# Why do some states require yearly or three year rabies...



## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

... When studies by the manufacturer show they last at least seven years (prob. life)? More shots doesn't equal more immunity.

I am lucky to live in a 'no vaccine required' area!!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

They do it to make money. The more often people are legally required to get Rabies shots, the more money they make. Thats the only reason.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

We live in a 3 year area. Around here I think it's also to make sure people bother to even get it done. We have a lot of clinics where you can take your dog and get the shot for $10. We have so much rabies in our area (with fox in particular this year) that I think they figure if they say every 3 years, then maybe people will at least show up once and get it done. 

I have actually had a rabid fox caught by animal control just a few hundred feet from my house last year. It had a den of pups and had bitten someone already. So I go ahead and get the 3 year vaccine for my dogs. I'm not sure why we have such a problem with them in our area. We just had one attack a little old lady and her dog in the middle of the suburbs. And that's not even counting the raccoons. 

I can't wait to leave this state!!


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

I've always thought the SE states were bad- NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, etc. In Alberta there is around 4 reported cases of rabies in wildlife or less per year so I'm not too worried up here!


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Caty M said:


> I've always thought the SE states were bad- NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, etc. In Alberta there is around 4 reported cases of rabies in wildlife or less per year so I'm not too worried up here!


I agree, even here in Indiana you don't hear about rabies like I did when I was in Texas. We didn't send animals off to get tested, but I remember several occasions where skunks/racooons came around in the daytime and we shot them. I never told the authorities because I was afraid they would quarantine my dogs.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Though it can be bad in Canada too, mostly Manitoba and Ontario, I think. Alberta is pretty cold and arid and we are right next to the mountains. MB and ON are a lot more humid, which might have something to do with it!! 

I don't remember Texas being bad but then I was nine years old and was much more concerned with collecting Beanie Babies than dog food and rabies bylaws!! :wink:


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

Here In Illinois we can choose either one year or three year. I go for the three year. We have coyote and foxes and deer with lyme disease and for us its Law, so we have to get the rabies shots. Well today Roxi goes for her three year one.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

Some states are just worse than others for instance NC is pretty bad imo. here is a 2010 report of cases known.
http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/rabies/pdf/2010 rabies cases.pdf

Don't get me wrong, i know that there is a vaccine test going on right now that will hopefully show a 7 year immunity, but in regards to why, frequency, and $$cash$$ IMO. :tongue1:


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Tobi said:


> Some states are just worse than others for instance NC is pretty bad imo. here is a 2010 report of cases known.
> http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/rabies/pdf/2010 rabies cases.pdf
> 
> Don't get me wrong, i know that there is a vaccine test going on right now that will hopefully show a 7 year immunity, but in regards to why, frequency, and $$cash$$ IMO. :tongue1:


That's an interesting chart. The two most populated counties have the highest incidence of rabies and you assume that is because they have had the most people exposed so therefore have had the most animals tested. If there were approximately 400 cases positive cases of rabies in our state last year that were actually tested because of potential human or pet animal exposure, you have to wonder what the actual number of cases there were in the wild. It's kind of a scary figure.


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## nikkiluvsu15 (Jun 9, 2010)

Its 3-year here. There was a rabies outbreak of Fox in my town and the scary thing is that we have a couple foxes that live in our woods - one was hit by a car a few months ago  Poor guy - he was gorgeous and they weren't able to do a rabies test on him either (can't remember why).


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## runwiththewind (Aug 19, 2011)

Rabies Challenge Fund's goal is to extend the rabies boosters to 5 and then to 7 years. 
http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/

Dr. Jean Dodds, Dr. Kris Christine & Dr. Ronald Schultz are working on this project.

I agree with DaneMama - it only makes money for the Vets and your County.

Dr. Karen Becker states: NATURAL PET ANIMAL HOSPITAL

"Rabies vaccine is required by law. Because the 3 year and 1 year rabies vaccine are identical, we recommend your pets only have the 3 year product to avoid unnecessary repetition".


I was told by one Vet, when she asked Schering, who makes one of the rabies vaccines, that the 1 year and 3 year vaccine is not the same one with a different label. By looking at the 2 vaccines, they are a different color - the 3 year is darker than the 1 year. Schering tech services said the 3 year is tested to cover the full 3 years, whereas the 1 year is not.

Maybe ask your Vet who the manufacturer is & is the 1 year the same as the 3 year.


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## runwiththewind (Aug 19, 2011)

I forgot to mention a dog with cancer isn't required to have a rabies vaccination. You can get a note from your Vet and send it off to your County. At least that's how it works in Florida.


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## schtuffy (May 17, 2010)

It's 3 years here in Maryland, but I wouldn't have known that if I didn't do research. And I mean I had to _dig_. It's really obscure and hard to find in the state law. Many clinics here are sneaky, and give you a rabies certificate with a 1-year expiration even though the state only requires 3! This way you have to go back and renew or you won't have a valid state license without a valid certificate. Frankly, it makes me wish I never registered my dog in the state :yuck:


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

runwiththewind said:


> Rabies Challenge Fund's goal is to extend the rabies boosters to 5 and then to 7 years.
> http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/
> 
> Dr. Jean Dodds, Dr. Kris Christine & Dr. Ronald Schultz are working on this project.
> ...


I couldn't remember who was working on it!! thank you for the link!


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## runwiththewind (Aug 19, 2011)

You're welcome Tobi.

Per Dr. Kris Christine (Rabies Challenge Fund)

The USDA allows vaccine manufacturers to relabel their 3 year rabies vaccines as 1 year products. This link Welcome to Calm Animal Care: Traditional and Complementary Pet Care , you will be taken to the Calm Animal Care website, which has posted Colorado State University's Small Animal Vaccination Protocol for its veterinary teaching hospital, which states:"Even with rabies vaccines, the label may be misleading in that a three year duration of immunity product may also be labeled and sold as a one year duration of immunity product."

States consider controlling rabies vaccination intervals - VIN

http://veterinarycalendar.dvm360.com/av ... ail/562405


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## runwiththewind (Aug 19, 2011)

Sophie - This is a list of Rabies Laws In The US.

RABIES LAWS IN THE UNITED STATES as of 6/16/10


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## losul (Oct 13, 2012)

The last vet i saw readily admitted to me that they used 1 year and the 3 year vaccine was exactly the same thing, same dosage and everything. The only difference was the price.


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