Understanding the link between individual chronic diseases and the rabies vaccine involves what homeopathic physician Samuel Hahnemann called a ‘miasm’.
The miasm is an underlying disease, like the part of the iceberg lurking beneath the water’s surface. You can see and deal with the tip of the iceberg — in this case, individual disease symptoms — but the iceberg’s essence (the miasm) is submerged, unreachable and deadly.
“Clinically,” says Dr. Richard Pitcairn, “you see certain symptoms. A miasm is a chronic disturbance unrecognized except as it’s manifested by acute flareups of what seem to be individual diseases.”
“What I’ve seen happen is, after vaccination, dogs develop what we call the ‘rabies miasm’, where they become more aggressive, more likely to bite, more nervous and suspicious,” notes Dr. Pitcairn. “They may also have a tendency to run away, to wander, and also sometimes to have excessive saliva, and to tear things up. It’s not that they have rabies, but they seem to express some symptoms of the disease from exposure to the vaccine.”
The symptoms of rabies miasm suggest that it’s much more commmon than you might suspect.
Rabies Miasm Symptoms
- Hypersensitivity of all senses
- Rage, agitation, violence, ferocity, sudden attacks, unprovoked attacks
- Irrational fears, timidity, suspicions
- Inappropriate responses to water – either extreme fear or great desire
- Obsessive/compulsive behaviors – tail chasing, fly biting, chasing balls
- Excessive focal licking
- Excessive sexual drives
- Sensitivity to close places or tight clothing/collars
- Sensitivity and over-reaction to noise
- Frequent or spasmodic sneezing
- Spasms in the jaws
- Choking, gagging, or coughing when swallowing liquids
- Reverse sneezing, Laryngeal spasms
- Involuntary urination
- Constant or unwarranted erections, even in neutered males
- Excessive licking of genitalia
- Sensation of flea bites, violent itching with no obvious causation
- Convulsions especially from the sight of running water or of shiny objects
- Aimless wandering and vocalization
The Half Miasm
What’s remarkable about the rabies miasm is that it is what is called a ‘half miasm’. This means it’s a chronic disease that develops slowly over time, but the manifestation of symptoms is subtle. This is important to note because it means that the symptoms of rabies miasm can take months or even years to develop. The symptoms can range from a dog who might bark at the garden hose to a dog who suffers from seizures.
“It is not necessarily that the diseases are caused by the vaccine,” notes Dr. Dee Blanco. “There are weaknesses inherent in all of us, either from our environment or acquired or inherited tendencies. If you have a family line of diabetes or hip dysplasia or whatever your weak area is, the vaccine will essentially exacerbate the weakness and the animal becomes symptomatic. I think the immune system is finite, and overloading it [with too many vaccinations] is really hard on the system. The immune system says to itself, ‘These rabies or other viruses in my body are a life-threatening illness — I must deal with this,’ but there isn’t enough energy to also keep everything in balance. Therefore, the weaknesses are expressed.”
Rabies Miasm Remedies
Many dog owners and vets are quick to use Thuja to treat rabies miasm (or to mistakenly prevent it), but there are many different remedies that deal with rabies miasm. The principle remedies for rabies miasm and their indications include:
BELLADONNA
- Great intensity of symptoms;
- Fever, delirium, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis);
- Convulsions and twitches;
- Fear of imaginary things, wants to run away from them. De.sire to escape or hide herself;
- Aversion to noise. Starts in fright at approach of others;
- Desires indigestible things;
- Congested face, wild staring look, pupils dilated; sensitiveness
to sunlight or shining things; sore throat; - Spasms of throat; hoarse, barking voice; inability to swallow;
oppression; anxiety; hallucinations; - Biting and snapping.
CANTHARIS
- Fear of water and shining objects;
- Hydrophobia;
- Rage with crying, howling, barking. Frenzy, violence;
- Sudden stupor;
- Burning pains, violent inflammation;
- Oversensitive of all parts;
- Inflammation with excessive burning in throat. Unable to
swallow liquids; - Violent spasms when touch larynx;
- Excessive sexual desire;
- Tetanic spasms.
HYOSCYAMUS
- Suspicious, shameless, lascivious behavior, high sex drive;
- Convulsions, twitching;
- Fear, aversion to water, mania, delirium;
- Difficulty swallowing;
- Encephalitis;
- Grimaces;
- Gestures, picks at bed clothes.
LACHESIS
- Intense, aggressive, talkative, delusions, anxiety;
- Difficulty swallowing;
- Sensitive to touch, pressure, can’t tolerate tight clothing;
- Discoloration blue/purple;
- Sleeps into aggravation;
- In the worst state of the developed disease, it may be better
than any other remedy (Hering).
LYSSIN (Hydrophobinum)
- Compulsive, violent, raging, aggressive, biting, destructive;
- Insanity;
- Fear of running water, shiny objects;
- Over sensitive senses;
- Mania, erotic insanity;
- Inclination to swallow, which is difficult;
- Increased salivation;
- Twitching;
- Bluish discoloration of wounds;
- The sight or sound of running water or pouring water aggra.vates all complaints.
STRAMONIUM
- Great violence, rage, fear, delirium;
- Shrieking, destruction, spasms and convulsions;
- Epilepsy aggravated by light or other shiny objects;
- Spasm on swallowing, constriction of throat;
- Fear of imaginary objects;
- Great restlessness with screaming;
- Delusions, psychosis;
- Aversion to water.
Interestingly, nearly all of these remedies are effective for treating seizures as well. The hallmark of most rabies miasm symptoms is behavioral.
Although there’s a definite relationship between rabies miasm and rabies vaccination, the virus itself may not be necessarily to blame. “Vaccine products may contain artificial colors, antibiotics, aluminum, formaldehyde, BHA, and BHT, in addition to the viral antigen,” notes Dr Donna Starita Mehan. “Syncytial viruses inadvertently grown on the same media may also be included as contaminants.”
“Those of us in alternative therapy feel strongly that there are such problems, but that is based on in-the-field observation,” notes Carolyn Blakey DVM “The drug manufacturers and most non-alternative veterinarians deny that, because the reactions are delayed — quite delayed, frequently. So they say, ‘Where’s the proof that the vaccine did it?’ And they have a valid point, of course. But once in a while, often enough that you can put your finger on it, within a few days or a month [after vaccination], you can correlate a deterioration in the animal’s health.”
“You take healthy animals and often very quickly after you vaccinate, you can see simple things like itching of the skin or excessive licking of the paws, sometimes even with no eruptions and licking of the air.” says Dr Blanco. “We see a lot of epilepsy, often after a rabies vaccination. Or dogs or cats can become aggressive for several days. Frequently, you’ll see urinary tract infections in cats, often within three months after their vaccination. If you step back, open your mind and heart, you’ll start to see patterns of illness post-vaccination.”
“When the dog owners who took part in the CHC survey reported that their dogs developed short attention spans, 73.1% of the dogs did so within three months of a vaccine event.” says Catherine O’Driscoll. “The same percentage of dogs was diagnosed with epilepsy within three months of a shot (but usually within days). We also found that 72.5% of dogs that were considered by their owners to be nervous and of a worrying disposition, first exhibited these traits within the three-month post-vaccination period.”
Vaccinations are also only one in a constellation of factors that may affect an animal’s health, holistic practitioners emphasize. “I don’t want to imply that [vaccination] is the whole cause,” cautioned Dr Pitcairn. “More, it aggravates or makes [an existing condition] worse. Maybe there is an inherited tendency toward allergies, and then along comes the vaccine, or several together. And it’s too much.”
It’s important to pay attention to your pet and watch for any signs of rabies miasm. Whether they’re subtle or more obvious, addressing these issues with homeopathy will help to treat not only the obvious symptoms, but may prevent more sinister symptoms from appearing in the future.
If your dog suffers from seizures, it’s especially important to consider rabies miasm as a cause and to consult with a qualified homeopath or homeopathic vet. Homeopathy can have a significant impact on your dog’s mental and physical health.