Rabies booster defends pets with out-of-date vaccination against the disease

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-01/ksu-sfr012615.php

Public Release: 26-Jan-2015 Study finds rabies booster defends pets with out-of-date Kansas State University

A new study by Kansas State University veterinary diagnosticians finds that pets with out-of-date rabies vaccinations are very unlikely to develop the fatal disease if given a rabies booster immediately after exposure to the virus.

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"This has the potential to save a lot of pets' lives," Moore said. "Our hope is that now animals with an out-of-date vaccination status that are exposed to rabies will be allowed to be handled the same as dogs and cats with up-to-date vaccinations. They will be given a booster and a 45-day observation at home."

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Researchers studied the anamnestic antibody responses of the animals. They found that when an animal with an out-of-date vaccination was given a booster vaccination, the neutralizing antibodies in the animal's blood rose, protecting the animal against exposure to the rabies virus.

"Basically once an animal has been vaccinated, they can receive a booster if they are exposed to the rabies virus," Moore said. "Then their chances for surviving that virus are very, very good."

The rabies booster is only effective if an animal has been given its initial rabies vaccination, Moore said.

While conducting trials, researches also found that some manufacturers' formulations for their one-year and three-year rabies vaccines were identical.

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