Canine Rabies Going, Going, Gone?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the canine rabies virus no longer exists in the United States. But don't throw out your dog's rabies tags just yet. While a dog cannot transmit rabies to another dog, the deadly, untreatable virus can still be found among raccoons, skunks and bats, who in turn can infect dogs with rabies.

Sound confusing? I'll say. I was hoping this news meant we'd no longer have to vaccinate our dogs for rabies period. There has been a lot of discussion about the possible harm of overvaccinating our pets. Some of my friends choose to blood titer to determine if their dogs have enough of the protective vaccine in their system rather than automatically get the annual (or in some cases, three-year) rabies shot. Titering is more expensive, but why add more chemicals to my dog's bloodstream if he doesn't need them? For more info on overvaccinating and an important future rabies study headed by Jean Dodds, D.V.M., check out Rabies Challenge Fund.   

Julia Kamysz Lane