MN Rabies Vax Survey

[Kris L. Christine]

MINNESOTA: 88.8% of veterinarians responding to a rabies survey from the Board of Veterinary Medicine indicated they give a 3 year rabies vaccine; yet 53.3% fail to give pet owners a corresponding 3 year rabies certificate (36.2% issue a 2 year certificate, 17.1% issue "other"). When asked if they inform clients when they put a different expiration date on the rabies certificate than that on the vaccine administered, 40.9% responded that they did not inform the client.


A copy of this 12/14/11 report entitled "Rabies Vaccination Survey Report" may be requested from Dr. John King, Executive Director of the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine (651) 201-2844 John.King@state.mn.us


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[Kris L. Christine]

The Minnesota Rabies Vaccination Survey Report has been posted on The Rabies Challenge Fund website: http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/images/stories/pdfs/rabies_vaccination_committee_survey_results.pdf

[Rott-n-GSDs]

Not surprising to me. I live in Wisconsin, but am close enough to Duluth, MN to have considered veterinarians over there (our e-vet is there). Every single vet in Duluth, MN and Superior, WI puts two year expiration dates on their rabies vaccination certificates!

The way the law is worded in WI (and likely MN as well), your dog's rabies vaccination is due every three years OR whatever date is listed on your certificate, with the date on the certificate taking precedence. I had to fight with my vet to get the date on my dogs' certificates changed. Sad, really.

My vet's office actually tried to tell me there was some obscure local law/ordinance that required rabies every 2 years... I went in armed with copies of all of the laws/ordinances and had the certificates changed. The sad thing is, most people wouldn't have gone through the trouble, or would expect their vets' office to know the laws and report them honestly.

[Kris L. Christine]

Originally Posted by Rott-n-GSDs

My vet's office actually tried to tell me there was some obscure local law/ordinance that required rabies every 2 years... I went in armed with copies of all of the laws/ordinances and had the certificates changed. The sad thing is, most people wouldn't have gone through the trouble, or would expect their vets' office to know the laws and report them honestly.

Hats off to you!!! Every dog owner should be so proactive!

[Kris L. Christine]

MINNESOTA Board of Veterinary Medicine issues Rabies Vaccination Guidance Document 3/1/12 http://www.vetmed.state.mn.us/portals/22/RabiesVaccinationGuidanceDocument.pdf

"rabies vaccination certificate should always comply with Minnesota Rule 1705.1146, including displaying the date of vaccination and the rabies vaccine labeled duration of immunity, even if the veterinarian recommends more frequent rabies vaccination"

A major victory for Minnesota pet owners thanks to Jane Anderson & Chris Addington, who, with assistance from The Rabies Challenge Fund, have prompted the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine to publish a rabies vaccination guidance document in order to get veterinarians to follow the recommendations of the CDC's Rabies Compendium, to issue rabies certificates accurately reflecting the duration of immunity on the vaccine label, to obtain documented informed consent if administering rabies vaccines off-label, and to have "credible, scientifically-based information....in the possession of the veterinarian and available for review" if the veterinarian chooses to adopt a booster protocol other than that recommended in the Compendium.

The Rabies Vaccination Survey Report can be viewed here: http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/images/stories/pdfs/rabies_vaccination_committee_survey_results.pdf