Message Number: YG13644 | New FHL Archives Search
From: swamp
Date: 2002-06-07 18:22:00 UTC
Subject: Re: 3 Year Rabies Vaccine

At 08:49 AM 6/7/2002 +0000, Stacy Sharp wrote:

>My vet says that while my ferts are getting the 3 year that it only
>lasts 1 year for ferrets. So maybe I worded that wrong but to my
>knowledge.... I do know this -> My ferrets get a rabies shot every
>year. So if you all know anything about the 3year let me know
>because I would LOVE not to have to go to the vet so
>much...hehehehe...I mean the ferts would.

The "3s" in Imrab-3 and Rabvac-3 refer to their proven 3-year efficacy in
certain animals. Imrab-3 is approved for trienniel use in dogs, cats, and
sheep. Rabvac-3 is approved for triennial use in dogs and cats. The only
way a pharmaceutical gets 3-year approval is by inoculating an animal, or
more accurately a *group* of animals, and then challenging it with live
rabies virus after 1, 2, and 3-year periods. Such studies are expensive, so
vaccine manufacturers naturally make a financial assessment as to which
animals will justify the cost and which animals won't. While it's possible
these vaccines would protect ferrets for more than one year, we don't know
and we probably never will. Obviously, Fort Dodge (Rabvac) has decided the
"ferret market" isn't worth pursuing, and Merial (Imrab) has decided it
merits only a 1-year study.

You can find the various vaccines and details at:
http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/rabcont.asp .

Rob