Rabies vaccinations in dogs and cats are extremely important for their safety and the safety of the public. The vaccine is extremely effective, and failure of protection has been rarely reported in our animal patients. The rabies vaccine is the only vaccination in cats and dogs that is mandated by the state. This vaccine must be given by 14 weeks of age and given every one or three years depending on age and vaccine history. Because the vaccine is safe and effective, dogs and cats should be given the vaccine on a regular schedule.
What is rabies?
Rabies is a virus that attacks the nervous system in mammals and is almost always fatal. Symptoms may include behavior changes, aggression, excessive drooling, staggering, paralysis and seizures. According to the World Health Organization, the rabies virus kills about 59,000 people per year. Dogs are the primary source of infection in humans, especially in countries that do not have an established vaccine program. Because the United States has state-mandated vaccination programs, there are typically only 1 or 2 deaths per year from the rabies virus. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, in 2022 there were 3,579 reported cases in animals. Rabies is 100 percent preventable with routine vaccinations, which is why many veterinarians, including myself, highly stress the importance of the rabies vaccine. Not only do we want to protect your furry friends, but we want to protect your family as well.
Titers
Titers measure antibody levels, or response to a vaccination. Some sources will recommend rabies titers instead of routine vaccination. This is not sufficient by state law and appropriate titer levels have not been established. With the rabies virus, antibody levels correlating to the amount of protection have also not been established or studied. This means that the titer level is impossible to interpret accurately.
Testing
I have been asked many times why we don’t routinely test pets for rabies. Unfortunately, the only way to confirm a diagnosis is with brainstem samples. These samples cannot be taken on a living animal. Animals must be euthanized for testing to be done.
Rabies in Connecticut
While there have not been any cases of rabies in humans in Connecticut, this summer alone there have been multiple cases reported in animals. One was a raccoon that bit a dog; another included a feral cat colony. In 2023, the Department of Health in CT reported 36 total positive rabies cases in animals, including five in Hartford County.
I do not share this information to scare people but to shed some light on why veterinarians, towns and states are so strict about rabies vaccinations. We hate to have to tell families that their pet should be tested and we hate to see the number of positive cases growing. If you have questions about your pet’s vaccination status or the rabies vaccine, please contact your veterinarian.