I received this question from Chuck in Southern California, looking for a way to avoid giving a rabies vaccination to his older Chi Chi.

I have an 11yr old Chihuahua, “Chalupa” and the animal control people are insisting I give him a rabies shot.  Like everywhere, it’s the law — not what’s best for the dog. Chalupa is the “Golden Child” couch potato of the West: there is no way he is ever going to come in contact with rabies. But they will not renew his license and are threatening further action. I am afraid for Chalupa — in fact, we stopped the yearly BS of vaccines a long time ago. Is there any method or anything I can do to keep from having to vaccinate him?   I’m not talking anything illegal, not at all.  But there must be some way to prevent him from having to be poisoned because of a one-fits-all-law that does not apply to Chalupa at all!

I replied to Chuck –

I appreciate your concern for Chalupa’s health and yes there are legal ways to avoid getting a rabies vaccination, but I’d also like to point out a few issues that you are misinformed about.  First of all, the law requiring rabies vaccinations is actually based on a good premise, which is that rabies is a deadly disease carried by a variety of wild animals, and is devastating to domestic pets and their owners. People and their dogs and cats can contract rabies if they come into contact with even the saliva of a rabid animal. So this is another assumption you are making that Chalupa could never be in jeopardy because if you allow him to walk on the street he can come into contact with a dog with rabies — or a rabid squirrel or other animal. These laws protect people and pets in society.  The current debate about how long a rabies vaccination remains effective is the Rabies Challenge that Dr. Jean Dodds is studying — doing scientific studies to determine whether the vaccine is good for 5 years or even 7 years — instead of the now-recommended every three years.

And the rabies vaccine is not a “poison”  — it serves a very important protective role in canine health. However, the question is whether repeated vaccinations can be harmful to an older dog who is also very small  — since the dose is the same whether for a Chihuahua or a Mastiff. The real question is whether Chalupa’s immune system is already defended against rabies because of earlier vaccinations which have built up immunity in his body (and the same is true for most other vaccines, too). You say the law “does not apply to Chalupa at all” but you won’t know that until you know what his immune system is prepared to handle. So what you should do is have the vet draw blood and send it out to determine the “rabies titer,” meaning whether the level of antibodies to rabies that is circulating in his bloodstream is high enough to defend him against an exposure to the disease. I just had a rabies titer done on my dogs and the lab bill was quite high, so you need to be committed to this idea of wanting to know the bottom line before vaccinating unnecessarily.  I was shocked to discover that my 3-year-old Weimeraner Teddy Bear did not have a high enough titer level for his body to defend against rabies and I had him re-vaccinated immediately. It was a good thing I did that because only a week later Teddy was able to grab a squirrel that ran up a tree and then right back down into Teddy’s mouth (was the squirrel ill? rabid?) and he gave Teddy’s nose a good bite before Teddy dispatched him.  If I had not checked Teddy’s titer level — and not vaccinated him — he would have been in jeopardy. It did turn out that my other Weimeraner Scooby Doo, who is 8 years old, had a rabies titer that was nice and high in his blood test (which will probably be true of Chalupa, too, if he has had rabies shots throughout his life).  If that turns out to be true, then your vet can write a letter “To Whom it May concern” that Chalupa’s antibody titer is sufficiently high to protect against exposure to the disease — and that his immune system would be compromised by unnecessary further rabies vaccinations. That is what my vet did for me and Scooby Doo needs no further injections. I hope the same will be true for Chalupa. Please let me know.

Tracie

Luna & Sol, the Cats of the Month for May on CAT CHAT®, are “due” for their vaccinations. Their Dad Robert wanted to know what they really need?

Hi Tracie: The kitties are coming up on their one-year anniversary, and I just got the renewal from Hillsborough County, Florida requiring vaccinations as follows:

Section 3. Dog, Cat, and Ferret Rabies Vaccination Requirement; Medical Exemption

All DOGS, CATS, and FERRETS that are 4 months of age or older must be vaccinated for rabies in accordance with Section 828.30, Florida Statutes (1999), as may be amended. DOGS, CATS, and FERRETS shall be vaccinated annually for rabies. However, DOGS and CATS vaccinated by a VETERINARIAN using a USDA-approved triennial vaccine are considered currently vaccinated for the entire 3-year period and will not be required to have an annual re-vaccination for the purpose of obtaining a RABIES TAG except that DOGS and CATS vaccinated at less than one year of age, must be re-vaccinated with a booster one year after the initial vaccination (note: this is what I am concerned about).

So I am going into the Vet and I want to be prepared for the no-overvaccination discussion. Is there something from AMA or one concise document I can bring with me to share with him if he wants to overvaccinate? Is there any vaccination that is prudent at the one-year mark? My kitties had kennel cough when I got them and still sneeze and have watery eyes frequently — should they be vaccinated for that?

I asked the Official Vet of CAT CHAT®, Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins, how to handle this situation and she wrote:

This gentleman should ask his vet to do a titer test instead of the rabies vaccinations less than 3 years apart. As a matter of fact, he can ask for a titer any time his cat’s vaccines are due. If the titer is above a certain level, the vet can write him an exemption which will be accepted by any authority that requires verification that the cat is protected.

Then I asked Dr. Elizabeth about the ongoing Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) the kitties have and whether they should not be treated for it. She agreed and said:

Yes, I always treat URIs because so often if you don’t treat, they become chronic. Especially herpes and calici. Yes, the conventional wisdom in the past has been that viral infections don’t respond to antibiotics so it was considered irresponsible at worst and wasteful of owner’s money at best to use antibiotics in cats with URI. Only problem is that they will do better faster if they get antibiotics. Period. So, more progressive cat vets DO treat URIs. I always tell someone like this gentleman that if his vet doesn’t want to treat, he should insist that the vet be willing to adopt the chronically infected cat if the disease doesn’t go away on its own (as the vet is clearly banking on). Of course, the owner in this scenario is bluffing, but the vet doesn’t know that and most will not want to have to face an owner of a chronic URI cat after they have refused to treat because of outdated ideas.

Hi Tracie;

I called in and spoke to you on air the other day and you suggested that I write to you and you would be able to assist me in finding a vet that will clean my dogs teeth without insisting that I re-vaccinate them. They have all of their adult shots and I feel that they don’t need any more vaccinations, other then rabies, of course.

I live in Camp Verde, AZ and am close to Cottonwood, AZ or Sedona AZ. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Meanwhile, I’ll just keep brushing their teeth!!

I never miss you when you are on air. you’ve been a great help for myself and my husband when it comes to caring for our 3 dogs, 3 cats and pet cow. I wish you were a practicing vet in our area. They just don’t make them like you up here!

Thank you so much
Joan

Hi, Joan – So glad you followed up. It’s so nice to continue a connection in writing. I just gave this advice to a lady in salt Lake city, so here goes: the truth is that any good vet should know that their own member organization, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) changed their old recommendations many years ago from yearly vaccinations to every three years. Feel free to tell any vet that who is even mentioning yearly shots! The motto of my radio shows is no further vaccinations after puppy or kitten shots – a really well educated vet knows that instead of doing ANY vaccinations it is better to check a dog’s blood titer level to see whether his body has developed immunity against that disease. To find a vet who is current on this you can either look for a holistic vet in your area (their member organization is linked on my website under “useful links” to see who is in your neighborhood) and if not, just start calling vet clinics and asking on the phone: “I want to come to your clinic but I need to know whether the doctor(s) would respect my decision not to vaccinate my dog?”

Thanks for the kind words – it means more than you can know. I put my heart out to each and every listener and when you feel that love and concern it makes it all worthwhile.

Tracie

I was gratified that people really listened to the advice I gave in the “Ask Tracie” segment when I came on Martha’s TV show January 16th (view my two segments on the show here). Some people were confused about my firm advice not to constantly re-vaccinate adult dogs and cats – which has been the correct healthy advice conscientious vets have given for quite some time. The reason NOT to constantly revaccinate is that continually bombarding an animal’s immune system with an illness to which it already has immunity (if it got the two sets of puppy or kitten shots) can lead to cancer and generally undermines the pet’s immune system.

Imagine if we had to have German Measles boosters every year – or smallpox – or any of the childhood diseases to which we were immunized as children? It makes no sense! Our bodies – and those of our animal family members – have a cellular memory of having been vaccinated young against these diseases. They carry that protection for life. It has been YEARS since the American Veterinary Medical Association changed their recommendation form yearly to every 3-year vaccinations, so yearly vaccinating is already an out-of-date practice that NO well-informed vet should be doing. But beyond that, there is no medical or logical reason to vaccinate an adult dog or cat every three years, either. Instead, you check the blood levels of immunity with a “blood titer” test every year until the animal is about 5 years old (to be super-safe) and then no need to check again, you’re good to go! Dr. Marty Goldstein, Martha’s own holistic vet – who has his own show on Martha’s channel of Sirius/XM (“Ask Martha’s Vet” on Monday nights) – recently had the brilliant research vet Dr. Jean Dodds on his show on the topic of vaccinations. Their recommendation was the same as mine: give the first kitten or puppy shots at around 8-9 weeks, then the second set around 12-14 weeks but NEVER both the Parvo and distemper in one shot, which is what vets usually do for peoples’ convenience. It’s too much of an assault on a little creature’s system – demand shots that are separated. Then you’ll get a rabies shot later – and continue getting them as required by law in your state, either every year (which is horrible for the animal) or every 3 years, which Dr. Dodds is in the middle of proving is way too often, as well. Her “Rabies Challenge Fund” is testing a 5-year vaccine to show it is effective and then they will study a 7 year rabies vaccine, so that the laws can all be changed to protect society but also protect our pets’ own health.

Here are some of the emails I got after the show – I hope the above answers you all! And thanks for checking in, it’s great to know you’re out and really listening!

HANK wrote: I saw you on Martha Stewart today and you mentioned that cats and dogs should only have 1 vaccination. Do you mean Rabies and Distemper also? And if it’s rabies — why do law enforcers insist that your pets get vaccinated regularly. I enjoy seeing you on all the shows. Thank you.

CAROLYN in North Carolina wrote: I saw you on Martha Stewart yesterday and would like you to clarify the fact that cats do not need vaccinations after a certain age. Does this include rabies? I have one indoor and one indoor/outdoor kitty so shouldn’t the one that goes outside get a regular rabies shot?

BRANDY wrote: So, I’m just wondering why you think you know more than a veterinarian. If they recommend vaccinating yearly, then they probably have a good reason (and a lot of scientific research) for doing so. Is there something you know that veterinarians don’t? Thank you so much for your response.

MARIA wrote: I totally agree with you about cats getting inoculated. I don’t want it at all. In Pennsylvania it is mandatory but in New Jersey I don’t know. I would like to get a copy of what you said about inoculating cats. If it is possible can you send me a copy? I would greatly appreciate it.

UPDATE: Update: More On Purebred Cats On Martha Stewart TV Show

I was astonished to get this letter from Gem, who thought the cats I was showing on Martha’s TV show might be for sale. Here’s what she wrote:

Hi Tracie: I am inquiring if the Maine Coon cat you had on Martha today is for sale?

Our Maine coon passed away and it is a sad story. we adopted him from the local shelter, the SPCA.. We have a beautiful farm in New York and would love another big friend.

Thank You from Gem

I wrote Gem back:

I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s so hard to lose the four-legged beauties who share our lives.

NO! Tigger was not “for sale” (he’s actually the cat of the actor Chazz Palmintieri, whose beautiful wife Gianna brought him all the way into New York City for the show – they are clients of Dr Marty Goldstein, whose radio show “Ask Martha’s Vet” is on Martha’s channel on Monday nights).

None of the kitties were for sale, they are all beloved family members, including Martha’s new cat Frost, whom she has just adopted from the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (ARF). I always advocate that people find a pet for themselves by first going to their local shelter, as you did when you found your first Maine Coon cat. Go to www.Petfinder.com – put in your zip code and (in your case write in Maine Coon cat) and you will see any shelters near you that have a Maine Coon for adoption. Over 30% of all animals at shelters are purebred so the chance of finding what you’re looking for is pretty good. Let me know what you find – and send me a photo to post on my website and call into the show Wednesday a nights with any questions. My website www.TracieHotchner.com tell you all you need to know.

Thanks for getting in touch.

I recently received this very good question from Amanda:

Good morning Tracie- I have caught up on the available podcasts, and checked out your website, but saw just a brief mention in the blog about using titers to plan your dog’s immunizations (those not mandated by law). Titering was recommended to me by my dog’s breeder. I was wondering if you could at some point address this issue. What do I ask for? What is the vet looking for? Do they actually know what they are looking for? How reliable are the results? I am wary of over-vaccination, but also want the dog to be safe. Thank you for considering this topic.

Amanda

I am so glad you asked for clarification since over-vaccination is causing tremendous health problems in many dogs. I don’t know what breed your dog is, but hurray for the breeder for sounding a cautionary note. Some of the more sensitive breeds (like the Weimaraners I rescue) can have serious bad reactions that compromise their health for life from getting multiple vaccinations together, or any at all. As you noticed, rabies is required by law and while many health professionals and educated owners are rebelling against the absurdity of yearly rabies vaccines that are required in some states, certainly this deadly disease is out there and the every-three-years requirement is reasonable (Dr. Jean Dodd is conducting a study to show that every 5 – or even every 7 – years is frequent enough to revaccinate for rabies, and more frequent causes health problems, but those results are not yet out). Any vet will understand the request to check blood levels rather than just vaccinate – and the lab results will be returned with a clear indication of whether those levels are sufficient. And this is what a blood titer level will show: that the immunization your dog received as a puppy has created an immunity to that disease – just as your rubella or smallpox vaccination as a child will keep you from ever getting mumps. Similarly with people we know that a tetanus shot create immunity for at least 10 years and then needs to be repeated. With a dog, such blood tests show the level of immunity in her blood (the titer level) and demonstrate that her immune system is ready to fight off that disease. If, on the other hand, the vaccination(s) she received as a puppy have not maintained the right level in her blood, then there is an actual reason for revaccination to that illness only.  Some vaccinations like that for Lyme’s disease have been discredited because they can cause this permanent disease (not just immunity to it) in a dog – and the bordatella vaccine has caveats also, since it covers only one of several causes of what is also known as “kennel cough.” Your dog never needs it if she isn’t going to be boarded or spend time in close proximity with many dogs, but also if a kennel requires it you should know that your dog and any dog recently given the vaccine (often nasally) will shed those cells for days and pass the illness along to other dogs it contacts. THE DOG BIBLE explains a great deal of this.

Tracie

This is from Michele in Chicago, the mom of Samson and one of my favorite listeners. She’s been there from the beginning, calls in once a year just to say she loves the show. She never has had any problems with her fine cat Samson, who has been on wet food only from Day One of Cat Chat®. And Michele has converted others off kitty crack and was one of the first to want to help with the Paws Protection League that Dr. Jean Hofve and I never quite got off the ground. So I was really upset to get this email from her:

Hi Tracie, I’m a bit worried about Samson. I took him to the vet two weeks ago. He got his annual rabies shot and the feline distemper vaccine. He had been fine, but a couple of days ago (I think right after listening to Cat Chat® on Wednesday), he started eating less food. He takes a few bites and then he’s done. He’s also a bit lethargic which is not normal for Samson who is always jumping and pouncing around. He ate a little bit more today, but I’m still worried. I’m gonna monitor him this weekend and I have a call in to the vet. Could it be a reaction from the vaccine from two weeks ago?? And if so, should I stop getting him that vaccine every year and just get the rabies since it’s required by law? Any info you can give me would be great. I would feel so awful if something happened to him and it was all my fault. He’s my baby!! Thanks so much!

Michele
Chicago, IL

Oh dear. I wrote her back with a heavy heart:

Yes, it could easily be these unnecessary injections. But why are you vaccinating an indoor cat? You listen to Cat Chat® religiously and I have always said NO VACCINATIONS except for kittens and rabies as required by law every 3 years (and even then, if you live in an apartment, well — are there Rabies Police going to come into your apartment and check his tag? What rabid bat is going to fly through your window??)

Anyway, my suggestion would be that when you make that call to your vet, you might mention you’ll be leaving his/her care for a more educated vet since yearly vaccinations have been recommended AGAINST by the AVMA and the feline-only vets for quite a few years. The Cat Bible and Dr Hodgkins book Your Cat are very clear on this.

You’re such a smart woman and great listener; I don’t know how this vet managed to override your good sense. I have to tell you that the doctor did the wrong thing — is DOING the wrong thing to all his/her patients and either does not know the harm s/he’s doing or wouldn’t admit it. You need to switch to a feline-only vet – Chicago is a very hip town, I am sure there are several — and tell all your friends to do the same. The only way to wake up a vet like this is to leave AND TELL HIM/HER WHY. Let me know how Samson is doing in a couple of days. I’ll check in with Dr. H. to see whether 2 weeks is a probable amount of time to get this reaction, but I know she will share my disgust with your vet’s poor judgment and knowledge. Don’t panic. But don’t let him go 24 hours without food. Pamper him to get him to eat and make sure he’s using the litter box normally for him. I’ll be back to you if Dr Hodgkins has any comment to pass along.

Sure enough, here’s what the good doctor said:

Vaccine reactions, including autoimmune anemia, can start any time. Your answer was correct. Always amazes me how folks will ignore a number of signs of health problems because of convenience and or cost factors, yet faithfully present their pets for over-priced and unnecessary vaccines every year, no matter what. And vets will insist on vaccines even for sick cats! This may be an even bigger brain-washing job that the pet food myths.

SAMSON’S VACCINATION MISTAKE CONTINUED (UPDATE):

Michele wrote me back and said:

Tracie, I’m not that smart because the vaccination thing was the one thing I could never grasp since I have been listening to Cat Chat®. I figured, he’s never had a bad reaction before so I assumed it would be ok.

I will be looking for a cat only vet to use from now on. Why do these vets encourage unnecessary vaccinations?

I told Michele: Well don’t beat yourself up, done is done.  But keep in mind that a bad reaction isn’t always visible. We don’t even know all the problems that can be caused by over-vaccination. But please from now on, when I tell you stuff on the air, don’t filter it out or discard it because you don’t think it applies to your cat. What you don’t understand, ask me on the air, write to me.  The link on my website to the “cats only” vets will help you find one easily. At least they should know the potential harm of routine vaccinations and will help you and Samson stay safe. As to your question, damned if I know why some vets bluster on doing the wrong thing – it cannot just be for the office visit and injection fee, I refuse to be that cynical!  But I do wish I could come up with a better answer as to why they continue the shots when all research shows the vaccines are unnecessary and maybe harmful – and when their own member organizations tell them not to. It’s criminal, that much I feel safe saying. If a human doctor continued to do procedures that the AMA said were not needed and potentially harmful, you wouldn’t have doctors doing them anyway. It’s a disturbing world we live in – so much information, research and technology – and so much of it misused.

Tracie

This is such a cute appeal from a blog-reader who begged to be heard! So here are her concerns – which are all pretty fair questions.

Kit-Kat and I follow your blog but I still can’t figure out how to start a new topic instead of responding to one already posted.  Please take pity on me and answer online or by e-mail if you can.

This is my first summer with my cat, who is about 3 years old.  She is used to spending a lot of time outdoors; she was on her own for almost a year before I found her and took her in.  (I thought she’d been abandoned but it turns out she ran away.)  In southern California, our temps are in the triple digits now.  Is it safe to let a cat out when it’s that hot?  She sits by the door, hoping to be let out, but I’m concerned about her safety.  She has been spayed and doesn’t usually go too far away.  She eats only wet food but almost never drinks water.

I recently met my cat’s original owner, who took her in after witnessing her being abused as a very small kitten.  Before she ran away from that home (she didn’t like the four male cats there), she was spayed and had the first two vaccines.  I called a vet about getting the third vaccine and they said if it’s been over a year, she needs all of them repeated and can get them all at once.  Is this a good idea?

Thanks for all your information.  My e-mail address is new but mailing address is the same.  I am buying another cat and dog bible for gifts if you are still sending the bookplates.

Thanks again,
Susan

Here are my replies to her issues (If she’s going to keep on buying The Bibles, how can I NOT answer her, right?!)

Dear Susan – Both your concerns are valid and the answers are easily found in  The Cat Bible (which you already own, lucky girl – and it has a super-dooper index that captures every possible word or topic) and also the Q&A’s on my website touch on some of this. But I’m feeling kindly today(!) so here are the quickie versions of the answers

1) No cat should be going outside no matter what the temperature. Is it too hot? Heavens yes! But spayed or not, she can be harmed or killed by cars, coyotes, dogs, parasites, other cats and oh – did I mention cars? Check out the link on my website for Purr.fect fence to make an easily erected, affordable, non-permanent enclosure for her outdoors- when it cools down!

2) Cats do not naturally need to drink water – unless they are eating “kitty crack” which makes them unnaturally thirsty because dry highly processed carbohydrates are not a mouse or bird. A cat is supposed to get her hydration from the fluids inside her prey – or inside the can of wet food you’re feeding her. Not drinking water when a cat is eating only wet food is a sign that she is healthy and satisfied.

3) Re-vaccinating or multiple vaccinations are ill advised at best. Cats do very poorly with over-vaccinating. The Q&A’s on my website and THE CAT BIBLE talk about this and how getting a blood test to check her immunity against various diseases (called getting a “titer level”) is the best way to know if a cat is protected. If she has areas in which she has no immunity but she is an indoor cat only then she is at no risk in any case. She needs only rabies, as required by law, but every 3 years, not every year. No matter what, giving vaccines all at once really puts her at risk of a bad reaction and I would look for a feline practitioner, or cats – only vet, if you can.

Tracie