[Ellie May]

I would not worry too much. My vet has been in practice for fifteen plus years and reallllllllly has to think to remember any serious rabies reactions. But if an owner is concerned, she will premed with Benadryl and/or have the client wait around for a bit afterwards. Lepto is by far more problematic for vets here.

Whether you decide to vaccinate, titer, skip vaccination and risk it...that's up to each owner. Unless there are serious medical issues making vaccination really risky, I will always choose to do it. After being around the sawing off of the head procedure (for testing), it can sway one's thoughts on this permanently... This is not something I could ever have my kids go through. And after hearing a vet tell the owner of an unvaccinated cat with possible bite marks that cat needs to spend six months confined to one room with only one point of contact...it makes me feel even better about vaccinating my pups. And to think about the fact that it is not only bites that rabies can be transferred by, but also scratches..and theoretically old saliva in the grass coming in contact with a pup's cut or scrape...not worth it to us. And besides, our pups go with us to see family. They live in an old house and they have seen a couple bats before...now the problem is fixed. But who knows... And who knows if mice have found an access point into their homes... Then there is the fact that if you go to a new vet or ER that does not know your pups, they are more likely to be muzzled and handled firmly for technician safety.

We will do a medical waiver only if the pup requires it.
We don't spend money on titers because they likely mean nothing to authorities,
As for distemper and parvo titers..we used to do them. Then I ignored the results, so no point for us.. Besides it is technially not what titers are meant for anyway.

I really feel for the people that live in areas where this vaccine is required yearly. That would make me uneasy and it is medically unnecessary.