Rabies Vaccination Study -- Stunning news!

[WitchyWoman]

In a nutshell the clinical study shows that pets who are not up-to-date on rabies vaccine mount an adequate and perhaps higher response to exposure than those that are up to date which means no boosters are required. We can only hope that the study results can help change legislation requiring repeated rabies vaccinations. Of course, there will be opposition from those who make money manufacturing and administering the vaccine.

Here's the link to clinical study http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/pdf/10.2460/javma.246.2.205

Here's a link to easy to understand analysis of study http://vitalanimal.com/rabies-titer...-86233117&mc_cid=c67fba9e34&mc_eid=318f143f62

 

[SV Dad]

Interesting. The study has a small sample size, but it certainly begs for a larger sample study to confirm and duplicate the preliminary findings. A lot of unnecessary owner expenses is on the line here.
Bad news..... a lot of influence money will be tossed around to sh*tcan legislation for change.

 

[Patti]

Just to clarify, because I think I misread your original statement - this study showed that dogs and cats that are overdue for their rabies vaccines mount an adequate response within days after they have been given a rabies booster, even if their baseline titer was inadequate. Of the 12 animals that had been exposed, or suspected of being exposed to rabies, none of them died after receiving a booster immediately after their exposure. Some outdated animals still had good titers, but that seemed pretty inconsistent just looking at the raw data. Also, although there were a couple of animals 40+ months late on their boosters, the majority were within a three year period since their last exposure, so this does not address really long term data, since many of the rabies are now recommended to be given only every three years.

I would like to see this study extended, e.g., to 5 years or 10 years, or even to vaccine naive (have never received a rabies vaccine) animals to see if they have as vigorous response. However, this study is definitely encouraging and it sounds like the recommendation for rabies exposure now is immediate booster and observation for 45 days, rather than euthanasia which has been the traditional response in the past.