3-year rabies vaccine

I brought Neely in for her yearly vaccines this week. Since our dog gets the 3-year rabies vaccine I asked the vet if the same is available for cats. (I did not get the vet I usually see.) He told me there is a lot of controversy over this vaccine in cats and he didn't recommend it. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about the 3 year vs. 1 year rabies?

The only info I can offer is that our vet told me that she preferred to do a smaller once yearly dose. There will be others her with more "medical" reasons for the do or don't reasons for yearly versus 3 yearly, but I personally am going with what my vet recommends.

our vet doesn't even offer the 3-yr vaccine. they told me they "had seen too many problems." i didn't ask after that, it was a good enough reason for me. they give the 1-yr Purevax vaccine and my cats don't have that "down time" they used to after their shot. they just go along like it's a normal day. i'm very happy with the 1-yr Purevax shot.

My vet only uses the Purevax Rabies shot for cats. He says it causes fewer reactions/problems than others. I just wish it could be given less often than every year; I have read that they're trying to get it approved for every three years.

I honestly don't keep up with rabies vax except on my cat who goes outside.
Personally I would be more concerned with doing a regular vaccine every single year. I do mine once or twice and then maybe again around 5 years or so. IMO it is unhealthy to revaccinate every single year, I have seen too many cats come down with the problems that they are being vaccinated against. It doesn't even make any sense to me to vaccinate any living thing (even humans) every single year. ESPECIALLY if your cat is indoors only, it is just total overkill on the vaccines. If you are concerned, then when you go back for a yearly exam, have your vet do a titer to see how much immunuty the cat's system still has against the illnesses, then you will know if your cat needs a revaccine.

Many vets I go too tell people not to vaccinate every year, every three years is pretty average. Others just say that to get people to bring their cats in to be examined. Most people won't bring their cats in for check ups unless something is wrong.

I don't know, it is controversal but I don't understand why. Talk to your vet about it.

As far as I know all the vaccines can be given 3 yrs apart instead of yearly. Charlie's breeder is a veternarian and he is up to date on this kind of thing He told us that Charlie's first set of shots (December) is good for the year - this coming December he can get the shots and then it would be 3 yr intervals after that.

Originally Posted by Jen

I honestly don't keep up with rabies vax except on my cat who goes outside.
ESPECIALLY if your cat is indoors only, it is just total overkill on the vaccines. Talk to your vet about it.

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I did talk to the vet and he told me there were problems with the 3-yr. vaccine. He said they were less likely to have a reaction with the 1 yr. Our cats have always been indoors only and he said it was also good insurance, i.e. if the cat were to bite anyone who came into the house or if she accidentally got out of the house.
I agree, in the end it is a personal decision.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

As far as I know all the vaccines can be given 3 yrs apart instead of yearly. Charlie's breeder is a veternarian and he is up to date on this kind of thing

He told us that Charlie's first set of shots (December) is good for the year - this coming December he can get the shots and then it would be 3 yr intervals after that.

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That's true, but with the Rabies, it's not so much a question how long it works as it is what the state requires. Because it's labeled for 1 year, it doesn't "count", legally, as a 3 year vaccine. Personally I have stopped getting vaccines at all for my cats since they're getting older. I'll just have to take the small risk that we might get into trouble.