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1 year vs 3 year rabies


Mike Neary

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Well, yes, in a sense... but really the difference is in the dog's immunity (assuming a normal healthy dog with a good immune system). The first time the immune susystem sees anything, it makes an initial response, which typically is not as strong as the one it makes when it sees the same agent a second or third (etc) time.

 

Usually it's the same vaccine for the initial one and the boosters, but I don't know if your vet is using two different kinds, one for initial immunization and another for boosters.

 

That said, I don't know why your vet charges differently for the boosters, but maybe you can ask them.

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My vet told me that it was the same shot. The condition of issuing a 3-year certificate is having evidence of recieving the vaccine the previous year or being on a current 3 year certificate. Any time I get a new dog if the owner does not forward a certificate with the dog evidencing that he was current I have to start over with a 1 year then 3 year.

 

This past year I had two of my own dogs where I lost their previous three year certificates from my old vet that went out of business, but had the invoice which itemized out who was treated and with what also indicating that he gave them a 3 year rabies, our new vet used that as proof that they were current and issued 3 year certificates rather then just 1 year, he just needed something in his records to support the three year certificate. If I had not had that billing he would not have issued the 3 year cert, I had the tags but they were dated from three years previous and he was not willing to assume that they had been issued a 3 year cert with those tags.

 

BTW, I just looked at our last invoice, our vet charges the same the 1 year and the 3 year ($12), our old vet used to charge more for the 3 year. ($9- 1 year, $18- 3 year)

 

Deb

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Guest echoica

I would go to a different vet...I'm sorry but I think it is ridiculous that your vet wants to charge you different prices for pretty much the same thing. My vet charges the same price every year no matter what vaccinations are required...whether that includes extras like kennel cough or rabies...or not.

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The difference is the certificate they print out.

 

Jennifer

 

Are you certain it is only that? Is it not possible that some rabies vaccine formulations (manufacturer) have performed the duration of immunity studies required by law out to 3 years while others may not have been tested beyond 1 year? Just because two different vaccines are against rabies does not mean they are equivalent or perform (via testing) equivalently.

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Generally it's the same shot. As Jennifer said, the certificate is different and that's about it. I think my vet charges the same price no matter which one you get. ISTM that the vets charging more for the three-year are trying to make up income. Frankly my feeling is that in areas where rabies in a problem, the shots should be sold at cost to encourage everyone to vaccinate their animals.

 

J.

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I would go to a different vet...I'm sorry but I think it is ridiculous that your vet wants to charge you different prices for pretty much the same thing. My vet charges the same price every year no matter what vaccinations are required...whether that includes extras like kennel cough or rabies...or not.
I suspect you are telling Mike to leave the Purdue Vet School Clinic to go to another vet clinic.
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These are all dogs that have had the initial "puppy" rabies shot and have been vaccinated at least twice total (youngest is 4 yrs). I really don't want to overvaccinate these dogs, but I don't want to pay extra for nothing, and certainly I want adequate protection. Asking them why charges are different always seems to aggravate them. My Vet bills are high enough in a year between sheep and dogs, so economizing with the same level of protection is a good thing.

 

Thanks for the replies- mn

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Mike,

If your *state* allows it, then by all means go for the 3-yr rabies. It won't be any less effective and your dogs will not have to get as many injections. I actually do all vaccines on a 3-yr schedule (after puppy shots, which I also do minimally), and except for rabies, once my dogs reach a certain age (~10), I don't vaccinate them at all any more.

 

J.

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Mike

Maybe the prices differ based on the appt. The pup shot (6-12 mos) may be added to a well puppy visit.. They sometimes pro-rate things like that. And, yes, generally it is the same vaccine, and no vet I have dealt with stocks Rabies vax from different manufacturers. So, while what Mark says can apply, it would be unusual.

 

I just paid $31 for a Rabies vax. And, I don't know if I can actually type/say this without getting ill... They trimmed my dogs nails (which since I am one armed, I thought would be a courtesy, and they charged me $17.50 (with 10% discount) per dog. NEVER again.

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I just paid $31 for a Rabies vax.

I just took a foster dog for his rabies and it cost $12 -- done by a new mobile clinic that visit local pet shops on rotation. The foster boy was an owner relinquish to a HS shelter, so we had all his papers, so he got the 3 year shot. That price included a quick wellness exam. At $12, it was cheaper than going to the county shelter to get their "subsidized" rabies shot -- $20 if you go on the weekend.

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I did a quick check of rabies manufacturers and their products' DOI; Fort Dodge, Intervet, Phizer, and Schering Plough all have 3 year DOI vaccines.

 

I wonder if the clinics that are using the same vaccine are just stocking the 3 year vaccine and administering it to all of the dogs.

 

Looking at the certs from all three of the vets that we have used over the past few years, all are using Merial for producer and it has IMRAB in the Vaccine section, with a Killed Virus note

 

Deb

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Merial manufactures IMRAB 1 & IMRAB 3; these have 1 & 3 year revaccination schedules. Merial probably only did the 3 year challenge tests on one product line and not the other and the formulations are different (otherwise they could claim equivalency to the feds). Merial then passes the testing cost (maintain colony of dogs for 3 years after initial vaccinations) onto their customers.

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There is a difference in one of the ingredients. Lenajo knows the compound. However, just coming from the vet yesterday. He told us not to worry with the "healthy" dogs and just give them the 3 yr shot regardless of history of other rabies vaccines. I also was able to get a dose for my bitch that was "weight" relative, not the whole dang vial that is enough to treat a horse! Now, this was her 2nd shot ever and it will be her last but we have coon and skunk issues down here and I wasn't taking a chance. Oh, it was $13 included a tag if I wanted it and the certificate. There is a difference though in the compounds of the 1 vs 3 year vials.

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There is a difference though in the compounds of the 1 vs 3 year vials.
The FDA/USDA will require separate testing for every unique vaccine formulation to be able to claim DOIs of 3 years; additional testing will be required for 7, 9, 10 years, etc.

 

Establish colony of dogs

Vaccinate 1/2 the colony

Maintain healthy colony for X years

Inject colony with active rabies (or any antigen being studied)

Monitor health of vaccinated and not vaccinated dogs

Determine the efficacy of vaccine by survival of vaccinated dogs vs. unvaccinated dogs

DOI = X years

Incorporate testing costs, FDA/USDA certification costs, and reduction in reoccurring revenue (sales every x years instead of every 1 year) into vaccine price

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Merial manufactures IMRAB 1 & IMRAB 3; these have 1 & 3 year revaccination schedules. Merial probably only did the 3 year challenge tests on one product line and not the other and the formulations are different (otherwise they could claim equivalency to the feds). Merial then passes the testing cost (maintain colony of dogs for 3 years after initial vaccinations) onto their customers.

 

None of the certificates indicate as to IMRAB 1 or 3, just IMRAB.

 

When the vet was here this past fall we just went through and vaccinated who needed the shots, some were 1st times some boosters, he did not switch to a different vaccine or ask who was who, everyone got the same Merial IMRAB vaccine, which leads me to believe that everyone was given the IMRAB 3 but I will need to booster the 1st timers to get a 3 year certificate issued. Each shot cost us $12.00

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Do the certs indicate lot number of the vaccines?

If not, your vet will have this info in his records.

Lot numbers will be unique to the product line at Merial.

 

fyi Fort Dodge (which was part of Wyeth) is now owned by Pfizer (Pfizer bought Wyeth).

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Kind of OT, but I have heard a number of folks say they wouldn't allow their dogs to be given a vaccine from Fort Dodge (rabies or otherwise). Anyone know why?

 

As far as I know from the vets I've used, they keep two types of vaccine in stock--the one-year version for cats that is the recombinant vaccine and the other version for dogs or for folks who aren't worried about injection-site cancers in their cats.

 

I just happen to have Ranger's certificate sitting right here. It gives producer (Pfizer, which I guess means Fort Dodge), and a lot number and notes that it's a killed virus.

J.

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Are you certain it is only that? Is it not possible that some rabies vaccine formulations (manufacturer) have performed the duration of immunity studies required by law out to 3 years while others may not have been tested beyond 1 year? Just because two different vaccines are against rabies does not mean they are equivalent or perform (via testing) equivalently.

 

correct. the one year is tested for 1 year, the 3 for 3.

 

many vets have being giving the 3 year, every year, to abide by state laws and because they don't want to bother to keep the 1 year on hand.

 

the one year, per the vet yesterday, had less "carrier" ingredients. He was very up to date on all his vaccine information in general, and that matches what Dr Dodds has told me.

 

He also, bless his sweet heart, charges the same for the 3 year shot now as when they gave it once a year. Unlike vets in other clinics, who have tripled the charge for the same shot they've been giving all along.

 

3 year Rabies here $13

 

3 year Rabies in south AL $30 to $45. Same shots they had in the fridge the day before the law changed.

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Kind of OT, but I have heard a number of folks say they wouldn't allow their dogs to be given a vaccine from Fort Dodge (rabies or otherwise). Anyone know why?

 

As far as I know from the vets I've used, they keep two types of vaccine in stock--the one-year version for cats that is the recombinant vaccine and the other version for dogs or for folks who aren't worried about injection-site cancers in their cats.

 

I just happen to have Ranger's certificate sitting right here. It gives producer (Pfizer, which I guess means Fort Dodge), and a lot number and notes that it's a killed virus.

J.

 

per at least 6 vets I've worked with, Ft Dodge is the most likely to cause reactions.

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Do the certs indicate lot number of the vaccines?

If not, your vet will have this info in his records.

Lot numbers will be unique to the product line at Merial.

 

fyi Fort Dodge (which was part of Wyeth) is now owned by Pfizer (Pfizer bought Wyeth).

 

 

Yes, there is a lot number, all the certs (both 3 and 1 year) have the same lot number on them that were administered on that day.

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