Would it harm a dog to get a rabies vaccination before the next one is scheduled?

Question

Like if someone doesn't know for sure when the dog's last vaccination was, although there's a good chance it may have been within the past year or so, such as with a rescue.

Answer 1

No, there is no harm in giving the vaccine early.

Vets use the exact same serum for a 1 year and a 3 year rabies vaccine. Owners assume since the 3 year 'lasts' longer that there is more serum, that is not the case.

The rabies vax hardly ever causes vaccine reactions - in my opinion- it is the safest (lepto and lyme are notorious for reactions), but I would be sure to schedule the vax appointment in the morning or early afternoon just so you can be assured your veterinarian will still be open if your dog does react.

Answer 2

Most vets have all the records on the computer and there is no excuse for them not knowing this dog had already been vaccinated. Rabies vaccine is killed virus so getting vaccinated is not going to give your dog rabies. The only problem would be reaction to the vaccinations. Check with the vet to make sure the dog got the three year rabies. don't just assume that is what they used. The law states that if the dog gets the one year rabies, it will need another before the year is out and if you don't get another, then the next rabies will also have to be a year vaccination. Silly as it seems, that is the law in the US They can only use the three year rabies if given before the one year rabies runs out.

Answer 3

No, not usually. It is becoming a belief that many of our dogs' health problems stem from too many vaccinations. We see many more cases of auto-immune problems than ever before and not all of it can be contributed to genetics.

You can have titer tests done to determine if a dog is in need of a vaccination for one or more diseases but since the law requires the rabies vaccination, do it and then keep the dog on a schedule for boosters.

I do all vaccinations once every three years. If, where you live requires a more frequent rabies inocculation, then you must do it more often but you don't have to do the other vaccines more often.

Answer 4

Based on what I've read recently, there's no such thing as a dog being 'due' for any vaccines beyond puppy immunizations and a possible second round later in life. I read an argument saying that even annual vaccinations have a detrimental effect on otherwise healthy dogs. However, I'm not a vet so I won't vouch for either claim. Check with the vet- while it may not necessarily be good for the dog, it should be possible, since dogs that are taken in for emergency care are vaccinated on the spot unless documentation is provided.

Answer 5

I don't vaccinate my dogs at all, and would avoid the rabies vaccine like the plague. There has been a study done to show that the rabies vaccine lasts for 5 - 7 years. It is one of the vaccines that causes very bad side-effects. As for AC...you will only be involved with them IF your dog bites. Just make sure it doesn't.

As for BigD saying that you could vaccinate a dog every month, and the only pain would be in your pocket. You really ought to do some research on the side-effects of over-vaccinating dogs. Dogs are suffering from skin problems, allergies, arthritis at an early age, epilepsy, etc., etc., etc....and all because we are told that we *must* vaccinate. We don't vaccinate ourselves every year, so why are we doing it to our dogs?

Answer 6

Overvaccination is a serious problem that is gaining more recognition, and the rabies vaccine is one that is more likely to cause problems. Despite what many people believe, there is no real difference between the one year and the three year vaccines other than the label on the bottle. When the drug companies were testing the vaccine, they would do two studies on the exact same vaccine. The first showed it would protect for a year and then using the EXACT same vaccine, they did a study for three years and it also protected against the disease.. There have also been a few studies that prove the vaccine lasts for AT LEAST 5-7 years, if not longer. In fact, there is a study that is just now getting under way to definitively prove this. Here's a blurb about the study that is underway:

CANINE RABIES CHALLENGE STUDIES BEGIN !

One of the most important vaccine research studies in
veterinary medicine is underway at the University of Wisconsin
School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison. Dr. Ronald Schultz, a
leading authority on veterinary vaccines and Chair of the
Department of Pathobiological Sciences, has begun concurrent 5 and
7 year challenge studies to determine the long-term duration of
immunity of the canine rabies vaccine, with the goal of extending
the state-mandated interval for boosters. These will be the first
long-term challenge studies on the canine rabies vaccine to be
published in the United States.

Dr. Schultz comments that: "We are all very excited to start this
study that will hopefully demonstrate that rabies vaccines can
provide a minimum of 7 years of immunity."

This research is being financed by The Rabies Challenge
Fund, a charitable trust founded by pet vaccine disclosure advocate
Kris L. Christine of Maine, who serves as Co-Trustee with world-
renowned veterinary research scientist and practicing clinician,
Dr. W. Jean Dodds of Hemopet in California. The Rabies Challenge
Fund recently met its goal of $177,000 to fund the studies' first
year budget with contributions from dog owners, canine groups,
trainers, veterinarians, and small businesses. Annual budget goals
of $150,000 for the studies must be met in the future.

Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM states: "This is the first time in
> my 43 years of involvement in veterinary issues that what started
as a grass-roots effort to change an outmoded regulation affecting
animals will be addressed scientifically by an acknowledged expert
to benefit all canines in the future."

Scientific data published in 1992 by Michel Aubert and his research
team demonstrated that dogs were immune to a rabies challenge 5
years after vaccination, while Dr. Schultz's serological studies
documented antibody titer counts at levels known to confer immunity
to rabies 7 years post-vaccination. This data strongly suggests
that state laws requiring annual or triennial rabies boosters for
dogs are redundant. Because the rabies vaccine is the most potent
of the veterinary vaccines and associated with significant adverse
reactions, itshould not be given more often than is necessary to
maintain immunity. Adverse reactions such autoimmune diseases
affecting the thyroid, joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver,
bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression;
seizures; epilepsy; and fibrosarcomas at injection sites are linked
to rabies vaccinations.

Study co-trustee Kris Christine adds: "Because the USDA does not
require vaccine manufacturers to provide long-term duration of
immunity studies documenting maximum effectiveness when licensing
their products, concerned dog owners have contributed the money to
fund this research themselves. We want to ensure that rabies
immunization laws are based upon independent, long-term scientific
data."

More information and regular updates on The Rabies
Challenge Fund and the concurrent 5 and 7 year challenge studies it
is financing can be found at the fund's website designed by
volunteer Andrea Brin at: www.RabiesChallengeFund.org.

Answer 7

Each clinic has a slightly different schedule as to how they give vaccines. Where I am rabies is given 16 weeks old, one year old tehn once every year or every 3 years depending on what the clinic has for vaccines.

Getting it out of schedule will not harm your dog. This is because when animals or humans are given vaccines tehy are given an inactive or modified form of the disease to build up an immune response to that disease for if you were to get it. For example vaccines that are given once a year the reason for this is b/c by the time the year is up to get the next shot the immune reaction has declined a bit and the vaccine will shoot your immune response back up even further than it was before making your immune response higher. I know its sounds a little confussing but I hope this helps you alitte to understand why vaccines are given and why it won't be harmful.

Answer 8

If you don't have proof of the vaccination you'll need to give one. Its unlikely to cause harm unless the dog has allergy issues.

The only other thing you could do is have a titer done... which is cost prohibitive.

FWIW: I try to space out shots and never give rabies at the same time as any other vaccination- I'm concerned about the hit on the immune system.

Answer 9

My vet always does. Their reasoning is that they are one of the few in the area that does the 3 year vaccination....so even if any dogs/cats have had one done, it was only a year vaccine. Two of my rescues (a cat, and the lab) were given a vaccine with no knowledge if they had already received one (they were both strays.) They would only be doubling up on it one time, so in my eyes, it is better to make sure they are vaccinated rather than worry about over vaccination on that one occassion. Also, once their vaccine is given (depending on your area) it might be submitted to the county office....so they now have records of when dogs received their vaccine.

Answer 10

usually, no. the only harm would be if the pet has had reactions to the vaccines, but giving them early is generally not a problem.

add- if the current vaccine status of an animal is unknown, you can either titer that pet (blood test, measures antibody levels) or you can go ahead and vaccinate. if the titers are low, then you should vaccinate anyway to booster immunity and generally speaking a rabies titer regardless of level will not hold up in court if the pet bites someone. vaccinating a pet with an unknown status usually does not pose any problems unless the pet has health issues to begin with.