Troy, MI - A small dog was attacked in its own backyard on Tuesday morning by a coyote. On October 3, a Maltese was also attacked by a coyote not far from Tuesday's attack. Officials believe that it is the work of the same coyote.
The dog, a rat terrier, will have to be placed in quarantine at the Oakland County Animal Shelter for a six-month period because the owners were not able to produce a certificate of rabies vaccination.
The extended stay at the animal shelter is expensive - a whopping $28/day. Over the course of 6 months, the owners will be facing a bill in the thousands. Had the owners decided to skip the long quarantine period, the dog would have to be euthanized.
Rabies is a required vaccine that is not to be skipped. The Troy incident is a strong reminder of why it is dangerous (and potentially expensive) to skip this vaccine. If your dog is attacked by a wild animal and you can not provide proof of the dog's vaccination for rabies, your dog will face euthanasia or a long period of quarantine.
If your dog inflicts a bite on a person or to another animal and you can not provide proof of the rabies vaccination, not only will your dog face a long quarantine or euthanasia, but a the bite victim will also suffer.
People that may have been exposed to the rabies virus have to undergo a series of painful shots. Dogs bitten by a suspected rabies carrier have to be quarantined or euthanized.
Bottom line, dog owners must take precautions against the deadly rabies virus. Dog owners can obtain a 1 year or 3 year rabies vaccine for their dog. It is important to keep proof of the vaccination on hand in the event of a bite incident. Simply put, the consequences of skipping this vaccine are far too severe - make sure that your dog is up to date.
Examiner Note: A reader emailed me yesterday to let me know that she had received the rabies shots after a suspected exposure to the deadly virus. She wanted me to let readers know that the shots are bearable and that nobody should avoid getting them (out of fear) if they suspect that they may have been exposed to rabies.
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Comments
I do believe if you double check your information, that the rabies shot....1 or 3 years is the same shot. There is a lot of misinformation out there right now. If you trust your Vet, ask them about this misnomer. Please.....over-vacinating your pets is Not necessary. Go to the American Vet Assoc. website and check out the facts. Of course, unfortunately some states have not stepped up and revised their policies.
I absolutely agree that there is misinformation with regards to vaccinations - however, in light of the severe consequences of skipping the rabies vaccine, it is my opinion that it's not worth the risk....
So basically the dog will be euthanized. How did they even find out that it was a coyote? My guess is that they didn't vaccinate their dog probably because they couldn't afford it so they likely will not be able to afford to quar. the dog.
According to Oakland County news the owners chose to have their dog quarantined for six months rather than the alternative.
I didn't mean to infer that people not vaccinate for rabies. I think you should! It's just that some Vets are asking their clients if they want the 3 year shot, or the 1 year shot and they're both the same dose! I'm not talking about puppies. I'm talking about adult dogs. I am of the opinion that it's actually unethical to spread this kind of information. A LOT of people are changing the way they inoculate their pets, and I'm one of them. Just google the information and see what you come up with. Why would you have a rabies shot every year if they're good for 3 years?????
Both of my dogs are on the 3 year rabies shot schedule. That was after the initial 1 year shot when I adopted each of them. I feel for the owners of the dog that was attacked. I'm sure they wish they had chosen to have the rabies vaccination now.
Factoid: Worldwide, 30,000 humans die each year of rabies. While typically not infected by the family pet, why chance it? Part of being a responsible dog owner is being able to afford to have it...Spay, neuter, and get the rabies vaccine.
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