My dog's 1-year rabies expired. Why wait 2 weeks for 3-year vaccine?

That partially depends on the state laws and where you live. Generally most vets will give the vaccine if the expiration date is within 6 weeks. If live in a state that allows 3 year rabies vaccines and you pet has already had one and is due for another 3 year vaccine, the vet may give that 6 months before the actual due date if it is more convenient for the owner. It does all however depend upon the doctor. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You are correct, the first rabies vaccine is only good for one year. After that, depending on where you live, the next rabies vaccine could be good for three years. Some cities/states still require the rabies vaccine to be given every year though so you need to check what the law is in your area. Your vet will know. All, that being said, with her rabies vaccine being overdue - you need to update it as soon as possible and it may only be marked good for one year because you are overdue. Again, you must check with your vet regarding your local laws. Regardless, you need to get her rabies vaccine booster as soon as you can. Hope this answers your question. Best wishes!

So if I'm reading this right, you're trying to get a three year rabies booster now and your vet doesn't want to give one until October. For a normal healthy dog, doing the booster now wouldn't be a concern, even in the "worst case" scenario you outlined. You could ask your vet if there's something in particular about Brady that makes them want to wait. It's also possible that your particular vet has a policy of waiting until it's due to booster for some reason, which would be fine, but a problem for your particular situation. In that case, it would be reasonable to get a second opinion because you'll find most vets are ok doing the booster now.

Most vaccines can be given in a series on the same day as long as they are given in different injection sites, and your dog doesn't have a history of adverse reactions to vaccines. However, your vet will know your pet best and it's best to contact them with regards to any vaccine protocols they use, as they will have the most up to date information on the vaccine type and manufacturer they are using in their clinic that may counter indicate giving it on the same day. The only other thing I could think would be a potential liability issue if the injection is given the same time as a home-given injection and then an adverse reaction occurred, as it would be hard to determine what injection caused the reaction if not properly documented. If you have documentation of the vaccines you've given at home, I would make sure these are all up to date with your veterinarian to ensure there isn't any miscommunication going on.

Yes of course. There is only 1 Rabies vaccine used in most clinics. However, we can make this 1 vaccine good for 3 years if your pet is over the age of 1 and has already received their adult 1 year booster. But the exact same vaccine is given to every pet, whether they are a young puppy, or an adult dog. The difference is that in a young puppy, the rabies vaccine will only protect them for 1 year due to their still developing immune system, but when they are of adult age, it can last for 3 years. I hope that this clarifies things for you. Best wishes with your pet Georgia moving forward. Take care! : )

For most normal healthy dogs in households with humans who are not immunocompromised and don't partake in doggies daycare, dog parks or groomers, 4-6 weeks is generally fine. If however your pet does not meet this profile, you need to discuss the situation with your veterinarian. Also, the Rabies vaccine should always be kept up to date and never late. I hope this helps.

Rabies vaccines are known to provide adequate immunity for at-least three years. In many dogs, the immunity is even longer and there will always be some amount of immunity if they have been vaccinated before. However, in countries like the Philippines where rabies is more prevalent, it's recommended to get a vaccine every year to ensure the immunity is high. I hope that helps to answer your question and all is well with Jewel.