My dog is 10. Can I get an affordable rabies titer instead of vaccine?

There are different types of Rabies vaccination titers. The FAVN is required for travel to Rabies free countries, but they also offer the RFFIT which is less expensive, but is not adequate for travel. Both are offered through Kansas State University Rabies Lab ( http://www.ksvdl.org/rabies-laboratory/ ). I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Luna is only 2 months old and she will not have sufficient titres at that age. We do the DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parvo and parainfluenza) vaccine starting at 7-8 weeks and booster it every 3-4 weeks until she has received 2 past 12 weeks of age. Titres are a waste of money on a 8 week old puppy. She likely has never received shots and it is in her best interest to just give them. The rabies vaccine isn't given until 12-16 weeks of age. Call your local Petco to be sure that they have the vaccine clinic. I hope this helps and I wish you and Luna the best!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Luna is super cute! Deworming costs about $25, a vaccination $20 and examination $59 at our clinic. Costs vary at every clinic so I would call around and check prices to get an idea of what you are looking at cost wise.

Costs do vary based upon where you live and if you go to a vaccine clinic or not. Information including pricing can be found for the Vetco vaccine clinics offered by Petco at: https://www.vetcoclinics.com/ Otherwise I recommend to call around or look at the websites of your local clinics. Expect to pay an office visit. Most vaccines are priced between $25-35 per vaccine. Microchips are $15-35. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, that would be a legitimate concern. Neurological behavior changes could be due to a brain tumor but it could also be due to a disease like rabies. Since rabies is a zoonotic disease (can be transmitted from animals to people) and it is nearly 100% fatal you need to be very judicious in diagnosis. Unless you had a CT scan or an MRI of Elektra's brain showing the tumor I think it is very reasonable for your vet to request a necropsy with rabies testing. Rabies is not unheard of in this country. I am actually surprised the second vet didn't request the same thing. We get lazy in this country and take for granted that rabies is rare but do you want to be the one rare case in reference to a fatal disease? It is better to be safe than sorry in my opinion. I am really sorry you had to deal with this but I don't feel like your original vet was out of line at all. Hope this answers your question and I am sorry for your loss of Elektra. Best wishes.

Some vaccines need to be given every year, while other brands can be given every three years. The reason why titer tests are not more available or affordable is because they don't prove immunity and cannot say that the animal is protected or not. Giving the vaccine is the only way to be sure your dog is protected.

The codes regarding rabies vaccines can vary from place to place. You can look up local ordinances regarding frequency of vaccinations. You can also opt for having a rabies titer done instead of a vaccination. Many people decide to just get the vaccine since it is often less expensive. Ask your vet what your options are. Rabies vaccines are required by law since it is transmissible to humans and is so deadly. Titers may or may not be an option depending on the laws in your area.