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Jan 1, 2011 WA State Mandatory Rabies Vaccine For Cats, Dogs & Ferrets

Started 4 months ago by funkietoo
Latest reply from amalia

funkietoo
Member Profile

Please research the chances of actually being exposed to, and contracting rabies. Below are a few websites with statistics from the WA State Department of Health. This is a purely 'Public Health' law with little consideration for the health impacts on pets and no recourse for exemptions.

For instance, the chance of exposure for indoor cats is almost zero. Indoor cats should not have to receive rabies vaccines. Some people state that bats do get into people's home, therefore indoor cats should have rabies vaccine:

o The chances of the bat being rabid is between 1% - 10%
o The chances of such an 'indoor' bat coming in contact with your cat? Hmmm.
o Per http://www.doh.wa.gov/notify/other/rabiestested-past.pdf, From 1988 - 2010, one cat tested rabid. One cat in 22 years; no dogs; no ferrets.
Older animals or animals with health conditions, for instance kidney failure, should not have to recieve rabies vaccines as this can further compromise their health.

Another consideraton...watch the pet licensing rate go down if municipalities require proof of rabies vacccines at the time of licensing renewal. These monies support the care of animals in our public shelters who are already underfunded.

This sweeping mandatory rabies vaccination law does not take reasonableness, statistical chance of exposure (for humans or animals), or the pet's full health into consideration. There are other States that have mandatory rabies laws that do allow for exemptons. If you agree this new law is deficient, please write your legistlators and the Governor.

I think the Washington State Government should have to prove to us that all cats, dogs and ferrets have to have rabies vaccines. Their own statistics don't support this mandatory law.

1. Human Rabies: http://www.doh.wa.gov/notify/guidelines/rabies.pdf#nameddest=casedef
In reviewing tables 1 & 2, the statistical chance of a cat, dog or ferret being exposed to a rabid bat (or other is rabid animal), is far less than 1%.

2. http://www.doh.wa.gov/notify/nc/rabies.htm

3. http://www.doh.wa.gov/EHSPHL/Epidemiology/CD/ci/rabies.htm

4. http://www.doh.wa.gov/EHSPHL/Epidemiology/CD/ci/rabidbatsWA_2011.pdf

5. http://www.doh.wa.gov/EHSPHL/Epidemiology/CD/ci/rabidbatsWA_2010.pdf

6. Rabies Incident Rates: http://www.doh.wa.gov/EHSPHL/Epidemiology/CD/ci/rabidbatsWA_2011.pdf

And remember...if we as humans are really that concerned, we can get rabies vaccines ourselves.

Posted 4 months ago #
hammerhead
Member Profile

COMPLETELY agree and BUMP.

Not one feral cat in Western Wa has ever had rabies, and the are outside exposed to all wild animals.

Also remember all these dogs attacks and ones that are put down. In order to confirm if it is or not rabies they have to look at the dead animals brain, and not one has had rabies.

Posted 4 months ago #
kmweiner
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How do we protest and how to we act.

Posted 4 months ago #
hammerhead
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good luck it is a government issue and we all well that kind of crap goes.

I know in order to license your pet you have to have to get a rabies, I deal with this question all the time. I won't tell you what I tell people but I do know what I will do NOT do for my own pets.

I am not quite sure how your vet will handle this, I personally will REFUSE the rabies vaccine, I do not care what the repercussions are, my pets health is much more important.

I would just rather donate the cost of the license fee and call it a day.

The issue is going to be legal issues, that will be have to be up to each person as to what they are willing to do with their own pets health.

Posted 4 months ago #
mehud7
Member Profile

kmweiner-funkietoo suggests writing your legislators and the Governor.
I see the value of vaccinating for distemper and parvo to protect dogs and cats, but in limiting how often they are vaccinated. There are more and more cases of cancers at vaccine sites on animals. Many vets even vaccinate as close to a limb as possible in case it needs to be amputated due to cancer. The Feral Cat Spay Neuter clinic vaccinates ferals (by law) in the ankle. That's how dangerous vaccines can be for our pets.

Posted 4 months ago #
oddreality
Member Profile

I have two dogs that are allergic to any vaccine. Trips to the ER vet..once even had to take one two days in a row after having vaccinations. We no longer do any vaccines for those two .Not safe. We CANNOT do rabies! I see they do not have an out for situations like that.Geesh. I am not going to kill my dogs for a vaccine they do not need.
Yet another nuisance law that is not well thought out.

Posted 4 months ago #
funkietoo
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We also may want to write to our Municipal Shelters. I am goIng to contact Vet Med Colleges to ask for stats and data on an array of rabies issues.

More to consider:
1) This law is about human health...not animal health. It was developed and discussed very quietly. Why? Because Public Health knew there would be push back from rescue groups, responsible breeders, pet owners, cutting edge Veternarians and more. Any push back would have resulted in the delay of passing this law. They also know that once a law is in place, it is very difficult to change or eliminate it.
　
2) In Washington State, only Veternarians can purchase and administer the Rabies Vaccine. In the Seattle Area, it will cost between $50.00 to $75.00 per pet in order comply with this law. Why? Because you will have to pay for the vaccine which is $14 - $25.00and an office visit (to make sure your pet is healthy. Oh, wait, even if it isn't healthy, it still has to have the vaccine, so why the office visit because the WA State does not care whether about what is best for your pet's health).
　
3) 35+ years of feral cat trap-neuter-return and taming of feral kittens/frightened stray cats has provided many opportunities to be biten. I'm still alive and here to tell you about it. Rabies is just not prevalent in Washington State. Other countries; Some other US States? yes. But not Washington State.

4)Another reason WA State Public Health states that rabies vaccines need to be mandatory is that people travel with their pets, especially dogs. Okay, so educate the public that when people take their dogs to a State that has a high rabies incident rabies rate, etc., that their dog needs to be vaccinate. Don't make all dogs pay the price of a Rabies vaccine because of few that may need it.

Posted 4 months ago #
Lena
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While I also disagree with this law, Seattle Municipal Code has required rabies in all dogs and cats (not sure about the ferrets) over 4 months of age for a long time. So the law in Seattle already requires rabies vaccines.

The larger question is enforcement. In talking to folks at Seattle Animal Control they do not enforce rabies vaccination unless there is an issue with an animal bite. They are more concerned with spending their resources on more important issues than rabies enforcement, such as pet overpopulation, animal control, and helping animals in need.

The state in this new law has left it up to the cities and counties on how to enforce it. In other words there is no money attached to this law. So if state or city want to enforce it they will have to spend there own money, which is doubtful, especially with the budget crisis we are now in.

It would take a lot of money to enforce this law.

My guess is that Seattle Animal Control will continue on exactly how they have. Looking at there website today if you want to buy a license for your pet you just have to prove spay/neuter not rabies vaccination.

The state has not asked us veterinarians to enforce it so you are not going to get in trouble with your vet for not vaccinating your animal.

However as a vet, we are required to tell clients that they are required by law to vaccinate. If they decline that is their choice.

The #1 reason to vaccinate your animal for rabies in this state (IMO) is that if your dog or cat bites someone and is not vaccinated they could be quarantined and/or euthanized to test for rabies. The normal quarantine is 14 days and if any neurologic signs are shown in that time the animal is euthanized and tested (animals under stress can sometimes develop neurologic symptoms).

Also IMO a positive titer for rabies protection should be accepted as good (it isn't) so our animals do not need to be vaccinated every 1-3 years when it is not usually necessary. A titer is way better than a vaccination as it proves immunity and a vaccine can fail.

Posted 4 months ago #
furryfaces
Member Profile

Real life impact of this mandatory law that has no exemptions.

We have a 95 year old client whose 16 year old cat is hyperthyroid; has a small heart murmer, and renal failure. The cat is on thyroid meds, and maintaining, even though she is frail.

Since our client lives in an assisted living facility, we now have to take her cat in for a rabies vaccine. The facility HAS to mandate this because it is a State requirement/law. The cat has never gone outside; will never go outside; and she is 16 years old. How does this law serve the best interest of this cat and her owner?

Posted 4 months ago #
Lena
Member Profile

Wow, that is horrible Teri. I didn't think about those in public housing.

I guess we have been lucky all these years that Seattle doesn't enforce it. I also have animals I work with who can not be vaccinated (one who had such a severe reaction last vaccine that another will probably kill her) and a couple with such severe seizure disorder that vaccination may also push them over.

I wonder how that is going to work?

Hopefully we can get this law changed.

Posted 4 months ago #
oddreality
Member Profile

I dunno Furryfaces, does the apartment have a chimney? After all those pesky bats are always flying right down them and enticing our pets.I've lived here in the Seattle area all my life [60 years]and have never seen a bat in the city. Does not mean they are not here but certainly pretty rare in most places.
This is so ridiculous. A "solution" to yet another "problem" that does not exist.

Posted 4 months ago #
furryfaces
Member Profile

GREAT NEWS!!! Just got off the phone with the Head of King County Public Health. A rabies vaccine exemption for our 16 year old cat client has been granted!

Yesterday we left a message with the State of Washington Dept. of Public Health Veternarian, citing our concerns. We received a call from KC Public Health today, granting the exemption as long as our Veternarian agrees it would be in the best interest of the cat health!

This is no formal form to request an exemption. You just contact Public Health (for the County you live in), provide them the circumstances, and they make a decision.

Posted 4 months ago #
DBP
Member Profile

First, I'm wondering how this issue could have snuck up on the feral cat people among us. I mean . . . don't you guys have spies in the Legislature that keep you posted on these kinds of developments?

Second, I would like to hear what the bill's sponsors were actually thinking when they introduced this bill. Has anyone contacted them to get their side of it, before protesting?

Third, funkie, in the subject line for this post, did you mean to say January 1, 2012 instead of January 1, 2011?

Fourth, mehud:

Many vets even vaccinate as close to a limb as possible in case it needs to be amputated due to cancer.

–Are you perhaps exaggerating?

[ What !!! Exaggerating ??? On the Blog !!!!! ]

Posted 4 months ago #
mehud7
Member Profile

I don't believe I was exaggerating DBP. Vaccines can cause injection site cancers. Cancer can sometimes be removed. Limbs can be removed. Cancer from between the shoulder blades might be more difficult to cut out.
As a 'feral cat person' I was not too worried about this law as the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project vaccinates feral cats against rabies. One thing I didn't think about was if the law would enforce yearly/every three year vaccines for ferals. But how would they really even know?

Posted 4 months ago #
furryfaces
Member Profile

DBP. Menus is accurate in her statements. Is injection site cancer develops the leg can be removed.

Posted 4 months ago #
hammerhead
Member Profile

laws are made to be broken.

sorry I just had to say it.

This kind of crap frustrates the hell out of me. We can't get a budget and there are homeless people and we are worrying about a damn rabies vaccine. really?

I do know for a fact that vaccines have side affects, it sucks and the owner has to pay the bill, not the state even if they are the ones who made the law.

FCAT

Posted 4 months ago #
Lena
Member Profile

All veterinarians are now advised/taught to vaccinate as far down the limb as possible for both rabies and FeLV as both vaccines can cause vaccine induced fibrosarcomas in cats. This is a bad tumor and unless it is somewhere where the limb can be removed, almost 100% fatal. So yes we are taught to vaccinate so amputation is possible.

Unforunately, I think everyone in the vet community has seen at least one vaccine induced fibrosarcoma, if not more within their career. I saw my first when I was still in school and have seen four more since in my thirteen years of practice.

Posted 4 months ago #
DBP
Member Profile

Unforunately, I think everyone in the vet community has seen at least one vaccine induced fibrosarcoma, if not more within their career. I saw my first when I was still in school and have seen four more since in my thirteen years of practice.

OK, lenamegan, so out of the thousands of cats you've seen during your career as a vet, what does the fibrosarcoma rate work out to? I bet you've seen a lot more problems caused by non-vaccination, eh?

I just get nervous whenever I hear arguments against vaccination based on "possible side effects." As we know, some parents use this same argument as a reason not to vaccinate kids for polio, DPT, and other dread diseases.

Anyway, the main point I want to get across is that many of us on the Blog look to you folks (feral cat specialists) as kind of a knowledge base on cat health-related issues. You are the experts, so it's only logical that you would have a special relationship with those legislators concerned with animal health. In this particular case I'm wondering why you weren't involved somehow in crafting this new law. If it's going to affect you so greatly, why weren't you consulted/informed about it in advance?

–David

Posted 4 months ago #
Lena
Member Profile

The rate most often quoted is 1 out of 10,000 per dose of vaccine for fibrosarcoma in cats. Yes it is small but why we vaccinate low down.

I am actually pro-vaccine if vaccines are used minimally and effectively. I have seen more animals die of vaccine reactions and side effects then have died of infectious diseases if they are minimally but effectively vaccinated (see article below)

I have also seen many animals die of infectious disease from not being vaccinated. I spent five years in shelter work.

http://pathwithpaws.com/blog/2009/01/27/to-vaccinate-or-not-to-vaccinate-that-is-the-question-part-1-cats/

However I am against laws that mandate vaccination. I believe that is a decision between vet and animal owner.

I truthfully did not know about this law until I read about it here. Wish I had known before so I could have been involved.

Posted 4 months ago #
DBP
Member Profile

I truthfully did not know about this law until I read about it here.

Well then there is either something very wrong with our government (surprise!) or something wrong with the professional vet organizations you belong to for not giving you a heads-up.

I am torn on the question of mandatory vaccination. For pets, that is. (I'm not torn on vaccinations for humans.)

If an animal will always be indoors and has a clean bill of health, that's one thing. But if an animal roams free and can potentially spread disease throughout the community, why should the decision to vaccinate be left to the owner's discretion? – when the owner's animal will not be the only one affected by the decision?

We know that pet owners make bad decisions on spay-neuter all the time, and this affects the communities in which they live. Why would we trust these same bad decisionmakers to make good decisions when it comes to vaccinations?

In fact, we don't. Hence: vaccination laws.

Posted 4 months ago #
hammerhead
Member Profile

DP,

When it comes to ferals only, the only things that are contagious to humans is ringworm(fungus), toxoplasmosis(sp) round worm, hook worms, but unless you are rolling around in the dirt and eating with your hands you are very unlikely to get those things. This is more common in 3rd world countries.

SO don't worry about ferals spreading diseases, you will catch a cold from another human before you will ever catch anything from a feral cat.

FCAT:)

Posted 4 months ago #
amalia
Member Profile

Cat-to-cat transmittal is the fear, not cat-to-human. And foremost, the health of the vector cat(s). Not that I expect there are any.
.
I admit I have not read the text of the legislation, although I heard about it a few months ago. Does anyone know whether it will be enforced via the licensing progrom (i.e., you can't renew your pet's license without proof of vaccination)? I have only indoor cats who I will NEVER expose to the outdoors, and I prefer not to get them vaccinations they don't need.
.
Funny, I saw a late-season bat in Bellevue not an hour ago.

Posted 4 months ago #
Lena
Member Profile

Actually state laws about disease in animals are made to protect humans. The rational for the rabies law is that our cats and dogs (not sure about the ferrets) are more likely to come in contact with a rabid animal than humans are. Because our cats and dogs are in close contact with us that could potentially expose us to rabies. So vaccinating our animals protects humans from rabies.

In some states with high rabies numbers and with reserves in raccoons, skunks, foxes and coyotes this makes sense. Washington does not have rabies in any of the above animals. Anytime a law about disease in animals is made it is either about protecting humans or protecting livestock (our food chain).

Posted 4 months ago #
furryfaces
Member Profile

Hi Amalia,

This is purley a public health law. Our pets are being used as a buffer between wildlife and humans. The main fear/concern is not the health of the animal. Remember, in 22 years, only one Washington State cat has been diagnosed with rabies; no dogs; no ferrets.

Part of the discussion we had with Public Health when requesting the aforementioned exception (#12 post), involved indoor cats and the chances of exposure being almost zero. They want every healthy animal vaccinated...including indoor only cats.

Now, that being said, rabies has been required in King County/Seattle for years. However, it is not enforced via licensing. Think our muni's know that if they required a rabies certificate at the time of licensing, that less people would license their pets. Plus, people may not seek medical attention/health care for their pets if Vets had to provide rabies vaccine info.

Posted 4 months ago #
amalia
Member Profile

Actually, I was referring to another email that non-sequitously mentioned a bunch of other diseases - for which cat-to-cat transmittal can be a problem and is another reason to keep cats indoors. I realize (and thanks for the further clarification) that the health department would be focused on human health. I'm loathe to take a stand because I do think that the health officials tend to grossly over-react, but I also know that, left to their own devices, humans will not often do what's best for the greater good, but will do what they THINK is best (despite possible ignorance on the repercussions). So real threats should not be put up to public or individual opinion (in my individual opinon). (See also post 20.)

Posted 4 months ago #

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