The USDA has quietly approved an experimental new class of injections for dogs and cats — sold as routine vaccines, but relying on self-amplifying genetic technology that brings mRNA directly into our homes, our pets, and potentially our bodies — without public knowledge or consent. As Merck’s Nobivac NXT shots roll out for rabies, flu, and feline leukemia, critics warn: this is the normalization of genetic intervention in household pets, with zero long-term safety data and no informed consent. Your furry family member could become a silent vector — are you ready for the consequences?
Not Your Old Rabies Shot – A Revolutionary and Controversial Platform
According to Merck’s own promotional language, Nobivac NXT is no conventional inactivated or attenuated vaccine. It is marketed as a platform technology designed to instruct cells to produce specific antigens internally.
At its core is self-amplifying mRNA (saRNA or samRNA) — a technology critics argue behaves very differently from traditional vaccines. It is designed to replicate itself inside the body, theoretically boosting protein production with smaller doses. Proponents call it efficient “next-generation innovation.” Skeptics call it dangerous: harder to control, harder to stop, and harder to predict long-term effects.
“These are not one-and-done injections,” claims one independent researcher familiar with mRNA platforms. “The real concern is persistence — how long it lasts, where it goes, and what it does over time.”
🚨The USDA Approved EXTREMELY Dangerous Self-Amplifying mRNA Injections For Dogs & Cats: Nobivac NXT by MerckVeterinarians are actively administering these experimental shots for rabies, flu & FLV.Injected pets are likely shedding samRNA onto humans across the country. https://t.co/DwUSxeRyS4 pic.twitter.com/yKsheHU01A— Nicolas Hulscher, MPH (@NicHulscher) December 29, 2025
Shedding: The Question Regulators Refuse to Answer
One of the most explosive claims circulating online is that pets injected with saRNA-based products could shed biological material — potentially affecting humans, especially children, the immunocompromised, or pregnant women.
“If shedding is impossible,” one critic asks, “why not publish comprehensive, third-party studies proving it?” Many veterinarians reportedly do not fully understand the underlying technology they administer, often telling owners it’s “just like traditional vaccines” — with no mention of genetic platforms, self-amplification, or novel risks.
A Slippery Slope Straight Into Your Home
Dogs and cats are not livestock. They sleep in our beds. They lick our faces. They live inches from infants and toddlers. That intimacy is exactly why veterinary biotech demands far more scrutiny — not less.
This isn’t just about animal health. It’s about how experimental technologies are quietly creeping closer to the human household — one injection at a time.
Latest Real Update on This Developing Story (as of December 2025)
In mid-December 2025, fact-checkers addressed viral videos claiming severe risks from the Nobivac NXT rabies vaccine, noting that while Merck uses self-amplifying RNA particle technology in several Nobivac NXT products (including canine flu and feline leukemia), the rabies version is not yet commercially available in the US due to contractual issues — though it launched earlier in Canada. Veterinarians emphasize thorough USDA testing and fewer adverse reactions compared to conventional vaccines. However, critics continue to highlight the absence of long-term independent studies on persistence and shedding. Read the full fact-check here: AFP Fact Check - Videos mislead on risks of RNA rabies vaccine for pets.
Sources & Further Reading
- Original discussion thread: Nicolas Hulscher on X (Twitter)
- Merck Animal Health official page: Nobivac NXT Platform
- USDA approval announcement (Canine Flu example): Merck Press Release