| Pet Over-vaccination Alert Check your pet's proof of vaccination rabies certificate! Thousands of North Dakota dog owners have rabies certificates that state it is good for two years. The accurate booster specifications according to manufacturers label is three years. There is NO 2 year Rabies vaccine licensed in the USA. ( list of licensed vaccines, Pgs 13 & 14(PDF) from the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control 2011)
Many veterinarians are unaware of North Dakota Century Code Title Chapter 23-26 Rabies Control 23-36-01-11(PDF), the rabies vaccination law in place that states,
What is the Compendium(download PDF)? It is the national standard set by the CDC's National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. (NASPHV) All states recognize the Compendium for it helps facilitate standardization among jurisdictions, contributing to national rabies control. There is no state that requires rabies boosters biennially.
The simple truth is administering rabies vaccine every 3-years saves pet owners money, decreases the risk of an adverse reaction and protects the pet from the pain of an needless injection. See video, Dr. Karen Becker interviews Dr. Ronald D. Shultz, "Does your pet really need that rabies shot?" Some ND cities require dogs and cats to be vaccinated for rabies, after their initial series, WITHIN 24 months. It appears, historically there has not been enough communication between USDA, ND veterinary boards, ND public health agencies, local veterinarians, and city officials. City officials simply do not know about USDA biologics jurisdiction and current rabies vaccination protocols based on science. |
TWO YEAR VACCINATIONS |
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Know Vaccine Guidelines by Veterinary Associations
American Veterinary Medical Association's Principles of Vaccination (PDF) States, on page 5, ""Unnecessary stimulation of the immune system does not necessarily result in enhanced disease resistance, and may increase the potential risk of post-vaccination adverse events" . "
AVMA website AVMA Principles of Veterinary Ethics(PDF) American Animal Hospital Association "It is the view of the Task Force that veterinarians have considerable latitude in selection and use of veterinary biologic products licensed for dogs, with rabies vaccine being a noted exception..." American Animal Hospital Association's 2011 Vaccine Guidelines 2011 Vaccine Guidelines (PDF) on Page 6 Table 1 "...revaccination with '3-year rabies' vaccine' should be administered every 3 year... On Page 34, "Current studies have shown that, among dogs, the risk of an acute onset (within 3 days) adverse reaction is greatest among small breeds receiving multiple vaccines at same appointment." For more information read, Page 22, paragraph on Small dogs (AAHA) website Informed Consent
YOU ARE ENTITLED TO INFORMED CONSENT
The pet owner has the right to be given informed consent and theveterinarian has the legal obligation to provide it. Informed consent means the medical profession must disclose the benefits and risks of all recommended treatments to the owner before treatment is initiated.The veterinarian MUST DISCLOSE to the owner what the proven duration of immunity of the vaccine is and scientific proof must be provided to the owner if the veterinarian deviates from the accepted standards of practice/standards of care.
AVMA adopts policy on informed consent Modern elements of informed consent for general veterinary practitioners by D. Duane Flemming, DVM, JD, DACVO, and John F. Scott, DVM, JD "The informed consent doctrine traditionally applied to physicians, but has been extended to other health care practitioners, including veterinarians" AVMLA Vaccine and Liability Issues for Veterinarians Vaccine Liability Issues for Veterinarians ND Board of Animal Health warns vets in there newsletter, Animal Health News Spring 2010, "Rabies vaccination must be done according to label directions. Rabies Vaccines must be done according to label direction. Any deviation from label direction and from the recommendation in Compendium of Animal Rabies control, veterinarians may not be supported legally." (link - PDF) Standard of Practice
All veterinarians are governed by what is called a standard of care, or standard of practice. This is a way of caring for patients that has been set by professional associations/organizations that govern the practice of veterinary medicine, along with pharmaceutical manufactures and government agencies. In tort law, the "standard of care is the degree of prudence and caution required of an individual who is under a duty of care." It directs veterinary professionals to "what would be exercised by the reasonably prudent manufacturer of a product or the reasonably prudent professional in that line of work" and "determines whether adoctor is liable for medical malpractice."
Compendium
The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) National Public Health Veterinarians publishes The Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2011. This is the guide and reference of UPDATED RESEARCH THAT SETS THE STANDARD OF CARE OF RABIES CONTROL AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN THE USA. The Compendium IS ENDORSED BY The National State Public Health
Veterinarians Association, The American Veterinary Medical Association, The American Animal Hospital Association, The Association of Public Health Laboratories, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, The National Animal Control Association.
Overdue for your dog's rabies shot?
2011 AAHA Canine Vaccine Guidelines state "Administer a single dose of a "3-yr" rabies vaccine within 1 yr after administration of the initial dose, regardless of the animal's age at the time the initial dose was administered. Subsequently, revaccination with a "3-yr rabies" vaccine should be administered every 3yr thereafter, unless state, provincial, and/or local requirements stipulate otherwise."
Out of date - Study: vaccine still effective
Recent studies are showing the vaccines may retain high levels of effectiveness well beyond the third year. Until protocols and laws change, pets shoud receive shots according to protocol schedules.
Kansas State Univeristy Study, Moore: The findings appear in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association study, "Comparison of anamnestic responses to rabies vaccination in dogs and cats with current and out-of-date vaccination status." It is the first study to present scientific data for animals with out-of-date rabies vaccinations. Please note in Tables 5 & 6 on Pages 208/209 under "Time Overdue for Vaccination (mo)," some dogs were 2, 3, and 4 YEARS overdue for a booster. Also see: The Rabies Challenge Fund, "The first of the final challenge phase of our research has been completed." "The goal is to extend the required interval for rabies boosters to 5 and then to 7 years." Risks you are taking when never vaccinating pets for rabies
North Dakota Law
Rabies Control: Chap 23-36_01-08 (PDF) 23-36-03. Enforcement authority.:
2. The department, or an agency acting on the department's behalf, may promptly seize and humanely kill, impound at the owner's expense, or quarantine any wild mammal that is not currently vaccinated for rabies by a vaccine approved for use on that species by the national association of state public health veterinarians, inc., or any stray or unwanted domestic animal, if the state health officer, or the state health officer's designee, determines the animal is a threat to human life or safety due to the possible exposure of an individual to rabies. |
Because it's a state law
False. ND does not have a state-wide rabies mandated vaccination law for dogs cats, regulation of rabies vaccination is left up to municipalities, cities and counties. Often regulation is in the form of a mandatory city rabies license.
True. ND law specifically regulates the frequency of rabies vaccination, as well as who may administer, and the jurisdiction of the recommendations of biologics (vaccines). Many veterinarians are unaware of North Dakota Century Code Title Chapter 23-26 Rabies Control 23-36-01-11 the rabies vaccination law in place that states, "Vaccinated animal means an animal has been vaccinated in compliance with the Compendium of Animal Rabies Control issued by the national Association of State Public Health Veterinarians." ND Board of Animal Health's newsletter Animal Health News, spring 2010 heading entitled "Rabies: a vaccination reminder", warns vets that, "Rabies vaccination must be done according to label directions. Any deviation from label direction and from the recommendations in Compendium of Animal Rabies Control from the National Association of Public Health Veterinarians may not be supported legally." Read article this quote was taken from(Animal Health News, Spring 2010). Administration of rabies vaccine laws by state Because I want to.
This is not an acceptable or valid reason. Veterianians MUST provide a reason with a scientific base. Veterinarians, like physicians, are supposed to adhere to the generally accepted "standard" of professional medical care.
Giving 2-year boosters instead of 3-year boosters practice goes against the recommendation of ALL the national veterinary medical associations, CDC'c National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians' Rabies Compendium, the American Animal Hospital Association, and The American Veterinary Medical Association as well as the national 3-year standard set in all 50 states. The compenduim states, "No laboratory or epidemilogic data exist to support the annual or biennial administration of 3 or 4 year vacciines after the initial series." American Veterinary Medical Law Association (PDF) White Paper: Vaccine and Liability Issues for Veterinarians ND Board of Veterinary Health's news letter, Animal Health News Sept 2011 article entitled, "Information on rabies vaccination available", warns vets "Rabies vaccination must be administered according to label directions. Any deviation from label directions and from the recommendations in the Compendium of Animal Rabies Control from the National Association of Public Health Veterinarians may be illegal." (Link_ Because there are no 3-year rabies vaccine.
False, rabies vaccines for dogs are either 1 year or 3 year, in cats rabies vaccines are 1 year or 3 year and 4 year duration. The Compendium states "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." See:
List of approved vaccines ~ Table I (page loads slowly on first visit) Part II. Recommendations for Parenteral Rabies Vaccination Procedures Because rabies is in the area
False. Compendium Part 1. Rabies and Prevention and control. 6. Rabies in vaccinated animals: Rabies is rare in vaccinated animals (11-13) and B Prevention and Control Methods in Domestic and Confided Animals 1. Preexposure Vaccination and Management: "No laboratory or epidemiologic data exist to support the annual or biennial administration of 3-or 4-year vaccines after the initial series."
Postmarketing surveillance of rabies vaccines for dogs to evaluate safety and efficacy states: "The information presented here provides additional support for the premise that rabies vaccines for dogs are highly efficacious and a vital component of a successful rabies control program." Dog has a Two Year certificate and is overdue
A veterinarian not acknowledging the vaccine has a three year duration may be in conflict ND law, ND Board of Veterinary Medicine Guidelines, the compendium, and medical standards of practice. 2011 AAHA Canine Vaccine Guidelines state, "Administer a single dose of a "3-yr" rabies vaccine within 1yr after administration of the initial dose, regardless of the animal's age at the time the initial dose was administered. Subsequently, revaccination with a "3'-yr rabies" vaccine should be administered every 3 yr. thereafter, unless state, provincial, and/or local requirements stipulate otherwise." The ND Board of Animal Health acknowledges the rabies vaccines's manufactures three year duration of immunity. The more vaccine, the more protection
False. Compendium: On Page 6: "No Laboratory or epidemiologic data exist to support the annual or biennial administration of 3- or 4-year vaccines following the initial series." Because some owners are late coming in for shots
How do you feel about paying money, spending time, exposing your pet to possible adverse events and the stress of a vet visit because someone ELSE is delinquent? This is unfair to responsible "on time" pet owners. Pet owners and their animals shouldn't be penalized for non-compliant, irresponsible people.
Having pet owners pay for medically unnecessary rabies vaccination every 2 years, from which the animal derives no benefit, raises ethical and legal issues. Medical Negligence as it Applies to Vaccination Decisions. "The basic scenarios that could potentially give rise to a clam or lawsuit are where...2) a patient experiences an AE attributed to a vaccination later considered unnecessary by the client. The City/County requires it.
Check your city codes!! Most cities and municipalities require a "Current" Rabies vaccination certificate. DO NOT confuse requirements for a license with requirements for a vaccination. Many veterinarians mistakenly confuse the duration of immunity of the vaccine with the duration of the city license. City officials do not practice veterinary medicine, veterinarians do. Cities enforce.
If you live in a city with outdated 2-year requirements, alert city officials of the updated Compendium and letter from the MN Board of Veterinary Medicine and MN Board of Animal Health requesting cities to use word 'Current"as to not dictate frequency of vaccination. Why is the City of Oak Park Heights code well written? 601.09 Rabies Inoculation of Dogs and Cats..."re-inoculated according to the standard veterinary practices there after." 601.06 Dog or Cat license. B ."The terms of a license shall run concurrently with a dog's or cat's rabies vaccination schedule" (rabies protocols have changed in the past and probably will do so in the future, this keeps the code current). Also there is late license fee (to encourage keeping vaccinations current), and microchips are allowed. MN Board fo Veterinary Medicine vaccination recommendations: 6. Veterinarians should not adopt rabies vaccination recommendations and protocols base soley upon local/regional animal licensing ordinances which prescribes rabies vaccination frequency. It is the animal owner's responsibility to meet the requirements of local/regional annual licensing requirements. Veterinarians may not be aware of their obligation of informing cities of true 3-rabies vaccination duration, Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics of the AVMA, IV "A veterinarian shall respect the law and also recognize a responsibility to seek change to laws and regulations which are contrary to the best interests of the patient and public health" Link to Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics of the AVMA Get clients to come in for an annual wellness exam.
Wellness exams are an important part of good veterinary care, but using a vaccine hook to get clients in the door is unacceptable, especially when rabies vaccines are administered more often than set by the standard of practise, vaccine manufacturers' labels, all medical associations, and the CDC's Rabies Compendium. Redundant vaccination increases the risk of adverse reactions without enhancing immunity.
Article: What Everyone Needs To Know About Canine Vaccines and Vaccination Programs, by Ron Shultz, PhD. |
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