Are booster shots for pets required annually to maintain rabies immunity?

Question

There are highly varied state laws and international laws regarding rabies vaccinations for pets - particularly regarding how frequently booster shots are required.

This article in the NBC news suggests that annual vaccinations are not necessary.

with rabies vaccine, new data indicate the immunity lasts for at least seven years, she [veterinarian Jean Dodds] says.

Is there evidence that repeat vaccinations (after the initial inoculation series) are needed to prevent rabies in pets?

Answer 1

When you take your dog to another country, the legal requirements are variable and depend both on target country legislation (as indicated in your first link) and the type of vaccination. In Europe the vaccination validity is 1, 2 or 3 years.

There are some studies on the duration of rabies vaccination, but limited to 3 years. Beyond that period, there is no evidence that the vaccination efficiency decreases.

Sources:

• "Are we vaccinating too much?" by R.D. Schultz,
• "Current and future canine and feline vaccination programs" by Feline Medicine, 3 mai 1997, Montréal, Québec.
• Dr Gary Norsworthy, conférence de l'Académie de Médecine Vétérinaire du Québec;
• R. B. Wilson and others, "A neurological syndrome associated with the use of a canine coronavirus-parvovirus vaccine for dogs", Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian, vol. 8, 1996, p. 117-124.

From Source1 (Schultz)

To ensure that all pups become immune, one dose of rabies vaccine is given at 12 weeks of age or older, followed by a second dose 1 year later, or at 1 year of age. Revaccination is then done at 3 year intervals. Similarly the CPV-2, CDV and CAV vaccine could be given at 1 year and then every 3 to 5 years without concern about loss of immunity. There is no evidence, or reason, to believe that revaccination with the core vaccines more often than recommended above would provide more effective protection from the important diseases since the minimum duration of immunity from the core vaccines is at least 3 years. States in the USA which require annual revaccination for rabies should remove those requirements because annual revaccinations are unnecessary.