The Rabies vaccine is not optional. I am seeing many pet parents fall into the current mindset of “no vaccines” of any kind. This is dangerous thinking.
A very young puppy will be protected for about 12-16 weeks from maternal antibodies of a Healthy mother, but they will not be protected beyond that without vaccination (or homeopathic nosodes). I recommend waiting until at least 6 months for the Rabies vaccine (most state laws allow this) rather than the 12 weeks done by most vets/rescues/breeders.
Remember: never give the Rabies vaccine simultaneously with any other vaccine or procedure. Pay the extra money for an extra vet visit. Separate out by at least 2 weeks from other vaccines.
Your dog will need to be vaccinated at least once . Then titer your dog the next year. And then every 3-5 years after. If your dog has mounted antibodies they are protected. As it relates to the Rabies protection, falling below the threshold means insufficient protection. Unlike a dog who is low on antibodies for parvirus, their body can still mount resistance with low anti-bodies and proper health care. But rabies exposure to an unprotected animal is almost always fatal. Titers that show no or low antibodies for Rabies should be revaccinated.
Rabies is a fatal viral disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals, including humans and dogs. Vaccination is the primary method for preventing rabies. Regular monitoring of rabies antibody levels through titer testing can help ensure ongoing immunity. This document provides an overview of the importance of rabies titer testing, the findings from Ruby’s Challenge, and the USDA’s validation efforts.
Importance of Rabies Titer Testing
Rabies titer testing measures the level of rabies antibodies in the blood, indicating whether an individual has adequate immunity to the virus. This is particularly important for pets and individuals at higher risk of exposure. Here’s why titer testing is valuable:
- Prevention: Ensures that dogs maintain sufficient immunity against rabies.
- Informed Decisions: Helps determine when booster vaccinations are necessary.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Potentially reduces unnecessary vaccinations if antibody levels are adequate.
Let’s talk a little bit about the "challenge:
In cases like parvovirus , your dog may not be “challenged” often by this virus thus allowing their antibody count to lower. But if they are “challenged” by sniffing around the dog park or mailbox down the street, the antibodies will get to work. So my very senior dog who isn’t out in public anymore is likely to be low on parvovirus antibodies. This doesn’t mean I won’t take him into the vets office though.
While the only way to challenge Rabies is through infection of a rabid animal – his age and lifestyle means I still would not offer another Rabies vaccine no matter what the antibodies show. That decision would be must vastly different for a young working dog like Poppy, service dog, therapy dog, etc.
In the case of Rabies, even low anti-bodies are cause for concern.
** Maternal antibodies block the formation of permanent Immunity from any method one uses. Whether it’s synthetic vaccines or Immunity raised by natural means (much better), maternal antibodies block them both from working.** This means given puppies vaccines before material antibodies are no longer present put your dog at much greater risk of overvaccination and vaccinosis injury, etc.