One year or three year rabies?
 

We have a new vet and so far I'm not impressed. She told us something that I find hard to believe. She said that ther is no difference between a one year and a three year rabies shot. The difference is in the fee. You pay more to the county for the three year. She even said they buy prefilled syringes and use them for both applications. Can this be true? If so why have some of us been worried about our babies getting the three year?

She is correct.
Some companies only change the packaging on the one year and three year vaccines to meet different state requirements.:rolleyes: It works for at least three years. I can't answer the question about your particular county.

I don't know why some people on YT are nervous about the three year vaccine. Perhaps they think it is three times as potent?

If you do get the one year vaccine when they are adults (even if it is really the three year packaged for one year sale), you may have to vaccinate the next year because one year is all that that label said it was good for. Hard telling with some states and companies.

Defensor I and Defensor III are said to be the same with different packaging.

Ellie May, How'd you get so smart!
Thanks for the info!

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooogle ;)

The Wall Street Journal published an article on July 31, 2002, stating:

“One company, Pfizer Inc., …sells the identical (rabies) formula simply packaged under different labels—Defensor 1 and Defensor 3—to satisfy different vaccination requirements. Pfizer decided to test its one-year rabies vaccine on live animals and discovered it lasted for at least three years." :(

Yep, it's true - the 1 yr. and 3 yr. just have different labels. It's a little disturbing somehow, isn't it? :rolleyes:

Wonder when they will label it a LIFETIME :D

YES! It is extremely disturbing:mad: Nobody wants to over vaccinate our animals, and when the law insists on having the Rabies shot current and up to date, how is one able to get around only allowing them to have the shot every 3 years?

Hopefully it will only need to be given every 5-7 years after the Rabies Challenge is finished.:)

Does Cali. law say it has to be given yearly?

Most rabies vaccines have been and are labeled for 3 yr efficacy. Your county laws mandate how often the vaccine has to be given and that is determined by the number of rabies cases reported in your particular county over a certain period of time. Some states may be the same all over but most rabies laws are set by county. The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) set guidelines about 3 years ago that said, do it this way - rabies vaccine today, rabies booster in one year within 3 weeks of first rabies vaccine, then 3 years thereafter, "IF" the vaccine is given within 3 weeks of the 1st anniversary date. If not then the process has to start over. However, a lot of vets could not allow the vaccine be a 3 year rabies because their particular county/state said "Your animal has to be vaccinated every year". I have attended several meetings on this subject and our clinic was one of the first in our area to start this vaccine schedule. It will be hard for a lot of veterinarians to change their ways because of the income so you need to be a step ahead in finding out what your laws are and insisting your vet follow them. If your vet only carries 1 year vaccines insist on getting the 3 yr.

[quote=Ellie May;2464799]Hopefully it will only need to be given every 5-7 years after the Rabies Challenge is finished.:)


Tell me more about this challenge!:confused:

[quote=Lou;2465471]www.rabieschallengefund.org :)

I had read some articles about over vaccinating with the rabies vaccine. I'm thankful my vet understands my concerns with my kids. In one study I read they have found antibodies after seven years. In a community not far from us dogs need to be vaccinated every year and my vet and I both disagree with that. It's just too much. My oldest yorkie, I have opted not to vaccinate anymore and my vet agrees. This protocol with vaccination schedules is so old and needs to be looked at in depth. Hopefully changes can be made.:animal-pa

OMG now this makes sence to me.
Buddy get's the 3yr rabie shot. This past May it was only two years that
had gone by and the vet said that NYS requires dogs to be revacinated
after two yrs even though it is a three yr shot. I went along with it
and he was so sick because he got all the shots in one day. I was so
pissed at the vet. I do know I won't allow this to happen again.
If the shot is for 3yrs than he won't get in in 2yrs ever again no matter
what he say's. I have learned much about these shots on YT and I
am going to have the teter test done this May before putting anything
else into his body. Last year really scared me when he got sick. That
never happened before.
Ellie May, keep educating me.:thumbup:

Unless your vet will write a medical waiver saying that he isn't well enough to be vaccinated for whatever reason (could just be that he reacts to vaccines and that is sufficient for a waiver), it has to be done every 2 years by law in NY. Titers aren't an acceptable replacement for rabies vaccines and if something happens and he isn't UTD, he may get fined and he may get quarantined and a rabies test may need to be done (it is done after euthanasia on brain tissue). All a waiver does is protect you from the fine... Plesae be careful about just skipping it...