Misplaced Desperation

This post is prompted by a desperate reader of my website, specifically coming after reading this blog post: Vaccines and Vets: Is Your Holistic Vet Really Holistic?

Prairie Girl wrote to ask,

Can anyone recommend a holistic vet in N. Western Iowa who would work with owners regarding vaccinating 2 senior dogs who have epilepsy? State won’t waive rabies medical exemption in order to get them relicensed. We’re willing to get them vaccinated but looking for a vet who could administer smaller dosage or holistic treatment after vaccine. We’re desperate.

My head reeled when I read the source of her desperation.

Instead of desperately wanting to keep her aging seniors (both of which are epileptic) healthy and seizure free, she desperately wanted to “safely” vaccinate them to meet her state’s licensing requirement.

Apparently, she missed some key understandings around this hot topic:

  1. Duration of immunity to viruses
  2. Vaccines are labeled “Only for use in healthy dogs (cats, ferrets)”
  3. Vaccinating sick animals is therefore malpractice
  4. Seniors have been damaged to the point of dying prematurely by getting a seemingly “needed” booster vaccine.

Duration of Immunity

This understanding rests with scientists called immunologists.

Two prominent veterinary immunologists pointed this out in a mainstream veterinary textbook decades ago.

Immunity to viruses persists for years or for the life of the animal… Furthermore, revaccination with most viral vaccines fails to stimulate an anamnestic (secondary) response… [Schultz, RD and Phillips, TR, Current Veterinary Therapy XI, 1992]

Do state lawmakers (or rubber stampers in any level of government) understand immunology enough to set forth rules of how often your animals should be vaccinated?

Clearly they do not.

Nor is it a good idea to beg them for a waiver.

(The same argument can be made for groomers, kennel owners, and, my all-time favorite: apartment managers!)

Are any of these folks ready to take responsibility for your animal’s vaccine injury once you comply with their ignorant rules?

It should be obvious: they are not, and you’ll be left holding two bags:

  1. The expense of treating chronic disease, from the merely bothersome (itchy skin or funky ears) to the deadly (autoimmune disease).
  2. The heartache of knowing that you’ve unwittingly brought about serious illness in your pet by not being desperate enough to avoid unnecessary vaccines)

On Vaccine Labels

The American Veterinary Medical Association follows the USDA’s guidance on vaccine use:

Vaccine programs should follow all governmental regulations.…

Label indications and recommendations should be followed.1

AAHA (The American Animal Hospital Assoc) spells out the USDA’s “new” label system:

The new label system states: “This product has been shown to be effective for the vaccination of healthy (name of species, weeks of age or older against name of disease).2

(“New” is in quotes because the “healthy” part is long standing, the only newness was removing some older confusing language).

Now, think with me here: is epilepsy a sign of being “healthy?”

No way, right? Both seniors in question are epileptic, and likely on meds to try to control their seizures.

“On meds” by the way, is a great measure of “NOT healthy,” wouldn’t you agree?

Veterinarians are allowed to go “off label” in using drugs if they feel the health needs of the animal justifies a special case.

I just can’t imagine there’d be a single justifiable reason to vaccinate an epileptic animal.

Hence, I’m calling that off label use of a vaccine malpractice.

In the risk vs benefits assessment, we’ll see it stack up as 99:1.

According to the immunologists, immunity is likely already established from earlier vaccines, remember.

If you’ve got an unwell, medicated animal, you’ve got a vaccination waiver.

Vaccines and seizures: a long history

It’s just not sensible to risk more seizures with a procedure that’s been known to trigger seizures in the first place.

Homeopathic literature has evidence of vaccines resulting in seizures since the very first vaccines.

Modern medicine is no stranger to the phenomenon either:

Epilepsy can be caused by vaccination as a leading symptom of vaccine-induced encephalopathy and febrile seizures can also occur as a result of vaccine-induced fever.…

Case reports exist of epilepsy, autism, and cerebral palsy developing after measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and measles vaccines.3

Here’s a citing from the Journal of Equine Vet Science: Reactive seizures after vaccination in a Thoroughbred broodmare:

Article Abstract

A 550 kg Thoroughbred broodmare born in 2007 was evaluated repeatedly over five breeding seasons because of episodic seizures, which occurred only after vaccination. The mare had no health problems other than repetitive reactive, focal seizures that occurred over a 5-year period, in each case after vaccination 5

Seniors and vaccines: a Bad Mix

I’ve received far too many emails and comments about seniors damaged by vaccination to be able to count them all.

The common thread among them?

Old Blue was getting up there in years, but was rocking along just fine. Going for long walks, chasing rabbits, usual dog stuff.

That all changed after either a “required” rabies shot or a vet recommended combo wombo distemper/parvo vaccine.

I wrote about one such disaster here.

Judging by the comments on this post, it resonated with readers, including Audrey:

Please help me with ANY suggestions you may have to help me reverse the damage my vet has done to my poor sweet angel, who is an 8 year old yellow lab. Not even a month ago, he was lively and vibrant running up and down the beach chasing the ball and now after he went in for his last round of shots he’s barely able to walk/run. Just sleeps all day like a 14 year old, but he’s only about to turn 9.

I’m just devastated that my energetic young boy is basically hitting a brick wall — Audrey, commenting in Stop Vaccinating Your Seniors4

Would a smaller dose help?

This is a common thought, and it does seem that small dogs, receiving the exact same dose as a Great Dane, are far more prone to vaccine injury.

What that doesn’t take into account though, is the phenomenon homeopaths call vaccinosis.

Would there be less chance of chronic disease by lessening the dose?

I’m not sure we can say with surety that will be the case.

We’re still injecting foreigners into the body, bypassing all manner of natural defenses that Mom Nature has set up for our animals (and us, of course), over millennia.

The name of the commonest diseases we see after that foreigner injection fest fall under the category I’ve created (I think…) called Immune Confusion.

The most common of the confused immunity diseases is allergies.

In our pets, that’s usually a wild over reaction to normal, everyday things, like:

  • the bite a flea
  • a bite of chicken
  • a perfectly normal grass or pollen grain

Allergies (you’ve likely seen them) are usually manifest as horribly itchy skin (feet, rumps, bellies, or all over) and funky smelly discharging ears, that can also be painfully tender and itchy at the same time.

Dogs suffering the latter version desperately want to scratch their ears, but it hurts so badly when they do that they may be left taking their ears for a long carpet rubbing ride or merely flailing a hind leg in the ear’s general direction.

Does a smaller dose create less allergic reactivity?

I really have serious doubts that’d be the case.

Vaccinosis is deeper than the dose.

How about a “holistic treatment?” after the shot?

Meh.

I’ve done it in my practice, with a rabies tautode (a homeopathic remedy made from the rabies vaccine itself) given both before and after the vaccine.

Has it prevented all manner of vaccine injury?

I clearly remember a case where it didn’t.

Janet’s dog had been under homeopathic care with me for years.

She somehow felt compelled to give a rabies shot and there was no convincing her to simply say no.

We dutifully gave the rabies tautode to hopefully “buffer” the ill effects.

And Max went clearly into worsening of his ear issues we’d been modestly successful in resolving with years of working together.

I clucked to myself, inwardly, resisting the urge to pull, “I told you so.”

But, in fairness, I’ve also seen many others use the tautode, get the shot, and report no illness afterwards.

But that’s not an apt comparison, as these latter animals were not my closely followed patients, where I was keeping abreast of every symptom they made over a prolonged time.

Would I give a rabies tautode to two epileptic seniors and assure Prairie Girl all would be well?

Never in a million millennia.

Desperation Has Its Place

So, I hear from many who are desperately trying to keep their animals well, and I applaud their efforts.

Usually, that means they have put their foot down and told their vet, “No More Shots.”

And no poisons for heartworm “prevention,” no pesticides to kill fleas and ticks, and no, we’re not going home with a bag of your premium (or worse, “prescription”) kibble, thankyouverymuch.

That’s the kind of desperation that wins for your animals’ long term health and a long joyful life together.

And I wish it didn’t take desperation to achieve this lovely ending, but unfortunately, that’s the world we live in now.

The world of blindly putting your trust in the medicos to have your pet’s health uppermost in their minds is long gone.

This is the world where YOU, and no one else, takes the lead, calls the shots, and mercilessly evaluates all that’s being offered to you by Dr. WhiteCoat.

My goal is to help you make those wise evaluations at every turn.

Let us know in the comments if you’ve taken desperate measures to keep your animals well, or if you’ve experienced disasters from misplaced trust in the past.

 

 

  1. Vaccination Principles, American Veterinary Medical Association, https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/vaccination-principles
  2. Interpreting vaccine labels, AAHA, https://www.aaha.org/aaha-guidelines/2022-aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/interpreting-vaccine-labels/
  3. The Causes of Epilepsy, Chapter 56 – Vaccination and immunization, https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/causes-of-epilepsy/vaccination-and-immunization/8C8E9F05D86E3CBCE739A1C1F8AC8CD2, Simon D. Shorvon, Cambridge University Press 05 March 2012
  4. Stop Vaccinating Your Seniors Already!, VitalAnimal.com, https://vitalanimal.com/stop-vaccinating-seniors/, Will Falconer, DVM, September 1, 20019
  5. J Equine Vet Sci. February 2019;73(0):106-109

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39 Comments

  1. Sandra Kay Hodges on September 1, 2023 at 8:00 pm

    I adopted a chow about 3 years ago. no one knows age. He is likely between 5-8 years old.
    He didn’t have a sick day for 3 years until he got his Rabies vaccine in June. Shortly thereafter, hot spots and skin scabs. That has cleared up but he keeps chewing his tail and has chewed the tip off numerous times. He lives in an e-collar. We are miserable.

    Another odd thing is that he will no longer drink from his stainless steel water bowl.

    I mentioned to the vet that I thought his issues were from the rabies vaccine. She walked out of the room.

    I am desperate. Any help would be appreciated.

    • Will Falconer, DVM on September 2, 2023 at 7:44 am

      This is curable, though not easily. It takes training, dedication, attention to details, and experience on the part of your chosen homeopathic vet. 3 years of illness could be unwound in a year and a half, if all goes well, sometimes faster, sometimes slower. Here’s a video on how to chose a qualified practitioner to get you out of this desperate state.

  2. Penny Kass on February 23, 2023 at 7:46 pm

    What does one do when in need of a teeth cleaning or living in a high tick (high Lymes) area? My vets require all vaccines to be treated for dentals and I have two Yorkies who have notoriously bad teeth.

  3. Wendy on February 19, 2023 at 12:56 pm

    I am completely at a loss of what to do. We lost 2 dogs within 8 months of each other. Our maltese was 12 when he passed. He was given the 1st dose of the lepto vaccine that caused major problems. They just gave him benadryl before his second shot. When he passed…he had no muscle in the leg the shot was given and all of his organs were failing. I TRUSTED MY VET! This brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. Our 80 lb goldendoodle who was 9 had to be put down after attacking our daughter’s puppy! It was shortly after his “ROUTINE” rabies vaccine and was horrifying!!! The puppy survived but our Vet told us we had to put him down or our dog would likely become more violent and attack our Grandbabies! Needless to say… I was devastated! Two days after Bean passed…. I went to a pet store to “look” at puppies. I knew better… but was so sad I couldn’t help myself. I ended up with the most beautiful mini merle sheepadoodle with blue eyes and a pink nose. I was going to do everything perfect this time, I took her to the Vet, spaced out her puppy shots and even Pre treated her with benadryl so she wouldn’t have any side effects. We trained her and fed her the best food money could buy. Immediately after her 1st rabies vaccine she has been in and out of the Vet .. she is allergic to EVERYTHING! She has had 6 rounds of antibiotics, 5 cytopoint shots, anal glands expressed every month and was put on a hydrolyzed diet. We allergy tested her and she is allergic to EVERYTHING! She can’t eat anything or she gets bloody diarrhea and has to take more antibiotics. Either the Vet or the pet store informed the county of my new dog and are now making me get her vaccines updated!!! I don’t know what to do??? Her little body can’t handle anymore and my heart breaks for my sweet baby. PLEASE HELP

    • Ardella Crawford on February 20, 2023 at 9:54 am

      What my husband and I have learned over long years of experience and especially during the past 10 years: you can’t trust the vets any more. Most of them are lovely people who mean well, and many of them truly love the animals. But they learn only certain things in vet school, and most of what they learn isn’t true. Veterinary medicine is just as dominated by money and lies as people medicine.

      My advice? Don’t take your dog to the vet any more. I believe you can find help for her, but not at the vet’s. First thing, get a copy of Dr. Marty Goldstein’s book on animal healing ( https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Animal-Healing-Definitive-Holistic/dp/0345439198/ref=sr_1_3?crid=YC4LTTXXFMK4&keywords=marty+goldstein+book&qid=1676906295&sprefix=marty+goldstein+book%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-3 ). This book is not expensive and not difficult to read, and it will give you hope. That’s likely the most important thing for you right now. At the same time, if you can afford it, see if Dr. Falconer can let you into his Vital Animal Alpha so that you can go through his courses on homeopathy and get some help from the many good people who belong to it. There’s a social media board associated with it where we can post our animal issues and get help with treating them.

      One of the main things you need to do is get your dog on a raw diet. There are one or two good websites for helping you do this. I have used this one quite a bit. https://perfectlyrawsome.com/ I realize that switching your dog to a raw diet is likely to feel intimidating. Believe me, it’s the best thing you’ll ever do. My husband and I feed a colony of about 40 cats. If I could switch them to a raw diet, you can do it for one dog! 🙂 The people in Vital Animal Pack are good with helping with a raw diet, too. Put her on some good organic chicken stock for a day or two and see what happens. Or grassfed beef stock or lamb.

      Dr. Falconer has plenty of good free resources, too, so explore all of those. Try to find a homeopathic vet who will consult via telephone. A lot of them will. Dr. Jane Doyle in West Virginia is a good option–you can look her up on the web. I would go to a homeopathic vet, specifically, not one who calls himself “holistic.” That can be quite a misnomer.

      I mentioned that we care for 40 cats. They are on a raw diet, and I treat them myself with homeopathic remedies when they have problems. In 2022, we acquired chickens and ducks. I feed them an organic diet, plus they are free range and can forage for themselves, and I use homeopathy to treat any issues. Except for injuries, the issues largely disappear when they are on a top-notch diet–which for cats and dogs does not include canned food and kibble, except for emergencies.

    • Will Falconer, DVM on February 25, 2023 at 7:40 pm

      I hear your plight, Wendy, and wish it were easily undone. This is all man made disease, and all in the name of “prevention,” ironically. The only way out I’m aware of is hiring a qualified homeopathic vet, one who’s trained in curing chronic disease and does so regularly. Nothing from conventional medicine can bring your suffering dog back to health, and in fact, the more meds are used, the worse she will get.

      I have a video on how to choose a qualified homeopathic vet at this link.

      I wish you all the best in the slow but sure road to recovery that careful homeopathic prescribing can offer you and your girl.

    • Karol on March 8, 2023 at 6:21 pm

      I adopted an adult dog from a shelter. She was clearly over vaccinated. As time went on she just seemed “different”. She had the equivalent of doggie autism. Lack of emotion, no eye contact, isolated herself. I started to detox her by using my ionic foot detox machine. Just soaked her feet in it for 20 minutes every week. A few months later my friend stopped and said what did you do to your dog? She was like a new dog. Happy, emotional, loving. Detox saved her. She actually seemed to enjoy it. I would get the machine out and she would sit by it and just look at me like well come on, get the water in….

    • N Sullivan on March 31, 2023 at 11:15 pm

      Cytopoint killed my 4.5 year old German shepherd. Started the shot in Feb and by Sept we knew something was terribly wrong. On and off lameness, arched back. Mri showed nothing. He had contracted invasive Aspergullis. We contacted the maker and he had a case number. Took him to many vets and not one tested for fungus. Had to put him down 1 year after starting cytopoint. He received 4 doses total.
      His kidneys failed and his spine buckled so he could no longer use his back legs.

  4. Vital animal supporter on February 19, 2023 at 11:11 am

    Sadly this article does not address the problem. The person reached out for help and was dismissed without a solution. You only know the desperation they feel when you have the government come down on you threatening to come take your property. I know people it happened to and the threat is real. They WILL break down your door and take your pets (personal property) at gun point. They WILL take you away in cuffs. And bankrupt you with legal expenses. We need a network of good people in the animal medical vocation willing to do the right thing. My heart goes out to everyone who is actually awake and suffering the tribulations of trying to keep your pets healthy.

    • Anne on February 19, 2023 at 11:23 am

      You are so right, Vital Animal Supporter. I know from personal experience what the “authorities” can do to you when you don’t obey the “rules”. People in the animal profession who are are willing to do the right thing are few and far between. And the same can be said for the human medical profession. They are rule followers for the most part.

      I don’t know any way to help the woman who asked for help. I wish I did. I know when I had trouble, I was all alone. So you are right, we do need a network.

      • MsMoneypenny on February 19, 2023 at 1:29 pm

        The worst mistake is to get a license. Stay under the radar. Find a holistic vet.

        • JM on February 19, 2023 at 7:29 pm

          You are absolutely right. None of my dogs have a license. It’s none of their business who or what I bring into my home.

          • Jill C on February 21, 2023 at 6:36 am

            Unfortunately some townships actually canvas the town knocking on every door and asking neighbors to see if you have a dog. So in some towns you MUST license or face very expensive fines and still have to license or loose the dog. Best to do it the right way and find a holistic vet.



          • MsMoneypenny on March 4, 2023 at 4:43 pm

            My town does not go door to door. They haven’t got that much time on their hands- too much real crime to investigate.



      • Will Falconer, DVM on February 25, 2023 at 9:29 pm

        I think you both need to study this carefully, and consult with a lawyer. No where I’m aware of (in the US, at least) does ANYONE have the right to bust into your house (at gunpoint, no less) to take your pets away for lack of vaccinations.

        If you’re spreading fear based on strong opinions, they own you, and you are part of the problem.

  5. Steph Long on February 19, 2023 at 11:06 am

    My 4 year old Border Terrier was dx’d with epilepsy at 7 months. He only had 2 vaccinations in his life for distemper and parvo when he was 12 weeks. I haven’t given him any after. I have my vet write him a rabies exemption letter due to the epilepsy and the groomer takes it etc. I really don’t need it otherwise. He’s kept at home and our large yard and a couple walks a day and that’s it. We never board him and we hire a pet sitter in our home when we’re gone. I don’t think he’s at high risk of rabies so I would never give him a rabies vaccine and risk seizures. I would ask your vet for the exemption and see if that helps.

  6. Anja Heibloem Stroud on February 19, 2023 at 10:38 am

    Go to another city, county or whatever. Find a vet that is more in line with your thoughts. I’ve got a few old timers who I refuse to vaccinate anymore.

  7. KA on February 19, 2023 at 10:05 am

    “It was Louis Pasteur who convinced a skeptical medical community that contagious germs cause disease; his “germ theory” now serves as the official explanation for most illness. However, in his private diaries he states unequivocally that in his entire career he was not once able to transfer disease with a pure culture of bacteria (he obviously wasn’t able to purify viruses at that time). He admitted that the whole effort to prove contagion was a failure, leading to his famous death bed confession that “the germ is nothing, the terrain is everything.” From The Contagion Myth book

    My naturopathic doctor told me viruses are created inside the body. They are not “caught.”

    • Geraldine May on February 19, 2023 at 6:44 pm

      Thank you for posting the truth for a change. No pathogenic virus has ever been proved to exist, including rabies. Whatever it is, rabies is from some sort of toxin, malnutrition, or brain damage. It is not from a pathogen.

      • Will Falconer, DVM on February 25, 2023 at 9:32 pm

        Well, this changes everything! Have you broken this news to the thousands of virologists and immunologists that their entire careers were based on fraud?

  8. MS on February 19, 2023 at 9:19 am

    I decided many years ago to not vaccinate my dogs at all. I also have never “licensed” them under the by-law. Do you take a chance. You do. I live in the country so safer than in a city. But I would rather do that than give my animal a dangerous drug. The “vet” in question here is a danger to animals. Anyone who would force vaccinate a) a senior b) a senior with epilepsy, should have their license revoked. Keep looking for a vet who will practice morally and ethically. In the meantime, don’t do it. Get a copy of the insert with the vaccine, or from the website of the manufacturer that clearly states only for healthy animals and have documentation of your dogs epilepsy on hand to present as evidence.
    We have a moral responsibility, to disobey unjust laws.

  9. MsMoneypenny on February 19, 2023 at 9:10 am

    My current dog got six vaccines in one day before I adopted him (😡) When I saw his records, I immediately decided I was not going to license him as I had my last two (who died prematurely- hmmmm) He has had issues since including focal seizures which thankfully haven’t worsened in time and I won’t risk it. I never had any issue with my holistic vet- but he died last year and there’s NO ONE around here who isn’t vaccine-crazy. Plus, grooming- he’s way overdue for grooming because now that he’s not “up to date” no groomers will allow” ”unvaxxed” dogs in (and don’t you know they require Bordatella too- say what???) I asked several! I tell people who make comments about his shagginess that groomers can’t handle him. i won’t risk his conditions getting worse. He has no contact with other animals- I walk him on leash. It’s such a bind.

    • Will Falconer, DVM on February 25, 2023 at 9:24 pm

      Mobile groomers where you live? They’d have no right to demand vaccinations on your turf. Wild that groomers think they’ve got a right to decide on your animal’s health decisions like this. They must have studied immunology for years. And will probably be willing to pay for any vaccine injury your dog would sustain after an unnecessary shot to get into their shop. Right?

      • MsMoneypenny on March 4, 2023 at 4:51 pm

        Even the mobile groomers here seem to require proof of rabies vax. My vet likely would have been able to get us around that because of the focal seizures, but unfortunately he died. All the other vets here are gung-ho vax with everything and no exceptions. I’m still looking. I’d rather my dog be shaggy in the meantime than suffer the ill effects of that vax. Plus he’s going to be 11 years old. Somewhere there’s gotta be someone who’s enlightened. It’s just not something you can casually mention.

    • Deb on March 22, 2023 at 11:01 pm

      The groomer I use has NEVER asked for proof of vaccination. I have some elderly dogs who have had titers and they show no vaccines needed each time we do them.

  10. Marsha Pazos on February 19, 2023 at 8:46 am

    Hello, to Dr. Falconer I will forever be grateful for your knowledge and support with finding out what killed our beloved beautiful 8 year 5 month old Madeleine. It was the rabies vaccine and because of your knowledge and experience I will never follow any law that does not have my baby’s best interest at heart. Our Gracie will be 10 in April and she got her last rabies vaccine at 3 years old. KNOW BETTER NOW!!! She will never be a victim of the severely broken Western Veterinary Profession. Losing Madeleine to the death she suffered from over 13 months after that incompetent vet gave her that vaccine when she was by all accounts not healthy with allergies should never have been given the rabies vaccine to begin with. The vile of the rabies vaccine says give to a healthy dog or cat. Allergies qualified her as unhealthy. But I didn’t know that then until mush research. I also know why she had allergies because of the food vets push KIBBLE which is pure garbage. Once we feed REAL FOOD not overly processed carbohydrates that are in kibble our pets thrive. So once again as I have personally told you and we have talked with you through emails. I thank you Dr. Falconer for opening my eyes to the truth about over vaccinating our pets not to mention the monthly poisons they push that are causing so much damage to our pets. Gracie is thriving thanks you you and our Homeopathic Vet Dr. Sagrera.
    Gods blessings always towards you.
    Marsha
    🙏🏻💗🐶😢

  11. Anne on February 19, 2023 at 7:21 am

    I’ll be there with you, Marjorie.

  12. Teri Stubblefield on February 19, 2023 at 7:19 am

    I’ve had to secure a home groomer at an added expense since our groomer retired … no one would groom our 16 year old Labradoodle because he’s not current on his vacs … he has cataracts and sight impaired, some lumps and bumps but able to go for short walks, eats and poops good but I no longer want to vaccinate him for reasons obvious to me … thank you for this article … I’m printing it as a resource for my defense of no more vacs … I live in Texas where they do not recognize titers …

  13. Anita Mitchell on February 19, 2023 at 6:56 am

    Do vets have an oath similar to this portion of the Hippocratic Oath allopathic medicine used?
    “Primum non nocere.”
    First do not harm.

    If I want my dog’s teeth cleaned, they insisted on revaccination.
    I insisted on titres.
    Titres showed low end immunity.
    Vet insisted needed to be “topped off” to raise titre numbers.
    I refused.
    Over, and over, this continues to the great detriment of my elderly dog’s health and my peace of mind.
    It is hostage-taking.

    • MsMoneypenny on February 19, 2023 at 9:15 am

      Oh dear, they don’t even know that ANY number on a titer signifies protection. They need to be schooled!

  14. Anne on February 19, 2023 at 6:33 am

    It’s not likely that senior dogs are going to be running wild in the neighborhood, so why even license them? The very concept of licensing a dog goes against personal responsibility. Do they do door to door checks in her neighborhood, checking on dog licenses? I sincerely doubt it. So unless she has already come under the dog nazi radar, or a “concerned” neighbor has turned her in, who is to know anything about her dogs? Keep their old tags on them for appearance. After all, the original vaccination is still good.

    • Marjorie on February 19, 2023 at 7:16 am

      I absolutely would never give any more vaccine at all. Most city municipalities do not have funding to go door to door checking vaccine compliance.

      Will you be charged with something? Will you be hauled off to jail.

      I guess I would be glad to go to jail to save my dogs.

    • Karen on February 19, 2023 at 7:28 am

      Unfortunately she is likely “on the radar” now since it appears that she tried to get the vaccines waived. Once you are “outed”, it’s likely she’ll get a follow-up. Cities can and will enforce code compliance. We had a situation occur with our daughter’s dogs. A neighbor reported them for barking – disturbing the peace. The city sent out officers to assess the situation. Part of that assessment included proof of current rabies vaccination. Needless to say, her dogs were not “current”. She was forced to vaccinate them or the city would remove them – after a rather hefty fine. With an almost 2 year old and another baby just a few months away from appearing, she was basically harassed into doing it because the neighbor could continue to complain to the city – even though the officers found no justification for her complaint – the officers would have to come out, and they would check vaccination compliance.

      • Anne on February 19, 2023 at 8:45 am

        God help us from do-gooder neighbors.

      • Cara on February 19, 2023 at 9:08 am

        Did they have a warrant appropriately signed? Put a NO Trespassing sign (that complies to your state’s specifications) and if anyone official walks onto the property ask them politely if they have a warrant.
        I had a bad neighbor who reported me to the health department because of a compost pile with “animal feces” (which were rabbit’s). When the woman knocked on my door I asked if she’d seen my sign abd did she have a warrant. She kept saying she had a complaint and “had to investigate.” I told her she was welcome to investigate when she returned with a warrant. I never heard another thing.

        I’d also consider asking those demanding a shot to sign an agreement that they’re responsible for any ensuing damage to and health care costs for the animal.

        Where there’s a will, there’s usually a way.

        • Anne on February 19, 2023 at 9:40 am

          Good work, Cara.

        • Will Falconer, DVM on February 25, 2023 at 9:36 pm

          THIS ^^!!

          Thanks, Cara, your example speaks louder than all the fear they’d like you to buy into.

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