Rabies Shots for Senior Dogs: Why I Fear and Loathe Them

I recently received something I have been dreading for some time: a letter from my city animal control department, reminding me that it's time to pay for my dogs' annual licenses and that Otto, my senior dog, needs a rabies vaccination before he can be licensed again.

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I adopted Otto on June 16, 2008. He was brought into the shelter as a stray dog on May 7, 2008. He was estimated to be about six months old, and was vaccinated that day with a five-way vaccination (distemper, adenovirus-type 2, coronavirus, parainfluenza, and parvovirus) and a separate three-way vaccination (adenovirus-type 2, parainfluenza, and bordetella) made by a different company.

On May 14, 2008, he was given a rabies vaccine.

Otto was vaccinated several more times with the five-way vaccines before I adopted him, but I’m not going to talk about those vaccines right now; I want to focus on the rabies vaccine – the only vaccine that dog owners are legally required to give their dogs in most states. Rabies vaccination earned this “special” legal status due to the historical threat that rabies poses to humans; as recently as my childhood in the 1960s, domestic dogs and cats were still common vectors for spreading this deadly disease to humans. Thanks to vaccination laws, this is no longer the case. Today, the most common vectors for rabies are bats, raccoons, and skunks.

Nevertheless, there are laws that require dogs to be vaccinated against rabies in all of the United States. All of the states save three (Kansas, Minnesota, and Ohio) require dogs to be vaccinated against rabies at least every three years; in those three states that lack state laws that require rabies vaccination for dogs, there are city and county laws that require it. (Curious about your state? All of the states’ statutes regarding rabies vaccinations are collected in this terrific website.)

In California, where I live, dogs are required to have their first rabies vaccination at the age of four months, their second no more than a year later, and additional rabies vaccinations every three years after that.

So far, I have complied with my state laws regarding rabies vaccination. Otto was vaccinated for rabies again on April 2, 2009, and again on March 20, 2012.

His most recent rabies vaccination was on October 28, 2015. (Note that we were out of compliance with state law from March 21, 2015 through October 28, 2015.) So he is “due” for a rabies vaccination by October 28 of this year.

Why Should I Dread Another Rabies Vaccine for My Dog?

All vaccinations pose some risk, which must be weighed against their benefit. Since rabies is a fatal disease, is present in the United States, and carried by wild animals (bats, raccoons, and skunks are the most common vectors), and since we live in an area where all three of those vectors are present, I believe that immunization against rabies is a terrific idea. That said, it’s been demonstrated that dogs can be safely immunized against the disease with fewer vaccinations – and that the rabies vaccine can present serious adverse side effects in dogs.

It’s anecdotal, but in my own experience, senior dogs are more likely to suffer adverse effects from rabies vaccinations. My last senior dog, Rupert, had suffered from environmental and dietary allergies his whole life. In his later years, these were fairly well under control, with assiduous management of his diet. But he did have a massive allergy flare-up within a month of his last rabies shot, and getting the allergies under control again took a while. And I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard friends and acquaintances say, “My senior dog was perfectly healthy until not long after his last rabies shot; he just sort of fell apart after that!” Maybe these were all coincidental; after all, statistically, senior dogs are at higher risk of all health problems. But the risk of these adverse effects is unwarranted in dogs who have already been immunized against the disease!

The Rabies Challenge Fund has been working for a decade to extend the legally required interval for rabies vaccinations to five and then seven years, in an effort to reduce the number of unnecessary vaccinations our dogs would be required to have over their lifetimes. (Note: If you are looking for a great charity to support, consider a donation to this non-profit; their work, which has been funded to date largely by breed clubs and individual dog owners, will benefit countless millions of dogs.)

On January 25, 2018, the Rabies Challenge Fund announced, “Results to date of the Rabies Challenge Fund research study showed protection from live rabies virus challenge five years after the dogs received two doses of rabies virus vaccine. Other data are still being collected and analyzed for the 6.5 and 7-year post-vaccination periods.” In other words, the Fund’s studies are proving what had been hypothesized: the rabies vaccines work for longer than their makers were willing to prove they work, so dogs don’t need to be given as many vaccines over their lifetimes in order to be protected against contracting the disease and/or infecting others.

It will take some time, however, for these promising results to be used to change state laws, to extend those vaccination requirements.

Avoiding Rabies Vaccine Legal Requirements

Currently, there is only one way to get a legal exemption from vaccinating your dog: to have a veterinarian help you apply for an exemption from your state or local animal control authorities. Each state has a different process (again, see the terrific resource, RabiesAware.org); in California, a veterinarian must submit an annual request for an exemption, and be able to verify and document that a rabies vaccination would endanger your dog’s life.

I know people who, unable to convince a veterinarian of the potential risk of a fifth, sixth, or even seventh rabies vaccination to their senior dogs have, instead, reported their dogs to their local animal control agencies as “deceased.”

Given Otto’s high-visibility job (modeling for both WDJ and its Instagram page), I’m not sure I could pull that one off. But I have until October 28 to figure out an alternative. (Although, because my city’s animal control department won’t issue Otto another license until his legal rabies vaccine period is longer than the licensing period, he is currently unlicensed. If he gets picked up as a stray or bites someone before all this is resolved, the fines will be much higher than they would be if he were currently licensed. Not that either of those things are going to happen, but still…)

I don’t want to sound like I’m being frivolous about a disease that can kill people. But again, the possibility that my four-times vaccinated dog could possibly get or transmit the virus is virtually zero – and the possibility that the vaccine could adversely affect him is far higher. I think four vaccines is sufficient, and I’m looking for a way to stay within the bounds of the law while avoiding any more vaccines.

Are you concerned about administering the rabies vaccine to your senior dog? Have you pursued a way to avoid this? Spill it in the comments, below!

115 COMMENTS

  1. I’m at the vet right now- our 15 year old lab needs a Tramadol refill (she is going downhill but the pain med keeps her from crying), they are trying to make me give her a rabies before they refill her pain meds, it’s been 20 months since her last rabies- she is only outdoors 4x a day for walks…I’m furious at the veterinary industry for lack of common sense!

      • Yes it is. My beloved dog (Almost 12 years old) received all of his shots over a year ago. He died of autoimmune disease shortly thereafter. Now I have a soon to be 10 year old dog and I hope she doesn’t suffer the same fate. I’ve been agonizing over what to do. I have grieved so much over the loss of my dog who died in Jan. 2019. I wish the vets would try to help us.

        • My almost 10 year old vibrant, happy , healthy Cocker Spaniel suddenly developed diabetes militias 3 weeks after receiving his 3 year rabies vaccination . He had been in perfect health except for a few food allergies prior to the vaccination, when he suddenly started urinating and drinking a lot. Within a week , I was able to get him to a veterinarian , where he stayed for four days and after blood tests , an x-Ray of his abdomen , iv drips, and other medical procedures and around the clock monitoring, he passed away at the vets!! I know it was the rabies vaccine that caused this sudden health deterioration and I am heart broken! Since then I have been searching the internet to find out if other pet parents have lost their fur babies after receiving a rabies vaccine.

      • Let’s not paint the whole industry with such broad strokes. ANd don’t forget that vets are bound by the laws, at risk to their licenses. That being said, my veterinarian decided to stop vaccinating my immune-compromised dog on the theory that the vaccine wouldn’t produce the correct reaction and she was immune anyway at that point. Veterinarians in general are very dedicated to the well-being of animals. It is an extremely stressful job, and I am really tired of all the internet “experts” who treat them like they are the enemy. WDJ should be ashamed of articles like this.

        • Joe Lynn, no one should take on the SHAME of anything and it is quite extreme that you are saying “lets not paint the whole industry” people posting here have every right to the freedom of their own opinions with their pets, Some people have to go to great lengths to protect their aging furry friends and I’m sorry that you are really tired of internet “experts” maybe you should spend less time reading their blogs and posts and volunteer at an animal shelter so we don’t have to read your insensitivity, We don’t all have the luxury of a vet who will stop vaccinations. And on a side note Joe Lynn less than 1-3 people get rabies a yr not due to vaxx but due to how rare it is anymore – yet we vaxx 76 million dogs and 95 million cats that’s approx 172 million vaccines for just cats and dogs in the US. That’s for a VERY rare disease. Now you honestly tell me who really should be ashamed of this 2 Billion money making agenda !!

    • My vet gave my 16 year old Pomeranian a rabies shot during a visit to check his heart meds. He’d been doing well for an old guy, but was dead in 2 weeks. Because of Covid, I had stayed in the car and was not aware she was going to give a rabies shot. Never again !

      • Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear. We tried to get our 13 year old Pomeranian exempted but the state’s Vet said “…kidney disease, cancer, seizures, etc. were not valid reasons(!).” He suggested we choose the one year rabies vaccine and then if our dog experienced problems, then to resubmit for an exemption and they will “re-evaluate.”

        I researched a few holistic remedies that might help so am trying Jackson Galaxy’s “Vaccine Detox” and will pray that it works for our dog (he started experiencing seizures after he received the 3-year rabies vaccine at age 10). He was having fewer episodes over time but now we’re concerned they will start up again more strongly after he receives the vaccine next week.

        it’s time for the research on over-vaccination to be shared more widely and for vets to seriously consider the ramifications. Vets need to start being the “kind, caring” people they are supposed to be. My two cents.

  2. My baby girl Chihuahua is almost 16 years old, blind, deaf, has very bad allergies and can hardly walk. She is never outside our house in public. She had a bad reaction to the rabies shot 4 years ago. 2 years ago I took her to my Vet and it cost me 5 times the amount to give her a higher quality shot (without damaging additives) and a anti-allergy medication. Now she is due for her shot again and I am already a week late. I just don’t know what to do. I am so afraid for her to have the shot and last time the doctor would not give me an exception. (I guess it would be a liability). Yikes, I just don’t know what to do. Really she could go any day now, but she is not suffering or appears to be in any pain and she still eats regularly.

    • I hope you did not take her for her rabies. Please do not take the risk of making her suffer during what’s left of her time with you on earth. (this message was originally meant for you but I posted it above to Tara by mistake. Though it certainly applies to her situation as well)

    • My chuhuahua was 16 and a half . Took him for his rabbies and vaccines and had to put him down 48 hrs later . The vet diagnosed a heart murmur right before the shots were given and did not warn me of any harm it could cause knowing my dog had bad arthritis . Im beside myself with greif and lost my best freind all because i thought i was doin the right thing . He became so ill could not walk , vomiting wouldnt eat then completley limp . I told the vet and his cure was me buying pain meds which i ran to his office and did . Almost 500.00 later and my little freind is gone forever . Im literally sick over this.

    • Joy, I took my 15-year-old Yorky and for a rabies vaccination and within a few days she had some swelling on the side of her lips and in less than a month she had cutaneous lymphoma and I had to put her down. Hardest thing I’ve ever done but when I asked the vet if the rabies shot had anything to do with her auto immune disease they said they didn’t think so but somewhere in my heart it was the beginning of the end for my sweet little girl😢 I wish there was somewhere to report this!

  3. I almost lost Penny..She developed Immune Mediated Thrombocytopenia…She was a rescue and over vaccinated…NO more vaccines for Penny vet said….She survived but we went through hell and back with her treatments but me made it. She went into remission and passed at 15 1/2 from congestive heart failure 💔

    • I had two maltese dogs that also developed Immune Mediated Thrombocytopenia right after receiving the rabies vaccine. They had to be hospitalized for a few days, but luckily made it through. I think that the dosage should be much less for a smaller dog than a bigger dog. I had to pay a lot to get a titer to prove that each one had enough rabies shots over their lifetime so that they didn’t have to get any more rabies shots.

  4. My 15 year old Basenji is a month past due for her vaccines. She had some sort or stroke or seizure a couple months ago and was temporarily paralyzed. I thought I was going to have to euthanize her, but now she is nearly back to normal. I just can’t see giving her a vaccine. I would just skip it all together, but I’m out of HeartGuard. What to do?

  5. Are facing the rabies overdue challenge with our 14-year-old Chihuahua. She has a history of seizures, “chuffing” with just minor exercise or when she gets stressed, back and mobility issues–all of which we’ve worked very hard to keep under control with a variety of “tools.” She can go from zero to super-stressed in a few minutes, which brings on labored breathing and seizures if we don’t intervene. I’ve requested an exemption from our vet. Don’t have a final answer yet, but I’m trying to stay in a positive frame of mind. Thanks to all who have shared their stories and concerns. Hoping for positive outcomes for all.

    • Hello, I hope you’re doing well. Find where you can buy an aloe vera stalk, cut the skin off, take the gel and put it in your Chihuahuas food twice a day. you’ll see the seizures will stop after a short while. In the meantime when she has a seizure, ice her back and if you have a good quality CBD oil spray give a couple of shots in the mouth and the seizure will end much quicker. If you’d like to give me a call I can explain it all to you about my chihuahua. 203 353 0232. My name is Bert

  6. My 11 year old male Chihuahua was fine until he received his yearly Rabies Annual Booster-DHLPP Annual Booster on July 3, 2019. He seemed ok the first few days after his shot . But something has been ‘SLOWLY’ affecting him almost daily since. He drinks 6 to 9 cups of water at bedtime and while I’m trying to sleep. He wakes me up because he’ll stand in his double sided water bowl wanting more. Then of now he urinates so much, and so often on his dog pads, I only have 4 pads left out of a 100 count box that I bought on the 1st of July. So now he has no energy/desire to stay awake much. He also has cloudy, watery eyes and is getting a film/matter on them, which clean off whenever I see it. He also has started to lick his nose a lot. I’m taking him to the same Vet that gave him his shots, because it’s their fault this is happening, and they should know what to do. I’m changing Vets after this is over. I just want Max to be okay and make it through this nightmare !!!

    • I’m so sorry to hear about these situations regarding the rabies shot and such. My dog Scooby a red min pin had CHF he was 16 years old when he was given a rabbles shot. He was at the vets office for. Physical because they wouldn’t fill his heart meds until he had his annual exam. They gave him the rabies shot saying it won’t hurt him if he had one within the three years. After the exam and rabies shot my dog started to decline, that very evening. Didn’t hardley eat, very weak, just not his usual self. He kept declining only drinking bits of water and barely able to stand as he was so weak. He would look at us with this very sad face and try and wag his tail a little. 😢. My dog went for this exams and Is forsaken rabies shot on July 10th he passed away on July 25th, 2019 @ 530 a.m. I know he had heart issues but this rabies shot and the stress at the vets office, really did him in. So I will never get a rabies shot for any of my dogs again after his first set of immunizations. Btw I did go back to the vets office for a conference to advocate for my dog and any other animal and others to come about the treatment at a vet office and tabbies shot for the elderly dogs. But of course they don’t want to hear you. So we went back and forth for a little while. But at least my voice was heard. So my suggestions is to everyone plz plz plz be a voice for an animal, child, elderly anyone! We can make the difference.

    • Hi Tersa I’m so sorry to hear about your pup. Same thing happened to me read my post. They will never take the blame. We just basically toke a holistic approach with Scooby as the vet will supposedly try and save him. However charging you an arm and a leg to tell you there’s nothing else they can do. Euthanize him and cremate him (is that really my dogs ashes?! or burial. I’m sorry to be so harsh but it’s reality and I have been through this plenty of times (plenty of dogs) with going to vets, shots, exams, dogs over night stays just to stay in a cage as old as they are looking and being poked by people they don’t know and you can’t go see them maybe for a few minutes. So I ask myself what quality of life is that for our babies?! So never again I would rather have my baby at home set up a hospice room or little corner with pillows and such making him as comfy as possible and take the hollistic approach, they also said hemp
      Oil works for discomfort. Best of luck to you and your baby.. 🐕🙏

    • I am so sorry to hear your stories. This happened to my (at the time) 11 year old Maltese after his rabies vaccine. It is two years later and they are wanting me to get another vaccine. Did your dog develop Cushing’s disease? That is what happened to my boy. Your dog’s symptoms sound just like it. I am still thinking of a way to avoid this because my dog is on medication for Cushing’s that is so helpful. If he doesn’t have his medication, he gets very sick again. Sigh.

  7. my beautiful little friend rocky just died.i took him in for a nail clipping and teeth cleaning. the vet then gave him a rabies shot. one week later he stopped eating,had diarea,was drinking a huge amount of water,had little energy,and worst of all was having horrible seizures.he was 15yrs old and never had a serious sickness. I know it was the rabies shot that killed him , but the vet denies it. I feel so guilty that I didn’t protect him when he needed me. I wish the vet would have warned me that the shot could cause death to senior dogs.

    • I’m so sorry and so very upset with Myself for getting the rabies shot from my 12 year old Maltese. We moved from New York to Florida. I wanted to get her groomed because she’s so hard for me to Do. Took her to a new vet who I had recently been to with my other dog and liked. I spoke to him about two shots she would need to get groomed in Florida. I didn’t want to give her two and asked if he thought she would be ok with the rabies. If only I had researched before I did this. 😞. The vet agreed to not give to my other dog and I have to say he is a good vet, but it upsets me now that he must know how so many dogs have had reactions from rabies shots. The night after her shot she woke up middle of night and started acting all hyper and twitching her head. She could not stop breathing heavy which continued nonstop. Couple of weeks later she woke up and started running around and around the house like she was racing. She wouldn’t stop. It was 3 am. Not to long after she had a grand mal seizure. Shortly after the seizure she had another one. She would not stop pacing. I raced her to a new vet as the one I went to was closed. They took her right away. She collapsed there and looked to be having another seizure. Doctor gave her a shot. They did blood tests and physical. The way she was acting was like she was poisoned. She could not sit still, falling over practically walking into things. All her blood work came back healthy. Her heart was strong which also showed in her last physical. That was worrisome because then it could be brain tumor. I still didn’t relate this all to definitely being from the rabies shot. I mentioned to the vet about that rabies, but he didn’t say to much about that. They were exceptional at this vet. I left crying though that my last resort was to have Euthanized. I took her home and kept constant eye in her. Miraculously day by day she seemed to improve. The twitching didn’t stop and her eye site and hearing were not her usual. I have been so relived. Jump to night before Thanksgiving I Myself gave her a bath and grooming. She is horrible. I didn’t want to stress her taking her somewhere though. Thanksgiving night one month about after her last seizure she had another one. She has declined so much. She’s twitching all over and unstable. This morning it seemed she lost complete hearing and it seems like she can barely see if at all. My poor baby girl. This all started right after that rabies shot. She has never been herself since. I don’t care what any vet says. I will never give any of my pets in the future the rabies shot. I’ve read so many stories of dogs dying after rabies shot amongst many other complications. My heart breaks seeing my baby girl like this. She was always this happy girl and now she’s always staring into space aimlessly walking around 😢. I feel complete guilt. Her new life and last years in Florida were not supposed to be this way. So sorry to everyone we have had to deal with something none of us should be ❤️

      • hi, did you need to get your dog the rabies shot in order to fly and move to florida from new york or just to be groomed in florida? did they ask you for rabies proof at the airport? my dog also had seizures from vaccines, now they have stopped but I cant give him a rabies vaccine with his history and all of these horror stories. my other one is older and has heart problems but I want to move from ny. thank you.

    • I think telling your story would do Rocky’s memory real good! Share your experience and inform others. I had been coerced to give my senior dog medication when he just needed an adjustment to his diet for this heart. But I did that research myself and when I could afford to, took him to a holistic vet who said to just keep doing what I’m doing. He’s almost 16 now. There should ABSOLUTELY be an exception with senior dogs and their challenging health histories. I’m so sorry about Rocky.

  8. We took our14 year old teacup poodle for her well checkup. She was eating, drinking just fine. They did lab work and said her kidneys were starting to fail. They insisted on giving her a rabies shot and putting her on a prescription diet. She ate well for 2 days the started having bloody diarrhea. Then she stopped eating. A couple days later she did this cry bark and by the time my husband got to the bedroom her heart had stopped. Her bladder let go and her eyes were open. My husband picked her up and shook her and her little head popped up and started breathing again. 3 days later it happened again and the Labor Day she had a seizure. She will only eat if we give her Valium. I don’t expect her to survive much longer. No one can convince us that it wasn’t the rabies shot that caused this disaster. So the trip to the vet cost us 400:00 and the life of out Little Bit.

  9. My little dog has had inflammatory bowel disease her whole life. She is a rescue. Many trips to ER and vet for this condition, but I said No to prednisone. She almost died after her first rabies shot when I adopted her. She was underweight and sick already. Fast forward several years and I finally took her to a holistic vet, who upon hearing this story, gave me a vaccine waiver to take to the County to exempt from rabies. The IBD has been in remission ever since eliminating vaccines and switching to a lightly cooked diet. My dog is 13. I won’t ever vaccinate her again. Not after reading the stories on this page. I have done antibody testing and it’s expensive. I don’t even want to do that again because it always leaves a bruise that lasts for weeks. And if they said the antibodies were no longer present, I still would not want to vaccinate even though her risk isn’t exactly low. we don’t have a fenced backyard and she doesn’t use a pee pad.

  10. I took my 12.5 year old yellow lab to the vet this past Thursday and she got her annual vaccines + rabies. She was fine going in. She also has arthritis and had a steroid shot and pain shot. Today is Saturday and she is unable to walk. I watched her go downhill all day yesterday. She could stand on all fours last night and stagger a few steps. I slept w her last night, praying for recovery this morning. She was worse. She is worse. She cannot walk. Took her to the vet again and he gave her some antibiotics and said her vitals seem good and she’s not paralyzed but she has zero strength. He also prescribed Tramadol. I’ve never seen her like this ever. She wags her tail and she eats but she is unable to move more than her head and tail. I’m heartsick after reading all these posts. She was NOT ready to die. I’ve taken the best care of her. I don’t know what to do.

  11. My States Animal Control does not require a rabies vaccination be given if the dog is sick or PG.
    Also never give any other vaccine at the same time you give the rabies. Always wait at least 4 weeks before the next vaccination is given.
    There is so much information available on over-vaccinating and spay & neutering to early use google and do the research.

  12. I think you all have just answered my question -I have an almost 17 year old Havanese( she will be 17 January 3rd) And I got a notice saying she’s do for her rabies shot. I live in Massachusetts and your dog must have rabies to be registered- I refuse to give her the rabies shot. She is at the point where her hearing is very poor and vision is very poor, but she’s eating and drinking and doing a lot of sleeping- and she’s not in pain. I need to send back the registration form and I will have to put deceased on it because I don’t want to go through any problems with the state as far as rabies vaccine-is that wrong?

  13. Hi I took my healthy senior Pug 12 years old on Dec.15,2019 for well check and to get his 3 year booster rabies shot. After that my dog literally got so sick that, we had to put him down 2 1/2 weeks after that vet visit. Before that my dog was happy, eating, walking, playing had energy and then just fell apart after the vet visit. I’m so sad because if I didn’t take him, I’m pretty sure my dog will still be alive and well. I regret taking him to the vet and getting that rabies shot. On top of that the vet didn’t do anything for my dog, nothing but a price tag for their service.

    • You have to protect you friend. If she is sleeping a lot she may be graced with peacefully leaving this earth in comfort and at home. I agree with you. Our friend should not be forced to take meds that can harm them. She is 17 God bless her and you

  14. I decided to not vaccinate my senior yorkie after age 11. He is 15 going on 16 and aside from arthritis and what once was a heart murmur, he is doing so well. Starting to lose his vision a bit. I may have to take him out of the country for a job and am terrified at having to give him the rabies vaccine. He is a strong boy but he is strictly holistic and I’m afraid the rabies vac will create havoc in his little body. Anyone have any success stories?

    • Hi Janice – I recently had to allow my 14-year old to have a rabies vaccine in order to get her teeth cleaned and have a couple of extractions. She tolerated it well but I used an immunomodulator (delimune.com) along with homeopathic thuja (specific to vaccine reactions) prior and after. It’s now been a month since the vax and she’s doing great.

    • I moved to Costa Rica two months ago with my 14 year old yorkie poos who were not due for a rabies vac yet for another year, but because the last one was not signed properly the vet insisted on revaccinating them for EVERTHING according the international health certificate mandates as well as treating them for both internal and external parasites per Costa Rica laws. They did not have a reaction although all done in one day. Both have joint issues, 3 CCL surgeries, decreased vision (cataracts) and are slow moving so I held my breath and gave them the works all in one day including the rabies. I had No choice if I was going to bring them to Costa Rica with me and really had no real choice to stay in the USA either. No reactions and Whew they are my life and I may have just not survived killing them off with shots I did not think they really needed! Now I am considering Heart gaurd because tick born illnesses and heartworm are prevalent on the coast of Costa Rica. They rarely go outdoors other than to pee or poop but mosquitos do come inside. ??? We lived at 6000 feet elevation for several years before this so heartworm, ticks and fleas were not an issue. I have them on seresto collars now for two weeks and no reactions to that so far either. What to do???

  15. I just left the veterinarian from putting my 12 year old healthy dog down one week after rabies shot. It made something happened to him, almost like it neurologically damaged him. He had seizure and just was lost around the house, got stuck in corners. I will never get my dog vaccinated unless it is outside and could be exposed to rabid animals

  16. I took my 16 year old Pomeranian to the vet on 1/15/20 for a checkup on his allergies. He was a healthy dog at that time, eating fine, walking and enjoying his life. The vet said he needed a rabies shot and gave it to him. The next day my dog stopped eating, slept all the time and just drank water. A couple of days later he had trouble walking. Took him back to the vet who said he had pneumonia and heart disease. He did not have any of these symptoms 2 months earlier at his physical. My dog died 2 weeks later after getting his rabies shot. My strong recommendation is to avoid getting a rabies shot to any senior dog if you want he/she to stay healthy and live a long life.

  17. My 5 year old dog received his first 3- yr rabies vaccine and had his first seizure later that day. Every day after that he had 1-2 seizures. My daughter had read that the dog would need to go to the emergency vet if it has 3 seizures in one day. That day came when he had 3 seizures in about an hour so she took him to the vet at 3am. They prescribed phenobarbital, a drug that can harm his liver. Looking for an alternative, I found a holistic vet center that will slowly wean him off phenobarbital and onto Chinese herbs. ALSO, they give a mercury- free rabies vaccine! I wish I had known about its existence sooner. My dogs will only get this from now on. Why would they add mercury to a dog vaccine? It seems that it’s a preservative that’s added to vaccines. I don’t get vaccinations for myself, my kids or my dogs unless they are required.

  18. I got the letter stating I need to renew dog license and rabies vaccine for Molly, my 8yo German Shepherd who has had two rabies shots…she recently had a bout of renal failure, but is fine right now, but a dog breeder said she is FINE and does not NEED another rabies shot–I worry about an adverse effect, she’s a retired police dog, she had all her shots and I don’t want to risk it…I paid up my fees but they still require another rabies shot–WHY? WE don’t keep getting vaccines, we don’t get measles and polio shots after we had them, why does my dog HAVE TO?

    • They can give a dog a titre test that tells them if the dog has any antibodies against rabies from his last shot. From this thread it seems like the vaccine can last for up to 10 years. I have to take my daschund in with something that’s not serious and his last vaccine against rabies was 3 years ago. Sure enough hey want me to get one. After reading this thread and my sister who said her little yorkie dog was never the same after his last rabies vaccine I ain’t signing up for that one anytime soon. I will insist on the test or just walk out. The last vet told me when I question her about the rabies vaccine that she gives her horses that titre test before giving them the rabies vaccine. Imagine that so they know those tests are not all that safe. Yet they push it. They feel the good outways the bad. IF IT HAPPENS. And how good is that when you lose your dog to a stupid vaccine they insist on giving knowing full well the side effects and consequences it can have. But would be very hard to prove no doubt. So they are not all that worried either way. More money if the dog does get sick.

      • Yes it is. My beloved dog (Almost 12 years old) received all of his shots over a year ago. He died of autoimmune disease shortly thereafter. Now I have a soon to be 10 year old dog and I hope she doesn’t suffer the same fate. I’ve been agonizing over what to do. I have grieved so much over the loss of my dog who died in Jan. 2019. I wish the vets would try to help us.

        • Oh Dee So sorry for your loss, as well as everyone else here who has lost a dog to this vaccine. I have a 10 year old dog also and have not vaccinated her for anything since her last boosters at 4-1/2 years old, nor will I ever again. My two younger dogs got puppy shots and a rabies shot and nothing since. My Three girl’s are vibrant and healthy and I intend to keep it that way!

  19. I have a 16 year old female rat terrier and she was fine until the vet insisted i update her rabies vaccine. Now, two months later with all of her lymph nodes swollen and two of them burst with puss, she is going to die soon – all because I didn’t pick up my dog and walk out of that evil place and allowed them to push their corporate agenda.

  20. Ty I have a 11yr old daschund no more rabbie shots for him and other shots he is due for a rabies next year nope I just moved to Illinois I don’t even feed him kibbles no more I get DC Harvey’s and I’m looking up a preventative for heartworms so I don’t have to give him the heartland pill I’m a new dog mom. I want to go all holistic

  21. Almost all the dogs in this set of comments are small breeds and many are seniors. Could the problem be a mismatch between the vaccine’s strength and the size/age of the dogs? So much allopathic medicine is takes a one-size-fits-all approach to dosing. I’m unusually slim and find I need to cut many of my prescription drugs in half or take them infrequently because they’re just too strong for me. My neurologist recognizes the problem. Other docs seem baffled by it. Wonder if there’s a similar problem in veterinary medicine.

  22. Please check out Anti-Vaccinosis from Adored Beast. It helps, truly it does. I also believe our dogs are over vaccinated. My Buddy will be due on 2021 again. Out dogs have had more skin allergy problems in this country in the last 20 or so years. Is it the laws or the frequency or the size of the shot? Does your vet tell you when the booster is changed or only after your dog throws up and gets the runs within 24 hours and a complaint. I think there is some truth to a conspiracy between vets and chemical companies. And what about the fact of reportedly high suicides in VETERINARIANS. We choose not to put pesticides on our lawns but what are we allowing to be administered by our vets? What is the difference in the size of a one year rabies booster or three year? I’ve heard from a vet they are the same.

  23. Senior dogs should be exempt from the Rabies vaccine IMO. I took my 13yr old Shi-Poo in to the vet so he can get his allergy med refilled, and they wanted to give him a Rabies vaccine. I told them he will not be getting any more vaccines, the vet tech argued with me so I left. The vet refuses to refill his allergy med. He still suffers from allergies but that is way better than him dying too soon because of a rabies shot.

  24. My 15 1/2 year old Jack Russell is a bit overdue for her rabies vaccine I live in a county that doesn’t accept exemptions. I worry that if she nips someone, which she has never done, that she would be subject to a a 10-day quarantine in a county facility. That would kill her. She is blind, mostly deaf and has separation anxiety but is otherwise healthy. Will have to find a source for mercury-free vaccine and hope for the best.

  25. Our sweet girl died 9 days after her rabies vaccine. Nothing else changed, nothing else noted. We were out of town and the pet sitter found her in the morning. Her last rabies was 8 years prior. I regret that decision everyday.

  26. Part 2
    I did not previously mention that my perfectly happy and healthy 11 year old Doberman Pincher had completely stopped eating and drinking fluids immediately after receiving the “Required” Rabies Vaccine in Orange County California which is now tied in to the I.R.S.
    stating that if it is not done promptly further legal action will be taken such as property seizures and docked income etc..
    My Dog “Max” was like my Brother.
    He died in my arms after the most violent convulsions I have ever seen in my Life.
    Along with a severe vomiting of a green Bile substance and drooling with shortness of breath along with a heightened heart beat.
    The look in his eyes I will never forget as long as I live.
    It’s as if he knew this wasn’t right.
    Like,”what did you do to me”?
    I feel very guilty about this.
    I would have NEVER given him this Vaccine.
    I only did so because I was forced to do so by the State Law of California.
    I repeat.
    “Max” never had any issues his entire life.
    Not even for one day.
    The Convulsions were so horrific that his head was shaking and swaying sided to side for a span of about 8-10 inches.
    It was so severe I thought his teeth would be knocked out and that his eyes would pop out of his head.
    The pure white sides of his eyes turned red.
    When I held him my entire shoulder was vibrating.
    I stayed with him side-by-side reassuring that I was there for him until he would calm down enough and go to sleep which he did quite comfortably.
    He died in my arms several hours later.
    A moment I will never forget.
    R.I.P. my Brother “Max” 😢

  27. My 15 year old Jack Russel is due for a rabies shot she is a house dog only goes out in a fenced in yard and wants to come in right away she has never been around other dogs. I’m afraid to have her vaccinated after reading about all the dogs that died after getting rabies shot what can the township of East Brunswick do to me if I don’t take her 4 her rabies shot.

  28. My 13 yr old chi/ rat terrier seems to be having a reaction to her rabies shot from last week. I’m going to call the vet this morning and see what they suggest. She was real happy and healthy before the vaccine and started seeming off right after. This morning I had to carry her outside. She’s shaky and doesn’t want to walk. Heartbroken is the word. I will never vaccinate a senior dog again.

  29. all these shots – its all about the money and business… i fear now a days we are the next guinea pig with the covid vaccines – yet to find out years later what side effects people will start developing” maybe they will scratch like crazy or be crazy or even start marking.. who knows – its all business and $$$

    • I have a belgian malinois who got her 1st rabies shot day ONLY because i wanted flea medication . After it wore off her behavior changed dramatically. Her breathing is heavier , shes totally erratic and she doesnt have the same sweet look in her eyes when she was rehomed . Its as if i poisoned her and i hope i NEVER have to do it again

  30. I would suggest that after your dog gets their first rabies shot that you stop repeating it. I go every year and do a blood titer to make sure my dog still has the antibodies for rabies (has to be within a certain range). The holistic vet I go to gives me a certificate of verification of that level. I do not license my dog in the town I live, for what reason? It’s just another way for them to make money off of you. My regular vet knows what I’m doing and actually told me they would do a titer too. Why b/c they don’t want to miss out on the money that I’m giving to the holistic vet. RABIES is a money maker for your vet that’s the only reason they do it every 3 years.

  31. Hello,

    I wish I found this and all the other information I have found online regarding this topic sooner!

    I live in California and believe the rabies vaccine killed our senior dog Ginger. She passed away Tues after being very sick for a month and even lost control of her back legs in the process. We are devastated. She was 16.5 years old, but had plenty of life in her! She was perfectly healthy until two days after the vaccine.

    I can’t stop thinking if only I knew this was possible and why didn’t I research more. 🙁

    I am now seeking ways to make this horrible thing known to others so it can happen to less families.

    Thank you,
    Denise

  32. People are sometimes too afraid to say they are anti vaccination. Well, I am anti-vaccine, not only for animals, but for humans as well. I did not come to this lightly. I am now retired from our healthcare cartel, but I spent the last few years of my practice telling people to avoid vaccines. It is based on pseudoscience and it is primarily a money-making scheme. The CDC lost a lawsuit last year and finally had to admit that they had NEVER done a vaccine safety study. NEVER. Does everybody understand the implications of that admission? Do you think if they never cared to do any vaccine safety study on human vaccines that they would waste their time doing it on animal vaccines? Have you read the inserts on any vaccine? What does it say? Formaldehyde, aluminum, attenuated viruses, aborted fetal cells, cancer cells were found on some with the CDC admitting that thousands of people could possibly get cancer later on in life due to this, etc. Why BIG PHARMA and the CDC (all NWO/Gestapo organizations) go nuts anytime an anti-vaxxer speaks up is because it threatens their profit. It has always been about money. Of course they fool a lot of people with their propaganda in order to sell their vaccines. They will kill people, threaten lives to keep their profit-making machine. Read a book by Dr. K. Humphries. A renal MD who decided to hunker down and really study the history, etc. of vaccines since her patients were getting sicker everytime they got vaccinated. Before she published her book, she was warned that she was endangering her life. She simply rolled her eyes, probably thinking, “conspiracy theory”. She received death threats. When the book was published her car’s brake line was cut. She now carries a gun for protection. Like I said, I did not come to this lightly. I read an average of five hours every single day for at least thirty years now. I average 70 books a year. I read anything I can get my hands on because I want to know all sides of any story. I learned in fifth grade about the old school passive and active immunity, and Louis Pasteur’s “germ theory” which turns out to be another B.S. Pasteur was just another NWO schill having everyone believe that viruses, bacteria, fungus, etc. are so virulent that there was no avoiding illness and/or death unless they are eradicated. Modern MDs then controlled by the NWO WHO, the CDC , the Rockefeller AMA (study the Flexner Report if you can still find it) starts promoting vaccines as the only salvation for both humans and animals. On his deathbed which has been suppressed for good reasons, Pasteur actually admitted that the “terrain” (the body) is actually what mattered. If you eat clean food and water, avoid pesticide laden food, GMOs, avoid poisoned soap, shampoo, etc., you are fortified against diseases. And this is the reason why the NWO is very busy poisoning everything, to weaken our immune system. They want everyone susceptible to getting ill. They can then justify their selling of vaccines. I don’t even feed my dog commercial food because they are laced with pesticides and preservatives that will ruin your dog’s health. Long and very high heat cooking also destroys nutrients in food, not to mention that it also produces carcinogens. Now, try to convince me I am wrong!

    • You are not stating the truth about most of this but convincing you you are wrong is obviously not a possibility unless you are just an alarmist trying to hurt people who would believe a non educated person over scientific studies. There is truth on both sides of every conflicting issue, but you are harming the general public with your unfounded statements here. Please people don’t believe everything you read especially if it sounds like this BS alarmist conspiracy lies and speculations…research with scientific evidence please. There is no buggy man out to get you, but be your own advocate with pure research that is founded in scientific proof and not some babbling idiots mental illness.

      • Liz, you obviously don’t know there is a ‘buggy’ man out there, many in fact. The idea is depopulation, of humans and our pets, which has been going on for decades. If you don’t know about this, you should research. Have you not seen all the athletes who are keeling over suddenly, dying on the field, or later suffering Myocarditis?
        And as for telling people on here not to take notice of what seems to be BS (ONLY YOU can’t believe it) when they all the stories are from the bereaved, due to the damn rabies shots, which are, unnecessary. Are you telling them not to believe their own evidence? Are you a bot, or do you work for the vaccine companies?
        This Agenda was being used all this time, but has stepped up, causing all those Covid shot deaths. Well, vets have not been told what ingredients are really in those shots given to animals, anymore than the human doctors knew, until around 2020. Mercury has always been in the liquid, as well as Formaldehyde, MSG, and other damaging, cancer producing ingredients.

  33. Vets only care about how much money they can squeeze out of you! We took our beloved Spectra to get routine blood work because she was on valley fever medications and anti seizure medications. Spectra was 11 and half yrs old pomapoo. We took really good care of her and the amount of vet bills we paid for would prove that. The day we took her in to get the blood work, we told them as we always did, that she was fighting severe valley fever and no vaccines were to be given. Well, they didnt do the blood work that we made the appointment for, instead they gave her 3 vaccines, 1 being rabbies, and my poor baby suffered for several days with vomiting and the runs, wouldnt eat or drink, until she took her last breath 3 days later. They did not have permission and did it without telling us, we didnt find out until we got home and looked at the paperwork and found out what they did to her. I am suing them, but it still wont bring back my beautiful girl. She used to meet me at the door when I came home from work, and she would tell me all about her day, and she had a favorite toy that she loved to play fetch with. I miss her so much, and if I had not taken her there that day, she would still be with me. Do NOT trust any vet with your pet, they do not care, just read all of these stories that could of been prevented if only the vets cared about the pet instead of their own wallets.

  34. I made the mistake of allowing my vet to give the rabies vaxx to my 12ish y/o girl as she was going in for a dental. She was having trouble eating, so we thought it was her teeth. Her eating habits got worse after the visit, we took her to a specialist and she was diagnosed with Inflammable bowel (and esophagitis from the dental). I love my vet, but this is apparently a risk when under). Anyhow, we quickly noticed dementia symptoms kicking in early February. We thought it was from prednisone, but things just kept getting worse. We just went to a holistic/homeopathic vet who quickly pointed to the date of the rabies shot as the source of her issues. We are combatting it with chiro, homeopathic remedies, etc to get her nervous system and immune systems back not rack, while dealing with some skin issues that also came up. It’s only been 5 days, but she seems to be feeling a bit better. IBD in check for now. Dementia will take a long while to assess. All of which to say, if your vet is insisting on the rabies shot – find a holistic vet. They will do a titer test for you. Your state may not allow your dog to not be vaxxed, but its worth a shot. We live in NY, so traditional vets insist on rabies shots.

  35. My 13 year old boston terrier developed a malignant sarcoma at the site of the rabies injection after a few days. It has grown to the size of a golf ball. A needle aspiration was done by the same vet and the report shows cancer and they say it needs to be surgically removed. 50% of the time they grow back within 6 months. My dog was completely heathly and now has cancer and the thought of putting her through all the suggested treatment, not to mention the cost, is overwhelming. I so regret getting her that rabies shot. Please think twice before getting it, especially with senior dogs! My heart is broken.

  36. I got a notice from my city that my dog needed her license renewed and she was due for a rabies shot. She is an almost 12 year old beagle, on liver and thyroid meds but happy and energetic! Took her in for the rabies shot and 14 days later she had a grand mal seizure. She spent a night in the hospital, but didn’t have another seizure during that time. A week later—another grand mal seizure, worse than the first. I thought she was dying right in front of me. After both seizures I was asked if she had a vaccine recently and I said yes, rabies, but it wasn’t til today that I realized the possible connection between the rabies shot and the seizures. Both times vet theorized my dog has a brain tumor. Now they have given me anti seizure meds to give her! I will seek out a holistic vet to see if my beloved Dollie can be saved. I have been devastated since witnessing her seizures and believing she is suffering from a brain tumor.

  37. I believe the rabies vacc harmed my little 14 1/2 year old Dachshund . When she was 10 I took her to our local rabies clinic run by a vet who is very deceitful. She was 1 day past due for her 3 year vaccine. So it was necessary to get the rabies vacc again the following year, which I sadly did. From that moment on her health went to hell. This little dog was the picture of health her whole life. No issues ever!!! She had always been fed high quality food, exercised and loved. After getting that 2nd vaccine in a year she came down with chronic nasal infections, and her health has declined ever since. Now along with the nasal infections she has skin issues, muscle atrophy, stiff joints and is in overall poor health. I am doing everything in my power to keep her comfortable. She now goes for Acupuncture weekly, she has been on Turmeric, NAC, Magnesium Citrate, Arnica Montana, Probiotics CBD Oil to help control all of her issues. It is so very sad especially when she was so healthy before. I totally blame that vaccine for all of her issues she is experiencing now. My other elderly [almost 13} Long Haired Dachshund is a little over due for her 3 year rabies due to us dealing with many other issues that were happening at home. I am so very scared of having the rabies administered to her that the same exact thing will happen to her too…. 🙁

  38. I got my two shih-tzus (13 and 9 yr old) their rabies vaccines by force because no groomers would take them without one and I cannot cut their hair for health reasons. Both were given the 3 year vaccine and it all happened so fast I didn’t really have time to think or fight it.

    By the next day, the 9 yr old’s tail kept twitching horizontally and she had random shivering episodes. Within a week, the 13 yr old developed a 1” mass in her abdomen, which the veterinarian is attributing to old age. The 13 yr old’s tail is now doing the same thing as the 9 yr old’s tail – both of which have never happened before.

    They are both a little more lethargic than usual but still eating. I’m afraid they have had a reaction to the vaccine but of course no one believes me. The 13 yr old is going to get the mass removed but not until 2 weeks from now! I pray it is not cancerous since I just learned rabies vaccines are known to cause sarcoma cancer.

    I am trying NAC and Barley powder for them and pray to God it helps. I’m afraid for the surgery as well because of the additional toxins I will be putting in her small, senior body. Shame on veterinarians for doing this to our little ones.

    • There was one decent and ethical vet who would pretend to give my dog his rabies vaccine. I had to pay for it but she squirted the syringe in the trash each time and provided a certificate. She knew my dog was unable to handle the vaccines but didn’t want to go through having to file an exemption. She said it was best to just stay out of that system. Vets used to give rabies vaccines every single year even though the one year and the 3 year are identical vaccines. These vets are the cause of so many of our pet’s chronic illnesses, allergies and cancers- just like human medicine- they don’t make money keeping anyone well.
      Anyway, That wonderful vet is no longer a vet- not because she got into trouble but because she simply couldn’t handle the greed and harm that the profession causes to animals every day. She told me that it was making her physically ill. She’s now an accountant.
      A few weeks ago, I had to take my dog to the vet for blood work because I found a tumor or cyst on his ankle. I knew he was due for a rabies vaccine. The vet of course mentions this right away and she was arrogant, smug and rude about it. ” It’s the law” she said. I told her that I was well aware of the law but that I wanted to wait to see the results of his blood work first. After all, if he had cancer, why risk harming him by stimulating his immune system? She basically ignored me and said, ” As a licensed veterinarian in the state of VA, I can assure you it’s safe.” I responded by telling her that being licensed vet doesn’t ensure anything is safe and that ‘ As my dog’s guardian’ I can assure her that I know my dog better than she does. I explained to her that he was over-vaccinated when I got him and that I’ve struggled to help him overcome severe allergies as a result. Three years ago, another vet gave Bernard THREE rabies vaccines at the same time because I requested the 3 year instead of the one year. That vet is one greedy SOB and I should have known something was wrong when he said, ‘ hmmmm well, ok, Bernard is healthy enough for a 3 year rabies vaccine’ ….healthy enough? I caught him giving the 3 and yelled and stopped him midway on the third dose. He made me pay for 3 separate vaccines! I knew that the 1 year and 3 year were the exact same vaccine and I should have said something to him before he began. Bernard was so sick for two years. We’ve only had one happy and healthy year and then I had to go back to this new arrogant vet. She knew about the over vaccination but she didn’t care. Her entire agenda is about sales and more sales.

  39. After taking my 15 year old mix-breed dog for blood work just to see how she is doing as she ages she got a rabies shot. My dog has arthritis in her hips but she was in pain. They gave me pain medication and went home. She blood was good every thing normal. Now as each day past my dog is not herself. She barely moving around and she just mostly sleep. The look on her face is so heart breaking that I fight back tears every day. My dog is no longer the dog that I knew. Im so afraid that I am the cause because I let them give her a rabies shot. Only after the shot my son came over and told me that older don’t do good with rabies shot. My heart sank to my feet. I feel so bad. Thinking I was doing a good thing I believe I hurt my baby. I wait until every one is sleep and I cry. After reading from your reviews I see that is it true because most of your stories are just like my story. I will never forgive myself and now I pray to the lord God all mighty that this can be reversed. With God all things are possible. I have to have faith because that’s all I have. I will pray for everyone and your situations. God bless everyone

  40. I am heartbroken. 2 days ago I lost my 11 year old boxer, Sissy. She was my everything. I took her to the vet 2 weeks ago to get her yearly bloodwork and her rabies vaccine and heart worm prevention injection. Her bloodwork came back perfect as did her physical. She was a happy, healthy baby.
    5 days after the vaccines, she was having extremely labored breathing. I took her back to the vet and they did an X-ray and said she had CHF (congestive heart failure). Fluid was all around her heart and lungs, everywhere. I don’t understand how that can happen so quickly.
    She died a week after that visit.
    So a perfectly healthy dog died less than 2 weeks after getting the rabies and proheart vaccines. I’m convinced it was the rabies vaccine that killed her.
    If you have a senior dog, especially an inside dog that is never in public or around wild animals, just don’t do it. Don’t get the rabies vaccine. More than likely they’ve been vaccinated so much when they were younger that it’s not necessary. She died violently in my arms when her heart stopped and I don’t want anyone else’s best friend to go thru that.

    • Oh no!! I’m so sorry to hear that. Did she vomit a couple days after the rabies vaccine? Three weeks ago I took my 14-year-old dog in for a limp, they said there was a tumor on her bone, she was perfectly healthy running around like a puppy although she had that limp and within four days her lungs filled with fluid and they said it’s because it could be aggressive cancer. No testing. She was fine when I took her to the vet and then I had to put her to sleep five days later! 😡🥲 I’m sorry for your loss. It is ridiculous that the Rabies law are killing some of our family fur babies. Now I just took my GS for her rabies, and I’m worried about her.

  41. I took my 10 year old German Shepherd to the vet, she is fairly healthy, just some mild allergies. I discussed with my vet my concerns about giving her the rabies vaccination, he was telling me the laws and as long as she’s fairly healthy it’s OK, so I contemplated it and took her to get the vax. We do travel. The first day after the rabies and Bordetella vaccine, she was just tired, but on the third evening and fourth day she has vomited, one was a very large pile of vomit. She was fine before I took her for the rabies and Bordetella, those were the only two vaccines I would allow them to give my 10-year-old GS. I’m keeping a close eye on my girl. I don’t trust vaccines in older dogs and sometimes I think it’s a big money scam for the vets . I did give my three-year-old pug her full vaccination and she was fine, $265 for the yearly check up and vaccines. I will not be taking her next year. I will wait three years. Ridiculous. They do need to change the laws regarding the vaccine being given every three years for rabies and I do not think dogs should have to get a full vaccination every year. My personal opinion. It should be spread further apart and not given to a dog that is 10 years old or older.

  42. My 16 year old had a rabies shot at 4:00 today and she is wild. Crying and running in circles which is not normal for her. We are setting up with her but she won’t slow down to let us hold and love. Horrible for us both to watch. No sleep for us tonight. Never seen this before and we have had dogs for 45 years.

  43. The only advice I have is to try to find a Holistic vet hopefully they will give the exemption. My vet in Oklahoma gave me one for my dogs. You could also try Titer testing to see if they still have immunity in their system and see if your vet will write exemption off of those results. I have had dogs all my life and have never registered my dogs with the city I lived in. I pray that it all works out for you.

  44. Five years ago my dog had IMHA, which may have been caused by her rabies vaccination, so she hasn’t had one since. The night we took her to the emergence vet clinic she was given a 50/50 chance of surviving the night. She even had a transfusion. Luckily, I live in Ohio. I do have her titered every year, and she still is immune to rabies, along with everything else they vaccinate for. I will never have her get another rabies vaccine. Even my vet tech said don’t do it. There hasn’t been rabies found in my area of Ohio for a number of years.

    • Just had to get my 10 year old tripawd Pom a rabies shot, and yes all dogs get the same dose. I am livid about that but as much as i argue about it with my vet, there is nothing I can do. She is supoosed to get her distemper, parvo etc shot in a couple weeks, and I an rethinking that.

  45. I, too, am torn between responsibilities to the health of my dog and my community. My dog is now 10 and has seizures. I would really appreciate finding an alternative option for her without feeling guilty whether I am making a poor choice as I want to do the right thing for all parties involved. I will be donating to this fund. Thank you for making us aware of it! Thank you for all of your information and hard work!

  46. Titer whenever possible is my philosophy. Titering means that the vet can draw blood to measure how much of the vaccine is still in your pet’s system. The last titer I did, our vet said there was enough to wait another 3 years without a vaccine! We are pushed to vaccine much too often! Stand up for what you believe and what sits best with you in your heart. When uncertain, at least titering can give you answers. God bless all the animals and their owners out there.

  47. In some states and counties, you can get an exemption from your vet that allows you to skip the rabies vaccine. That is not allowed in Cook County, Illinois, where I live. Although my dog was 16 years old last year when the vaccine was due, I had to go ahead with it and found a holistic veterinarian who offers the thimersol-free version and some herbal support. I did not want to risk her having to be quarantined in some kennel if she nipped someone. That’s never happened but now she is blind and could get startled. Also, we still go places for scent detection training and trials. By the way, I’ve been told the one-year and three-year vaccines are exactly the same thing so why ever get a one-year shot? We get titers every year or so for the other vaccines. It’s been almost 11 years since the last vaccinations for distemper, parvo and hepatitis and she still has immunity.

  48. My 10 yr. Malti-Poo Psycho was a rescue and I’ve never in almost 70 years had a better, more loving dog. I took him to the vet to get an exemption but he denied it saying that Psycho was in perfect health and he could find no reason. Unfortunately, I took him to get his rabies shot and he had a heart attack 2 days later, died that night. NEVER AGAIN.

  49. My 13.5 yr old Springer went in for vaccines(rabies and two others) on Dec 18, 2021. From that day forward, she’s has been lethargic and simply not the energetic, happy friend I had on Dec 17. Sleeps nonstop and has a breathing issue recently diagnosed. Changed vets (who said Kota did not need rabies at her age) in Jan 2022 ….will be saying goodbye to my sweet girl later this week.

  50. My 17 year old Pomeranian was dead 2 weeks after a rabies shot. It was during Covid so I could not go in. The vet tech took him from the car for what I thought was a check on his heart meds. They gave him a rabies shot. Ne ver again with an old dog.

  51. A month ago exactly I took my 15-year-old Vizsla into the vet to get a local anesthetic growth cut off of her belly. Previous to that, she had plenty of energy, was alert, would scarf down food, and could walk. When she was getting her growth cut off, they gave her a rabies vaccination without telling me. She stopped eating after the visit.

    I am now waiting for the at home vet to show up to euthanize her. She stopped eating, she stopped walking, she lost all life in a matter of two weeks. I know older dogs decline quickly, but this was intense at how fast the decline was was.

  52. My 10 yo male Chihuahua has developed diabetes about a year or so ago…She was receiving insulin and doing fine with a proper diet and walks. Then the time for the 3 years rabies shot came last month and by law I had to give it here in MA. I never had a dog or knew about potential adverse reactions as he never had any before. He received the 3 years rabies shot on a Tuesday, by Friday he was collapsed, unable to eat, he was drinking only water, stayed without food for over 48 hours and started vomiting a dark liquid and his stool was liquid. He could not walk in a word he was Destroyed! My poor beautiful agile little dog was Killed by that Rabies shot. I put him to sleep that Saturday because he was in so much pain and distress. All along his VET declined that it was from the vaccine, could not give a diagnostic though. She told me that would take thousands of dollars to determine what he has and he may not be saved. Not having those means, that was the only solution I saw to end his suffering. DO NOT give vaccines to old, fragile dogs. This is what happens if you do ! :((((

  53. Last year I took my very healthy, very feisty 10 year old male Boston Terrier for checkup and rabies shot. With out asking/telling me they gave him a 3 year rabies shot. I didn’t know till I looked at the paper work. Had they informed me I would have declined the 3 year rabies shot as we live 15 min. from the vet and it seems unnecessary. Before we got home, the back of his neck where they gave the shot, was swollen as big as my fist. We went right back to the vet. and they said that swelling was normal. Really? He has had the single rabies shot every year of his life and never had a reaction. They told me just give him some Benadryl and he would be fine. He wasn’t. In a few hours he could hardly walk, followed by several grand mal seizures. He wouldn’t eat or drink or move from his bed for 3 days. I massaged the swollen mass, put warm packs on it and gave more Benadryl when I could entice him to eat a treat. The swelling lasted for 3 weeks, the seizures became fewer. He has NEVER been the same. Showing no interest in the things he loved doing until the day of the shot. I will NEVER take him for another one. Nor any other elder dog I own.

  54. I he lived in Ohio most of my life and raised 4 dogs over the years and had never known or been told by the veterinarians that they didn’t need the vaccination. Have another 15 year old currently so going to make sure he doesn’t get another one. Thanks for letting us .

  55. I am so fortunate to have a vet that believes in titers. I don’t have to have a license in my county so I’m not sure if they would accept a titer or not.
    Its heartbreaking to read of the fate of some of your dogs. We should try to push for titers as an acceptable alternative

  56. Thank goodness I live in Ohio. I have my almost 11 year old dog titered every year and am still finding she has what is necessary to be immune to rabies. She will never receive another rabies vaccine. When she was 6 years old, she had IMHA, which could have been caused by her rabies vaccine given a few months before we found out she was that anemic. She almost died. All states should accept titering.

  57. I had a a 4 year old Bernese , who after her 3 rd rabies shot, an hour later ,was screaming in pain and could not walk.. she had developed immune mediated arthritis.. she had to be treated with steroids for over 7 months, and then went on to develope a wobblers like syndrome , and needed assistance in walking.. she was a healthy happy dog prior to shot, and was about to be tested to be therapy dog… we never made it to the test 🙁

  58. I have a 17+ year-old Chihuahua. Yesterday I brought her to a rabies clinic, and she received a shot. I was hesitant about the shot because of her age but the people at the clinic didn’t think it would be a problem. Today she is unable to stand on her back legs. The back legs look almost paralyzed. The bottom part of the foot curls under. They told me that any adverse effects should last for two days. I’m hoping that there will be an improvement tomorrow. Otherwise, I will need to have her euthanized. I am so upset with myself for not following my own instincts.

  59. If anyone happens to read this who knows of a Wisconsin vet who will do titers for rabies, please let me know. I don’t want my senior dogs to have vaccines anymore, but I can’t find a local vet that does rabies titers. And if my dogs have not been vaccinated and have to be seen by a vet for a health issue, will they even see them?

    • You can have your vet draw and prepare the blood, and then send the sample to Dr. Jean Dodds out in California. Google “HemoPet” and/or Dr. Jean Dodds, and you’ll be able to get all the info, paperwork needed, and instructions on how to prepare the blood. Good luck – I have sent bloodwork to Dr. Dodds several times and absolutely love her.

  60. San Francisco County (Calif) allows yearly Titers in place of vaccination for rabies. I’ve actually been having my 9 yr old Chi mix titered since she was 4. My vet prepares the blood sample for me & then I mail it into HemoPet lab w/payment or I pay it online through their website. Both my vet & I get the results by email and every test her antibodies have been at least 4 times higher than the minimum level required. My last dog, a Lab mix mutt, had a bad reaction to rabies vax at age 12. Within 2 days of the shot, his back legs started trembling vigorously any time he ran- which he loved to do at the dog park. It never went away. He also developed a lipoma at the injection site (hind quarter) that grew to be larger than a golfball. My Chi mix was neutered at 8 weeks (before I adopted her) so I feed her home prepared raw & avoid unnecessary vaccinations because I want to give her the best chance I possibly can to live a long healthy life with me.

  61. Joe Lynn- the question you should be asking is why would a vet think a 16 yr old dog needs a rabies shot KNOWING vaccines are designed to trigger an immune response? An older dog already has a weakened immune system. It’s lucky for you that your vet understood that risk & spared your dog so you’re the one who should be ashamed for criticizing others whose vets did not recognize the obvious risks.