Rabies Challenge Fund - Matching Donations!!

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http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/


Starting on May 1st for the next 6 months, any donation of $100 or more, up to a  total of $20,000. will be equally matched by a very generous anonymous donor  Please take advantage of this offer to double your contribution.

Message from Dr. Jean Dodds, Co-trustee

The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust will  determine the duration of immunity conveyed by rabies vaccine. The goal is to  extend the required interval for rabies boosters to 5 and then to 7 years. This project depends primarily upon grassroots gifts for funding the costs of conducting the requisite vaccine trials. Our contributions to date have come mostly from kennel clubs and private individuals.  The Challenge fund is a federally registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization [Fed. EIN # 84-6390682].  Our costs to begin the first year of the study are $177,000; to date we have raised close to $94,000. This vaccine trial cannot begin without funding for the first year.The Rabies Challenge Fund needs to raise a total of $1.5 million to complete the 5 and 7 year challenge studies, the adjuvant study, and to establish  the vaccine adverse reaction reporting system.  With your help this can be accomplished.

This vaccine research project to address the duration of immunity actually conveyed by rabies vaccine will be performed by Dr. Ronald Schultz, Chairman of Pathobiology at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine.The second phase of the project will finance a study of the adjuvants used in veterinary vaccines, and establish a federal adverse reaction reporting system for rabies and other vaccines.

The University of Wisconsin will donate all of the necessary overhead costs for these studies which normally amount to 48% of the direct research costs. Furthermore, Dr. Schultz, the Principal Investigator, has volunteered his time in conducting the research. My staff at Hemopet  are donating their efforts as well. The only monies used from the pre-grant funds were IRS fees associated with applying for non-profit status. All other monies donated to The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust will go directly to funding these studies.

The Rabies Challenge Fund needs to raise a total of $1.5 million to complete the 5 and 7 year challenge studies, the adjuvant study, and to establish  the vaccine adverse reaction reporting system.  With your help this can be accomplished.

Jean




  **The rabies vaccine is known to cause personality changes in dogs.  Friendly dogs become unsociable and aggressive.  The loving friendly dog can change. Any extension of time between this vaccine would be a great benefit to our companions.   Please consider donating, especially during this 6 months when funds will be matched (100 dollar or more donations, consider getting a few dog lovers to pool your money and submit as one to make that $100 really count)

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http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/page4.html


Why Challenge Current Rabies Vaccine Policy?

Rabies vaccination is required by law in nearly all areas. Even though protection from rabies is documented to last at least three years, current law in some states or areas still requires that boosters be given annually or biannually rather than the standard policy of every three years. However, vaccination against rabies virus is occasionally associated with debilitating adverse effects.

Scientific data indicate that vaccinating dogs against rabies every three years, as most states require, is unnecessary. Studies have shown the duration of protective immunity as measured by serum antibody titers against rabies virus to persist for seven years post-vaccination. By validating the 'true' life of rabies virus immunity and moving to five and hopefully seven years, we will decrease the risk of adverse reactions in our animals and minimize their repeated exposure to foreign substances.

Killed vaccines like those for rabies virus can trigger immediate and delayed adverse vaccine reactions (termed "vaccinosis")  While there may be immediate hypersensitivity reactions, other acute events tend to occur 24-72 hours afterwards, or up to 45 days later in the case of delayed reactions. Reactions that have been documented include:

    * Behavior changes such as aggression and separation anxiety
    * Obsessive behavior,self-mutilation, tail chewing       
    * Pica - eating wood, stones, earth, stool
    * Destructive behavior, shredding bedding
    * Seizures, epilepsy
    * Fibrosarcomas at injection site
    * Autoimmune diseases such as those affecting bone marrow and blood cells, joints, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel, and central nervous system.
    * Muscular weakness and or atrophy
    * Chronic digestive problems


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv42loxOf6M