Vaccination is the most effective way to protect dogs against Rabies. It is important to understand how often do dogs get rabies shots? when you vaccinate your pooch against this deadly disease. Rabies vaccines come in several different forms; some last for one year, while others are good for a full three years.

Vaccine adjuvants

 All Rabies vaccines for dogs contain an adjuvant. An adjuvant is an agent added to a vaccine to help stimulate the immune system. An adjuvant helps your dog create a robust immune response to a vaccine.

How often do dogs get rabies shots depends on the adjuvant it contains, as the higher the concentration of adjuvant, the longer the vaccine lasts.  

All dogs in the United States are required by law to have the rabies vaccine. Dogs are first vaccinated for rabies between 3 and 6 months of age. They need a booster one year from that date.

They are then generally vaccinated every three years, although some states require your dog to have annual vaccinations against rabies. So how often do dogs get rabies shots can depend on the laws of the state you live in.

What is rabies?

Rabies is a viral disease that causes a swelling of the brain. The virus is neurotropic, which means it disrupts the nervous system and eventually causes inflammation of the brain which leads to death.

The first symptoms are often fever and tingling, which progress to violent and jerked body movements, unnatural excitement, confusion, aggression, clumsiness, disorientation, increased dribbling.

Dogs may also exhibit unusual behaviors such as developing an intense fear of water, biting, running away, and swallowing random objects.

So How Often Do Dogs Get Rabies Shots? Incubation period

The incubation period of rabies can vary from between a week and over a year, this difference in time is determined by the length of time is takes for the virus to travel from the initial bite site to the brain via the spinal cord.

It can take up to a year for symptoms to show, but once they do appear the disease often results in death. Total paralysis of the body including the respiratory system is the most common cause of death and usually begins with the locking of the animal’s jaws.

After the onset of any of these symptoms, no treatment is effective, and the animal must be euthanized. If treated early enough rabies can be successfully treated.

Rabies is a very fragile virus and cannot survive for long periods of time outside of the body. It is also very sensitive to light, heat and oxygen. Rabies is unlikely to be transmitted due to the sharing of chew toys or other objects between dogs.

Although objects that have been handled by an animal with rabies will only be dangerous and contaminated for a short time, it is important not to allow other animals to use them until they have been thoroughly cleaned and dried.

Vaccinations protect your dog against killer diseases, and they are likely to be a requirement if your dog goes into boarding kennels or travels abroad with you. Contact your local vet to make sure your pet is up to date with their relevant vaccinations to make sure they are kept safe from deadly diseases.

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