beleive a statement like that shoul be released. I live in the country. It isn't fear of getting rabies from dogs we have to worry about ( I live in NY). It makes people believe there are no rabies problems, and they  let go of the need to vaccinate. Where I live there are skunks, racoons, etc., etc., that carry rabies. My sister has had to go through the "rabies treatment" because of  her Beagles  getting attacked by rabid coons.

     At least issue a "responsible" advertisement of the importance of the continuing problem. It was believed in  New York that distemper was no longera problem, but Distemper has been "showing it's horrible face again in New york".

     Vaccinate your dog for any and everything that might,"resurface". PLEASE, do us all a favor. BEWARE!!!

The article clearly states that the canine-specific form of rabies no longer exists, but dogs can still contract rabies from other animals such as racoons and fox, so dogs still need to be vaccinated. There are questions regarding the frequency of rabies vacs and whether they are needed more than a few times in any dog's lifetime. Of course the simple way to know if your dog is immune to the rabies virus is to have a titer done. Unfortunately most states I know of will not accept titers as proof of a protective level and require annual or 3 year rabies vacs.  Also most vets charge an arm and a leg for a rabies titer making it a lot more economical for owners to give vaccines rather than request titers. Vaccines are a great source of income for vets. A rabies vac costs them less than $1.25 each. You do the math.