There's an article in today's Wichita Eagle on the city's rabies ordinance, comments I've submitted are below. Now is the time for concerned pet owners to give the City Council (http://www.wichita.gov/Government/CityCouncil/ phone: (316) 268-4331) about the city adopting a 3 year protocol.

PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST

City Seeking Vets' Input on Rabies Wichita Eagle 11/15/08 http://www.kansas.com/living/pets/story/597614.html The city of Wichita is asking area veterinarians if it should change its ordinance requiring dogs to be vaccinated yearly against rabies.

Comments I've submitted:

Wichita's rabies ordinance should be based on scientific data, not a poll of the veterinarians who profit from rabies vaccine income. An October 1, 2002 DVM Newsletter article entitled, AVMA, AAHA to Release Vaccine Positions http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=35171 reports "The statement stresses AVMA's stance on education, a reduction in the profession's dependence on vaccine sales, which account for a significant portion of practice income, ….......Veterinarians must promote the value of the exam and move away from their dependence on vaccine income. "

The CDC National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians and the American Veterinary Medical Association both recommend 3 year rabies protocols http://www.nasphv.org/Documents/RabiesCompendium.pdf, and according to veterinary vaccine research scientist, Dr. Ronald Schultz, "There is no benefit from annual rabies vaccination and most one year rabies products are similar or identical to the 3-year products with regard to duration of immunity and effectiveness." What Everyone Needs to Know about Canine Vaccines http://www.puliclub.org/CHF/AKC2007Conf/What%20Everyone%20Needs%20to%20Know%20About%20Canine%20Vaccines.htm

Concerned pet owners should contact the City Council and urge them to adopt a 3 year rabies protocol. For more information on the rabies vaccine, its known duration of immunity, and documented adverse reactions associated with it, see The Rabies Challenge Fund website at www.RabiesChallengeFund.org. To hear a radio interview with veterinary vaccine research scientist Dr. W. Jean Dodds, go to Duration of Immunity: The Rabies Vaccine Challenge - Show #185 Animal Talk Radio Show 7/30/08 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/animaltalknaturally/2008/07/30/Duration-of-Immunity-The-Rabies-Vaccine-Challenge-Show-186

Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association http://www.arkvetmed.org/new.html
RABIES VACCINATIONS
New Recommendations

Recommendations for maintaining adequate pre-exposure immunization status: A routine booster every two years is NOT recommended since the newer cell culture vaccines often confer adequate antibody levels for 5 to 8 years and risk of adverse reactions is increased by frequent boosters. The standard pre-exposure recommendation for veterinarians practicing in an area with enzootic rabies is serologic testing every two years with booster vaccination when the antibody titer falls below the acceptable level, i.e. 1:5 by RFFIT.

Yesterday the Wichita, Kansas City Council voted in a 3 year rabies protocol.

Wichita City Council Overhauls Animal Codes 3/11/09 Wichita Eagle http://www.kansas.com/news/story/728918.html by SUZANNE PEREZ TOBIAS

"? Require rabies vaccinations every three years – instead of every year -- for dogs, cats and ferrets."

Wow!! That's my home town!

Well, your precious ones only have to have a rabies booster once every 3 years! Please tell all your friends in Wichita about the ordinance change – the newspaper buried the announcement in other animal-related information, I'm sure many pet owners in the city don't have a clue that they no longer have to booster every year.

Kris