Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - vaccination exemptions

Hello everyone, One of the things that can trigger a relapse of this disease in our pets, is vaccinations. That is why our doctor gives our dog an exemption letter stating that he cannot be vaccinated. Please read carefully the article below. It is quite disturbing that they would take an ill pet and quarantine him in a dog pound until he is cured or vaccinated. As we know there is no cure for this disease. Dr. Dodds is helping to try to get this clause removed as she knows the dire implications if this is approved. NOTICE: CALIFORNIA DOG OWNERS -- On 12/21/09 Dr. Ben Sun (916) 552-9744, Interim Chief of California's Veterinary Public Health Section, designated ALL COUNTIES[/u] in California as "rabies areas" http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Documents/2010_LHD_Rabies_Declaration_Letter.pdf. The declaration states: "The Director of the Department of Public Health has declared all counties in California as 'rabies areas' in 2010. This declaration is based on the ongoing cyclic nature of rabies in California wildlife, and the resulting threat of exposure to domestic animals, livestock, and humans." An April 5, 2010 amendment to AB2000 http://www.leginfo.ca.gov./pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_1951-2000/ab_2000_bill_20100405_amended_asm_v98.html which seeks to add a medical exemption clause for sick dogs in designated "rabies areas," would included the following language: " (2) A dog exempt from the canine antirabies vaccination shall be kept quarantined as directed by the local health officer, until the dog's medical condition has resolved and the administration of the canine antirabies vaccine occurs." This bill is currently in the Senate Rules Committee for consideration. The phone number for the California Senate Rules Committee is (916) 651-4120 and the Chair of the Committee is Senator Darrell Steinberg e-mail: Senator.Steinberg@senate.ca.gov Phone: (916) 651-4006 Under current law, the Department of Public Health is authorized to require annual rabies vaccinations in designated "rabies areas," which includes ALL counties in California for 2010. With the passage of AB2000 as amended on April 5th, dogs with medical exemptions would be required to be quarantined, which could be in an off-site pound or facility as determined by the local health officer, until their medical condition resolves or they are given a rabies vaccine.

alicia ca

That's freaking ridiculous. This is part of the reason why I am considering forgoing licensing of any future dogs. I don't want big brother in my business requiring me to overvaccinate my pets. If they discover a dog is unlicensed, the fine in my jurisdiction is $35. I fully expect they would most likely never find out, and I am willing to risk the $35 fine if it gives me the chance of keeping my dogs health under MY control.

Jennifer

yes it is so very ridiculous. i am scared because if this passes, that would mean our dog would never live with us again because he can't be vaccinated and there is no cure for his imha. i cannot imagine them taking him away to be placed in a pound under quarantine. and if this passes in CA, this could be a precedent for other states to follow

alicia ca

Here is a link that provides some more info, go down to about the middle of the page. It says it is not changing the 3 year rabies. http://www.bark-n-blog.com/2010/04/13/california-rabies-bill-ab-2689/ The AB2000 was specifically introduced because of a dog here in California that was diagnosed with what sounded like AIHA so that they could get an exemption from rabies shots. http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/252411-california-rabies-vaccination-exemption-legislation/

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Here is the link to the amendment I mentioned. (the link in the original post didn't work) http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_1951-2000/ab_2000_bill_20100405_amended_asm_v98.html

alicia ca

WOW, that is a very scary situation. To my knowlege there is no such legislation anywhere in Canada! Good Luck in preventing this law from being passed. Hope you can remedy the situation, as it would be awful to have that kind of a law setting a precedent throughout your nation. Maureen

Maureen BC Canada

This stuff is already a law the thing in AB2000 is a good thing. Before you could get an exemption from your county but the state did not have to go along with it. I posted these peoples story last year on this board, it was so aggravating to read peoples comments on the story in the paper like "They should get rid of their dog and give it to someone who cares" They cared enough to fight for a law that will protect immune compromised pets.

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

this proposed change is absurd and flat out crazy. lately california is really doing some stupid things, and sad thing is this state is a precedent setter. praying this gets nowhere-

josh california

PERMISSION GRANTED TO POST AND CROSS-POST At the bottom of this post is a copy of the letter I sent on behalf of The Rabies Challenge Fund on this issue. What You Can Do to Help Call the Senate Rules Committee and call or send an e-mail to all its members telling them to withdraw Paragraph (2) of the amendment pertaining to quarantining medically exemption animals and strike language in Section 121690 (b) of the law authorizing the Health Department to impose annual or biennial rabies vaccinations in "rabies areas." The phone number for the California Senate Rules Committee is (916) 651-4120 Chair of the Committee is Senator Darrell Steinberg e-mail: Senator.Steinberg@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4006 Vice-chair Sam Aanestad Senator.Aanestad@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4004 Gilbert Cedillo Senator.Cedillo@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4022 Robert Dutton Senator.Dutton@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4031 Jenny Oropeza Senator.Oropeza@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4028 Bill Co-Sponsor Assembly Member Curt Hagman Assemblymember.Hagman@assembly.ca.gov (916) 319-2060 Letter from The Rabies Challenge Fund May 15, 2010 Senator Darrell Steinberg, Chair Senate Rules Committee State Capitol, Room 205 Sacramento, CA 94248-0001 RE: Amended Rabies Bill AB2000 Greetings Senator Steinberg: The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust respectfully requests that the Senate Rules Committee withdraw Paragraph (2) of the April 5th amendment to AB2000 which mandates that “A dog exempt from the canine antirabies vaccination shall be kept quarantined, as directed by the local health officer, until the dog's medical condition has resolved and the administration of the canine antirabies vaccine occurs.” This amendment seeks to address a public health threat which does not exist in the canine community, and which will, if passed, pose a life-threatening risk to dogs whose health is already compromised. California’s Department of Public Health (CDPH) statistics clearly demonstrate that bats and other wildlife pose the greatest rabies threat to the public, not dogs. From 2001 through 2008, the CDPH reported 2 cases of human rabies contracted in the state, both of which were transmitted by bats. Further, according to data contained in the annual Reported Animal Rabies by County and Species issued by the CDPH, from the period of 2001 through May 7, 2010, (throughout which time all counties had been designated “rabies areas”), dogs were among the species with the least number of rabies cases in California. During the cited surveillance period 1,440 bats, 462 skunks, 74 foxes, 11 cats, and 5 dogs were reported as rabid. The Center for Disease Control documented 32 cases of domestically-contracted cases of human rabies in the U.S. from 1995 through 2008 – 30 illnesses were transmitted by bats, 1 by fox, and 1 by raccoon. Since 1995, there have been no reported cases of human rabies from exposure to an indigenous dog in this country, and no demonstrated need exists for the California Legislature to pass harsh rabies regulations targeting dogs. Further, The Rabies Challenge Fund asks that the Committee strike the following bolded, underlined language in the current law under Section 121690 (b) which is reiterated in AB2000 as follows: “(b) Every dog owner, after his or her dog attains the age of four months, shall, at intervals of time not more often than once a year, as may be prescribed by the department, procure its vaccination by a licensed veterinarian with a canine antirabies vaccine approved by, and in a manner prescribed by, the department, unless a licensed veterinarian determines, on an annual basis, that the dog may have a potentially lethal reaction to the canine antirabies vaccine. is currently immune compromised or has a documented medical record of a preexisting condition, including, but not limited to, an immune mediated disease, or a serious adverse reaction to a prior canine antirabies vaccine.” Mandating rabies vaccinations more often than once every 3 years, even in designated “rabies areas,” goes against the recommendations of all the national veterinary medical associations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association [1] and the Center for Disease Control’s National Association of State Public Health Veterinarian’s Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control 2008 which states that, “Vaccines used in state and local rabies control programs should have at least a 3-year duration of immunity. This constitutes the most effective method of increasing the proportion of immunized dogs and cats in any population.” Section 121690 (b) of the Health and Safety Code may violate California’s Consumer Protection Law by requiring pet owners to pay for a veterinary medical procedure from which their animals derive no benefit and may be harmed. The section of the law requiring biennial or annual rabies boosters in “rabies areas” may have been intended to achieve enhanced immunity to the rabies virus by giving the vaccine more often than the federal 3-year licensing standard, but, more frequent vaccination than is required to fully immunize an animal will not achieve further disease protection. Redundant rabies shots needlessly expose dogs to the risk of adverse effects while obligating residents to pay unnecessary veterinary medical fees. The American Veterinary Medical Association's 2001 Principles of Vaccination state that “Unnecessary stimulation of the immune system does not result in enhanced disease resistance, and may increase the risk of adverse post-vaccination events.” The 3 year rabies vaccines currently licensed by the USDA for dogs all have a minimum duration of immunity of 3 years proven by challenge studies (the definitive standard in vaccine research) conducted according to the licensing standards set forth in USDA Title 9 Part 113.209. Serological studies performed by Dr. Ronald Schultz of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine show a minimum duration of immunity of 7 years. According to the Center for Disease Control, "A fully vaccinated dog or cat is unlikely to become infected with rabies…. In a nationwide study of rabies among dogs and cats in 1988,….no documented vaccine failures occurred among dogs or cats that had received two vaccinations. " [2] Immunologically, the rabies vaccine is the most potent of the veterinary vaccines and associated with significant adverse reactions such as polyneuropathy “resulting in muscular atrophy, inhibition or interruption of neuronal control of tissue and organ function, incoordination, and weakness, ”[3] auto-immune hemolytic anemia,[4] autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid, joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression; seizures; epilepsy; and fibrosarcomas at injection sites are all linked to the rabies vaccine.[5] It is medically unsound for this vaccine to be given more often than is necessary to maintain immunity. A “killed” vaccine, the rabies vaccine contains adjuvants to enhance the immunological response. In 1999, the World Health Organization “classified veterinary vaccine adjuvants as Class III/IV carcinogens with Class IV being the highest risk, "[7] and the results of a study published in the August 2003 Journal of Veterinary Medicine documenting fibrosarcomas at the presumed injection sites of rabies vaccines stated, “In both dogs and cats, the development of necrotizing panniculitis at sites of rabies vaccine administration was first observed by Hendrick & Dunagan (1992). ” According to the 2003 AAHA Guidelines, "...killed vaccines are much more likely to cause hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., immune-mediated disease)." [9] On behalf of The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust and the many concerned California pet owners who have requested our assistance, I strongly urge you to withdraw Paragraph (2) of the April 5th amendment to AB2000 and strike the language in the current law cited in the bill authorizing the CDPH to impose annual or biennial rabies boosters in “rabies areas.” Sincerely, Kris L. Christine Founder, Co-Trustee THE RABIES CHALLENGE FUND www.RabiesChallengeFund.org ledgespring@lincoln.midcoast.com cc: W. Jean Dodds, DVM Ronald D. Schultz, PhD Assembly Member Curt Hagman -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] American Veterinary Medical Association, Veterinary Biologics, June 2007, “Rabies Vaccination Procedures” [2] Immunization Practices Advisory Committee, Rabies Prevention—United States, 1991 Recommendations of the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee, Center for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report March 22, 1991/40(RR03);1-19 [3] Dodds, W. Jean Vaccination Protocols for Dogs Predisposed to Vaccine Reactions, The Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, May/June 2001, Vol. 37, pp. 211-214 [4] Duval D., Giger U.Vaccine-Associated Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia in the Dog, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 1996; 10:290-295 [5] American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Executive Board, April 2001, Principles of Vaccination, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Volume 219, No. 5, September 1, 2001. Vascelleri, M. Fibrosarcomas at Presumed Sites of Injection in Dogs: Characteristics and Comparison with Non-vaccination Site Fibrosarcomas and Feline Post-vaccinal Fibrosarcomas; Journal of Veterinary Medicine, Series A August 2003, vol. 50, no. 6, pp. 286-291. [7] IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans: Volume 74, World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Feb. 23-Mar. 2, 1999, p. 24, 305, 310. Vascelleri, M. Fibrosarcomas at Presumed Sites of Injection in Dogs: Characteristics and Comparison with Non-vaccination Site Fibrosarcomas and Feline Post-vaccinal Fibrosarcomas; Journal of Veterinary Medicine, Series A August 2003, vol. 50, no. 6, pp. 286-291. [9] American Animal Hospital Association Canine Vaccine Task Force. 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines, Recommendations, and Supporting Literature, 28pp. and ibid. 2006 AAHA Canine Vaccine Guidelines, Revised, 28 pp. Kris L. Christine Founder, Co-Trustee THE RABIES CHALLENGE FUND www.RabiesChallengeFund.org

Johnny

Good news for those in California.... this could still use our support so if you can write to them please do so...even if it's short. ------- REVISED CALIFORNIA AB 2000 -- PLEASE SUPPORT The quarantine clause in AB 2000 inserting a medical exemption in California's rabies law has been removed http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_1951-2000/ab_2000_bill_20100602_amended_sen_v97.pdf , and The Rabies Challenge Fund is asking dog owners to voice their support for this bill. The bill has a hearing set for June 23rd in the Senate Health Committee. Please contact the members of the Senate Health Committee below and ask them to pass the bill. PERMISSION GRANTED TO CROSS-POST Johnny & Tessy

Johnny

This thread was discussed between 18/05/2010 and 07/06/2010

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