Vital Animal News: August 3, 2025
RNA sneaking into animal vaccines / Rabies Masterclass / Major dental success / The canine nose knows / Special sighted animal person and MORE.
Rabies (and FeLV and Dog Flu) vaccines now with RNA tech, free masterclass on rabies coming soon, dental work w/o antibiotics, search dogs post Texas flood, autistic insights in animals, and monsoons. Let’s dig in, shall we?
Rabies Vaccine + RNA Tech
I’ve been hearing fearful stories about mRNA vaccines in vet medicine, so I did an extensive search and lo and behold, it appears Merck has brought a new rabies vaccine to market.
First, The Brag
This one is called Nobivac NXT. It’s now rolling out across North America (including Canada), and is being touted as a revolution in animal health, promising robust immunity with its new “RNA particle technology.”
Advantages listed include:
0.5 ml doses (half of what most vaccines are)
No adjuvants (like the aluminum commonly added to killed vaccines like rabies to create inflammation)
No preservatives (that’s what mercury/thimerosal was primarily used for)
But what does “NXT” really mean for the animals in our care?
Some Deets
First they are slightly different than the mRNA (m = messenger) that we saw with Covid jabs. These are saRNA. (sa = self amplifying), meaning they make more RNA once injected into the animal.
Basically, the “NXT” version’s aim is to have the injected lab-created RNA:
1. produce antigens of the rabies virus (usually surface proteins)…
2. that Sadie’s immune system “sees” as foreigners, and then…
3. Sadie’s defenses create immunity that (hopefully) can fight off the full rabies virus if she ever gets bitten by a rabid skunk, for example.
And, well, that RNA reproduces itself after it’s been injected under your pet’s skin. Ahem.
Yeah. What could go wrong?
I’d urge pet owners and practitioners to pause and scrutinize what we’re being sold.
The Facts
Here’s what we know, and what should give every thinking person pause.
Systemic Exposure Is Inevitable
Merck would like us to believe a subcutaneous injection of this new tech will stay put, stimulate the immune system from where it was injected, and eventually run out of gas and stop amplifying itself.
No matter the intentions of the manufacturer, anything injected under the skin (subcutaneously) will enter the bloodstream. That means this novel RNA—carrying instructions to make viral proteins—can travel throughout the body, reaching every organ, including the brain. To claim otherwise is to ignore basic physiology.
No Long-Term Safety Data
These products are coming to market with only short-term studies—weeks or months at best.
Sound familiar? “Operation Warp Speed” ring any bells?
There are no independent published, peer-reviewed studies on what happens in the long run: Where does the RNA go? How long does it persist? What are the effects of ongoing antigen production in sensitive individuals? The honest answer is, we don’t know.
And guess who did the research that’s currently unavailable to the public?
Intervet, a Dutch pharma company, now part of Merck.
Lessons Unlearned from Human Medicine
The rapid rollout of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in people taught us that novel platforms can have unexpected effects, including the persistence and wide distribution of the spike protein, with real and sometimes serious consequences.
To now repeat this experiment on our pets, without robust, long-term data, is, well, reckless at best.
Transparency and True Informed Consent Are Lacking
Pet owners deserve full disclosure—not marketing gloss or vague reassurances. Until independent, long-term studies are available, you have every right to question, to demand real answers, and to hand out a dose of Vitamin N (NO!).
Ask to See the Label
If your pet is in line for an unavoidable rabies shot, I’d suggest you only allow the old version, specifically the “thimerosal free” version. While that’s unfortunately not a guarantee that there’s zero mercury inside (because “excipients”), it’s likely somewhat safer than this runaway train that has no brakes.
The label I’d suggest soundly rejecting will say very clearly “Nobivac NXT.” If enough consumers and vets say…
No, not till we’ve got long term (*independent*) safety studies!”
…we may save some suffering that we didn’t see coming.
What’s the rush, after all?
Rabies (or dog flu or feline leukemia, both of which Merck is pushing a NXT version of) is hardly running rampant in the West.
Bottom Line
Novel RNA vaccines may have a place in the future of animal medicine, but rolling them out without true long-term safety data is a gamble—one that our animals should not be forced to take. Until more is known, caution is not just reasonable, it’s imperative.
Rabies Masterclass Opening Soon
It’s time once again to dig into rabies and its two nasty forms:
The actual disease, zoonotic and all (meaning animals can give it to humans) and
The disease resulting from over vaccination
(This may be all the more timely with the Nobivac NXT roll out… see above).
This free 4 video course is slated to open for you on 13 August and run until the 19th and each video that rolls out over those days will offer a chance for your comments.
If you’ve ever had concerns about either the natural disease or the one we call “rabies vaccinosis,” you’ll want to mark your calendars and be sure you don’t miss this opportunity.
I can tell you without a doubt, the vaccine for rabies clearly shows the greatest likelihood of side effects.
Common among them:
aggression
fear
seizures
paralysis (often throat —> rear end in progression)
wild appetite for indigestibles
And Part One will reveal what too few know about “the law” and its suspect history.
(You hopefully know already this pet disease is the only one with a vaccination “law” around it. But wait: why the quotes? Find out in Part One…)
Keep an eye out, I’ll alert you when we’re open via email.
Sign up here to be sure you get notice when this opens:
See you there!
22 Teeth Extracted, Zero Antibiotics
Another inspiring experience from my Alpha membership group, where students aren’t shy about helping friends, neighbors, and (human) loved ones.
Because, well, homeopathy in acute situations is easily learned and applicable to all species.
The Chihuahua with Horrible Teeth
Maggie’s friend was headed for major dentistry, as her small dog had horrible breath, reddened gums, and obviously diseased teeth.
Maggie let her know homeopathy can help recovery and, indeed, supplant the need for antibiotics.
Her friend was all ears, so Maggie suggested the remedy hypericum, famous for helping in nerve rich areas that are injured. Classic use: tailbone falls in people and teeth extractions.
And, The Scores Please…
100% recovery! 0% antibiotics!
Boo YAH!
I love stories like this, as we know all too well the damage that antibiotics wreak on gut flora and therefore immunity, a large percentage of which resides in the gut and depends on a richly diverse population of bacteria.
Let’s Dump the Old School Theory
I’ve written more about this, citing veterinary dental experts in this article:
In a nut shell, the old school argument went like this:
When dental work takes place, bleeding often follows
The bleeding means those nasty mouth bacteria get into circulation. Gaa!!
Those nasties will land, minimally in the heart valves, but they could go anywhere
Well, sounded reasonable at the time, but when you read the experts in my article, you’ll see they’ve moved past this. Years ago.
So, you may have to make a stand to avoid them, as it seems most vets have yet to embrace this knowledge (and antibiotics are the #1 most over prescribed drug in both veterinary and human medicine).
And maybe you’ll want to join us when Alpha reopens later this year and learn some acute (veterinary) homeopathy.
Keep an eye on your inbox…
Search Dogs and “Conspiracies”
Dogs lead me to this section but it went further…
The Houston Chronicle’s article shows the amazing work done by the search (and rescue) dogs brought to the Texas Hill Country after record floods killed people and destroyed homes recently.
As it points out, not only were people killed (and their bodies often lost in piles of rubble) but all sorts of wild life died as well.
And the top dogs in this effort can distinguish dead human bodies from those of wildlife!
Amazing.
This is all “nose work,” which some of my patients used to be involved in. As you likely have heard, dogs have remarkably attuned senses of smell.
Then, The Plot Thickened
In my last issue of the VA News, there was a comment from someone who lived in the Kerrville area, and saw the destruction first hand.
Tif57t signed off a thank you note as:
“Kerrville Tx (The town that was swept away on the 3am (that’s right 3am) monstrous floods)”
Arrgh.
“Do you still have a house?” I asked in response.
“Sure do. We have home on top of one of the many Kerrville hills. Looks like it’ll take years to repair River and might add the “first responders” are still finding bodies. Super enormously sad knowing that the rain storm was a “created” event.”
Oh oh. “As in cloud seeding or similar? First I’m hearing of this.”
I’ll let you read Tif’s full response (here) if you’re interested, but it started with, “Yes as in cloud seeding but more deadly. Engineers have advanced light years from original clouding efforts of old.”
She has a link in her comment for those who want to go down that rabbit hole.
The counter argument is here from Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a meteorologist and senior staff researcher at the Columbia Climate School’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness.
A Recent Convert
It’s taken me years to buy the “more than contrails” argument, but I’m finally won over. My conversion actually came a bit before Tif’s comments, when I read RFK Jr. is on it, and I’ve seen enough citizen images of parallel lines crossing and criss crossing skies.
My sticking point for years was: How could thousands of airline pilots all be involved and no one is breaking the silence?
Then I learned it’s not commercial airliners at work up there…
And, it’s another case of “not either/or, but both”:
Contrails exist (I remember them as an amazed kid) and are typically single but so does something more sinister, the multiple trails.
Kind of like: Are we products of our genes or our upbringing?
A: Yes.
I’ll stop here, as we’re focused more on animals, but let’s face it, if “they” (BillyBoy Gates is very involved) are spraying chemicals to block the sun or tweak the weather, that affects us all, regardless of species.
The comments await, if you’re so moved to share your thoughts.
Tasty Tip: A Different Look at Animals
This morning a Substack Note reminded me of a movie about an amazing woman named Temple Grandin, portrayed admirably by Claire Danes:
It’s well worth a read and a hunt to find the movie. I’ve seen it twice.
Temple is an example of a high-functioning autistic person, and, from a young age, she saw the world in images. Some of those pictures involved seeing the fear that cattle experienced in the common slaughter house set ups of her day.
Her redesign ideas have been incorporated widely, resulting in calmer cattle and healthier meat.
She’s still active as an author, public speaker, and consultant and is a professor at Colorado State University. She has a website that includes her speaking schedule and an “Ask Temple” column where visitors can submit questions to her.
Let’s face it: we all see things somewhat differently. It’s part of what makes us interesting as a species. If your different way leads you to help make the world a better place, don’t hesitate to run with it.
Along the Natural Path
It’s a soggy, steady-rain day today, and the trees and plants are happy while the animals and humans just tolerate it.
While Westerners watch the weather closely and prepare for storms with raincoats and umbrellas, the far commoner experience here in India is just “taking it as it comes.”
You see people walking, soaked, down the street, no rain gear at all:
Maybe an umbrella, but that’s not usually helping much…
Or driving their motorcycles through it in street clothes, I guess knowing at the other end, dry clothes and towels await.
I still don a raincoat and rain pants to commute to my little seva office in all but the lightest of showers.
Last night, the skies portended something serious:
But in the end, it was a pretty brief shower and nothing serious.
Truth be told, the monsoons we’re in are typically a relief and rarely seem to cause trouble.
They give respite from the months of ungodly high temperatures that preceded their arrival.
And they are most certainly welcomed by the farmers who’ve recently put their rice crops in.
In other news, a couple more distributions happened, this one at our local free girls’ school.
These girls are remarkable, the handful that I’ve interacted with over the years. Full of smiles and appreciation at the opportunities they’ve been receiving for years now.
Village girls in India are often indentured servants, married off at 13 or even younger. Their chances to advance are nil or close to it. These girls (which you perhaps unknowingly help, when you become a paid subscriber on Substack, enroll in courses or buy things from my site) are decidedly lucky exceptions.
From an early age, they get to attend school, get transportation (or a free bike, depending on age and distance), uniforms, meals, and this day, school supplies and a new backpack all for free.
Some have won India-wide awards for scholarship, making us all smile.
Very few animal shots this time, but here’s one from the banks of the Yamuna river, where we went to cast the ashes of a beloved saint who recently left her earthly pastimes behind.
In the end, regardless of what their handler had in mind (donations, I’d guess), they spooked with a bit too close contact with outstretched hands, and off they went, clattering across the stone steps of the ghat.
Instincts are powerful things…
Until next time, keep an eye out for what’s on offer for your own animals. If there’s a company rep hyping something to your vet (like NXT), the full story is likely not gonna be there.
And don’t forget to keep in close contact with those hairy coats. Lots of beneficial flora awaits, to make your own gut flora and immune system happy.
See you in the Rabies Masterclass!
Will Falconer, DVM
I’m going to push back on your phrase ‘unavoidable rabies shot’. In the same way that I don’t accept ANYONE’s authority to tell me what to put into my body, I refuse to accept any authority when it comes to my pets’ health. Yes, it makes life harder: you have to groom your own dog instead of taking him somewhere. You have to find a holistic vet, which in my case means a much longer drive. I’m fortunate to have found a vet who never brings up the subject of vaccines, including the rabies shot. I know most vets won’t even see your dog unless he’s shot up to the max. Strangely enough I haven’t seen my vet for three years because there’s never anything wrong with my dogs. Could that be because they’ve never had any immune system-destroying shots? Hmm…
I will never again vaccinate my dogs against diseases that have nearly disappeared. Instead, we focus on strong immunity and good food. Just pulling into the vet’s parking lot is trauma enough for them.