# Antivaxers are now advocating for not giving rabies vaccines because it shortens the life and causes autism...in dogs **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 7, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979 "2024-04-07T19:06:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/1 "2024-04-07T19:06:51Z")
I don’t even know what to say… > **[Some pet owners are advocating against rabies vaccines. Here's why rabies is...](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/04/07/pets-rabies-vaccine-animals/73039309007/)** > > Hesitancy around vaccines has spilled over to pet owners, sparking concern about the resurgence of rabies, a virus that's nearly always fatal. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/2 "2024-04-07T19:23:31Z")
How do you know when a dog is autistic? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/3 "2024-04-07T19:25:43Z")
Put the antivaxer in a room with a rabid dog. Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/4 "2024-04-07T19:29:08Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > How do you know when a dog is autistic? The burst of laughter that I belted out after reading this. I really don’t know. These people are dangerously silly. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/5 "2024-04-07T19:29:54Z")
Wait! That’s NOT an Onion article? ---
**Author:** ![brasstacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d26b3c/32.png) [@brasstacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brasstacks)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/6 "2024-04-07T19:30:38Z")
Yeah that’s strange. I’ve heard dogs can have down syndrome too. I wonder if they can have things like callous unemotionality. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/7 "2024-04-07T19:31:04Z")
Most of them are non-verbal ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/8 "2024-04-07T19:38:56Z")
Yeah, I daresay every dog is on the spectrum. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/9 "2024-04-07T19:39:07Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Most of them are non-verbal - A few are barking mad. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/10 "2024-04-07T19:46:16Z")
I had a dog with neurological damage. Vet loudly laughed when I asked “Downs Syndrome?” My dogs problems were probably caused by bad breeding practices and/or premature birth. I loved her without any reservation. She had all her vaccines on a regular schedule. And lived way way past what the Vets thought she would. Like years longer. Rabies is not something to play with. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/11 "2024-04-07T19:50:46Z")
Seems a good solution to me. Rabies is super scary. Way more scary than an autistic dog (whatever that is if it’s even a thing). And all of my dogs in my life have had all their vaccine shots (including rabies, of course, which is legally required where I live). They all lived completely normal lifespans to old dog age. Anecdotal but I bet there are stats on this and/or vets would be talking about it if it were otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/12 "2024-04-07T19:51:19Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I loved her without any reservation. Yup. We take care of them no matter what. When you sign up for a job you do it. And they in turn love you back. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/13 "2024-04-07T19:55:56Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > How do you know when a dog is autistic? In all seriousness, I suspect that my mom’s dog is autistic. Surely, it’s a condition that would show up in all social animals. That said, it’s hard enough to be sure even with humans. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/14 "2024-04-07T19:58:02Z")
@running_coach > [@](#): > > Put the antivaxer in a room with a rabid dog. Problem solved. This. If you don’t vaccinate your pets for rabies, talk to your insurance agent about increasing your liability coverage. Because, boy howdy, are you gonna get sued! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/15 "2024-04-07T20:25:23Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Anecdotal but I bet there are stats on this Oh sure, you’re going to trust stats from Big Pharma?!? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/16 "2024-04-07T20:29:23Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > > > Anecdotal but I bet there are stats on this > > Oh sure, you’re going to trust stats from Big Pharma?!? - Better than stats from Big Bite. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/17 "2024-04-07T20:45:01Z")
Exactly. I was bitten by an unvaccinated dog. Owner could not provide any doc that said his dog was vaccinated. He got billed for the shots and medical care/therapy I received. (Were not cheap) I doubt he had homeowners insurance on his shack. I don’t know what happened. And don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/18 "2024-04-07T20:51:56Z")
How painful were the anti-rabies shots? I thought they were famous for being painful. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/19 "2024-04-07T20:54:11Z")
Horrible. Immediate cramps after the injection. As a lifelong diabetic I’m not afraid of needles. These were disarmingly awful. Stay away from rabid animals and unvaccinated pets. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2024, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979/20 "2024-04-07T21:04:40Z")
[Can Animals Have Down Syndrome? Inside The Truth Behind This Popular Internet Content](https://allthatsinteresting.com/animals-with-down-syndrome) Despite what has been said on the internet, humans are the only creatures to have Down’s Syndrome (trisomy 21). Some apes have been found to have somewhat similar genetic defects (trisomy 22) causing them similar facial changes and heart defects. And vaccinate your pets, people. Rabies shots are both fewer and less painful than they used to be. But pain severity is often related to just where the injection site is on the body, which depends on the bite site. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivaxers-are-now-advocating-for-not-giving-rabies-vaccines-because-it-shortens-the-life-and-causes-autism-in-dogs/999979.md?page=2)