Rabies booster intervals

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Ana Ribeiro — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 13:54:02 GMT

In Portugal it used to be mandatory to have the Rabies vaccine every year (for dogs) but now it has changed to once every 3 years (although some vets over there still recommend to do it every year).

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Ana Ribeiro — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 13:53:22 GMT

In Portugal it used to be mandatory to have the Rabies vaccine every year (for dogs) but now it has changed to once every 3 years (although some vets over there still recommend to do it every year).

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 08:53:14 GMT

[quote user="Busybee"]I wasn't aware that you could change a date retrospectively though Martin. Interesting - was this done to allow revaccination after three years rather than after a year?[/quote]DEFRA advised me that I could change the 'valid to' date to three years from the vaccination date but to endorse the passport in the additional notes section to say why I had done this. I don't recall seeing that animal again but I would have just re-vaccinated at 3 years and entered an expiry date for another 3 years after that. If I was to do this again I would check with DEFRA.

Someone came in yesterday with Hungarian passports for 2 dogs with a one year validity but they had expired in July. I thought about the above but decided just to re-vaccinate and renewed the passport for 3 years hence. I confess part of my motivation not to do the same as previously was to get the money from the vaccines, Shame on me!

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Francisco Gomez — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 08:39:38 GMT

[quote user="robloxley"]

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]The policing of unvaccinated dogs is very difficult, so a shorter interval between doses make people more aware[/quote]

How does revaccinating a dog annually with a vaccine with a 3yr DOI make an impact on unvaccinated dogs or the policing thereof?

[/quote]

People are reminded more often, police who are too relaxed and friendly will probably let you go if you're 'just a couple of months late for re-vaccination...' if the vaccine is every three years.

I'm only speculating, don't have any data that support my argument.

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Rob Loxley — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 23:44:43 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]When the Eurican Rabies went from 2 to 3 years we entered a 2 year date in a couple of passports and spoke to DEFRA to find out what to do. We were told under no circumstances could we change it and to re-vaccinate after the 2 years.[/quote]

Hmowever, from the defra guidelines "If an error is made in the date of rabies vaccination or the expiry date of that vaccine (Section V of the passport), the whole entry for that vaccination should be deleted and signed and stamped as above. A new entry for that vaccination should be entered in the next line in that section of the passport"

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 22:05:37 GMT

[quote user="Busybee"]

I was told that whatever date was written in the passport was gospel and it didn't matter if it was a UK passport or initially issued in another country.

I wasn't aware that you could change a date retrospectively though Martin. Interesting - was this done to allow revaccination after three years rather than after a year?

[/quote]

When the Eurican Rabies went from 2 to 3 years we entered a 2 year date in a couple of passports and spoke to DEFRA to find out what to do. We were told under no circumstances could we change it and to re-vaccinate after the 2 years.

I would have thought it was as easy to give the booster before the previous one runs out in the passport and date your vaccine according to the UK rules. That is what I would do.

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Rob Loxley — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 21:22:40 GMT

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]The policing of unvaccinated dogs is very difficult, so a shorter interval between doses make people more aware[/quote]

How does revaccinating a dog annually with a vaccine with a 3yr DOI make an impact on unvaccinated dogs or the policing thereof?

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Busybee — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 21:18:40 GMT

As far as I was aware, if we give a rabies vaccination in the UK, the 'valid until' date should be three years from the date of vaccination. If an animal has had a rabies vaccination in Europe and 'valid until' date of a year after the vaccination has been stated, then this should still be abided by.

I was told that whatever date was written in the passport was gospel and it didn't matter if it was a UK passport or initially issued in another country.

I wasn't aware that you could change a date retrospectively though Martin. Interesting - was this done to allow revaccination after three years rather than after a year?

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Francisco Gomez — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 14:00:04 GMT

We, Iberians, are just too close to the problem. http://www.who.int/rabies/epidemiology/Rabies_CP_Morocco_09_2014.pdf The policing of unvaccinated dogs is very difficult, so a shorter interval between doses make people more aware... (or scared of being fined).

http://www.euroweeklynews.com/3.0.15/news/on-euro-weekly-news/spain-news-in-english/133304-vet-arrested-in-rabies-jab-fraud-case-in-aragon

Of course, it probably doesn't make the vaccine any more effective.

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Rob Loxley — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:48:36 GMT

"valid until date should, where possible, be based on information supplied by the vaccine manufacturer’s datasheet"

Not sure what the local requirements are for Portugese residents e.g. annual rabies vaccination, but for your vaccine of this uk drug it is as you 3 years.
IIRC the rule-of-thumb for when people become 'resident' as far as complying with stricter local re-vaccination intervals goes is 3 months? Though most countries have moved from mandatory annual rabies vaccination to 'as often as the datasheet says'

RE: Rabies booster intervals

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 10:49:31 GMT

The passport is valid for 3 years based on UK regulations. If it had been issued in Portugal then it will have a one year validity. I spoke to DEFRA on a similar case a couple of years ago and they said so long as I had obtained proof from the vaccine manufacturer that the vaccine had a 3 year booster interval I could change the valid to date and endorse the passport to this effect and say why I had changed it in the back.

It is true that they will have to have an annual rabies vaccine in Portugal if they are resident there for more than 3 months but this is a local requirement and does not affect the passport.