Fewer and fewer four-legged friends vaccinated? Insane fear of "canine autism" is dangerous!

Boston - This skepticism can have bitter repercussions for beloved four-legged friends! A new study from the USA says that a shocking 37 percent of dog owners don't want to have their pets vaccinated because they are afraid that their dog could develop a type of autism as a result.

In the USA, vaccination fears have grown in recent years.
In the USA, vaccination fears have grown in recent years.  © 123RF/nenovbrothers

The coronavirus pandemic has led to an increase in conspiracy theorists, and not just in Germany. In North America in particular, anti-vaccination activists are more vocal than ever.

Particularly bitter: the effects of this could now apparently also be felt by animals. A study recently published in Vaccine magazine states that 37% of US dog owners fear that certain vaccinations could cause autism. However, there is no scientific evidence for this!

In the USA, 45 percent of all households have a dog. According to the study, more than 50 percent of these owners have certain concerns when it comes to vaccinations. It can be problematic - if not dangerous - if you don't actually have your dog vaccinated.

"If non-vaccination becomes more common, our pets, veterinarians and even our friends and family run the risk of coming into contact with vaccine-preventable diseases," explained study author Matt Motta from Boston University in a press release.

Fortunately, the fear of vaccination does not seem to be quite so widespread in Germany. (symbolic photo)
ContentImage.Description   © dpa | Uwe Anspach

Why you should definitely vaccinate dogs

Every year, almost 60,000 people worldwide die from rabies transmitted by dogs. This number could explode if fewer and fewer four-legged friends are vaccinated.

"When an employee is bitten by an animal, there is always fear of infection or trauma, but the seriousness of the situation escalates if the animal is unvaccinated or overdue for rabies vaccination," said co-author Gabriella Motta.

She emphasized: "With any drug, treatment or vaccine, there is always a risk of adverse effects, but the risk with the rabies vaccine is quite low - especially compared to the risk of rabies infection, which is almost 100 percent fatal."