Rabies

[dog dr]

Still think we are vaccinating too much??

Rabies alert issued for veterinarians in Ohio; South Carolina reports first human rabies case in 50 years
Dec 26, 2011
DVM NEWSMAGAZINE



National Report — Veterinarians in Ohio are being asked to remain vigilant about administering rabies vaccinations and take precautions against staff exposure after a 3-year-old dog that was past-due on its vaccination contracted the disease. A woman in South Carolina also has contracted rabies, making her the first human case in the state in 50 years.

The Ohio Department of Health Laboratory confirmed the Ohio case in mid October, stating a spayed female dog from Twinsburg became infected. The 3-year-old Siberian Husky was 13 months past due for rabies vaccination, according to state health officials.

The owners say the dog often hunted and killed wild animals on their property. The dog was presented to the Twinsburg Veterinary Hospital in early October with a 105-degree fever, severe ataxia, excessive salivation and a bite wound on her right, front leg. Canine distemper virus was initially suspected, and she was treated with supportive care and kept in isolation. By the next day, the dog’s fever had dropped, then quickly spiked. The dog's behavior became more erratic, officials report. The dog died that night, and the veterinarian submitted the dog’s remains for rabies testing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed infection with a variant of rabies circulating among raccoons, and health officials say this is the first known animal infected with the raccoon variant in Summit County and the second dog confirmed to have contracted rabies in Ohio since 1990.

No one was bitten by the dog, but several people were evaluated and treated for non-bite exposures. Six people at the veterinary clinic may have been exposed and started post-exposure rabies treatment. The veterinarian had previously received pre-exposure vaccination. Everyone else exposed will require the entire vaccination series, according to health officials.

Another dog in the household and two cats have been vaccinated for rabies, and the local health department ordered they remain under quarantine for six months.

In South Carolina, the state's Department of Health and Environmental Control confirmed the first case of rabies in a person in 50 years. The middle-aged woman was believed to have been bitten by a bat. The woman died Dec. 19.

[shags]

Thanks for the heads-up. We're in Ohio. My vet is a stickler for rabies vaccinations, and always has alerts from the state concerning rabid coons or foxes posted. I bet a dollar this one is on the bulletin board in his waiting room right now Years ago when we first got our horses, he advised us to have them vaccinated for rabies, too, and we have done so since they are pastured 24/7 and exposed to wild critters.

Might be a slim chance of trouble, but the small price of vaccinations is cheap insurance.

[CherrystoneWeims]

Key to the S Carolina case is the bat. We've always had high incidence of rabies in our bat population here.

[chukarmandoo]

Not to make lite of this but the numbers don't seem add up with the dog from Ohio? Just sayin.

[ezzy333]

Not to make lite of this but the numbers don't seem add up with the dog from Ohio? Just sayin.

What numbers?

Ezzy

[wems2371]

I would be curious for more info on what the vaccination protocol for the owner's location is or what point was the dog in the shot sequence. Was she 13 months past due on a yearly protocol or 13 months past due on an every 3 year protocol? Past due is past due, but if it was a yearly protocol, then that means my every 3 year shot is potentially ineffective.

Edit: deleted out previous quote from chukarmandoo, as I think that was misleading to my curiosity question.

[shags]

In Ohio, rabies vaccs go at 4-6 moths, then one year after that, then every three years.

But who knows whether these owners were slack in vaccinating or not? What difference does it make? The dog had rabies, the bat had rabies, someone died from rabies. The point is to follow recommended protocols to keep our dogs protected.

[wems2371]

I did not dispute following recommended protocols nor did I miss the point. I would like to know if the dog was vaccinated on a yearly basis, for whatever reason, and if that's what it was past due on. I've yet to read anywhere, where the 1 year and 3 year vaccine differentiate in composition, and would be open to knowing if they are. If the dog was on a yearly basis (which can be required in certain regions within my state OR for being even 24 hours late in revaccination in my state), and acquired rabies at 25 months post vaccination, that would leave me wanting to know if there was a failure of the vaccine or what...in regards to protecting my own animals.

[Birddog3412]

I've yet to read anywhere, where the 1 year and 3 year vaccine differentiate in composition, and would be open to knowing if they are.

I am very curious on this also. I have been told there is not a difference???

[BigTub]

My daughter is now a pharmacist specializing in infectious diseases. She did a stint on the reservations here in AZ. Even more so than Bubonic Plague and Haunta Virus, rabies is the one that worried her the most. 100% fatal after symptoms become apparent. A lot of folks resist going to the doctor where she worked and there were tons of dogs that were not vaccinated. Scary stuff. She also mentioned that many bats can bite you and you may not even know it.

[chukarmandoo]

Not to make lite of this but the numbers don't seem add up with the dog from Ohio? Just sayin.

What numbers?

Ezzy

Well the dog was 3 years old, say 36 months. It was past due 13 months. If it only got a shot at 6 months then it would have been 18 months past due. If it got a shot at 18 months then it should have been good to go. Was the shot no good ?

[Hookadooka BirdDogs]

Just shows how fortunate we are to live here in the good ol' USA. In Vietnam, 30,000 people die from rabies every year and in Africa the rate is about one death every 10 minutes from rabies.