New guidance for pets exposed to rabies

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2/29/2016 The compendium New guidance for pets exposed to rabies The guidance to implement the findings of the Kansas State study and other new data is a set of recommendations. Dr. Brown, state public health veterinarian for Massachusetts as well as co -chair of the compendium committee, said, "It is somewhat complicated, and we debated that as well, but we also wanted to make sure that we were using the best science available in order to help protect public health but also reduce the need for unnecessary euthanasia or quarantine of animals." It is somewhat complicated, and we debated that as well, but we also wanted to make sure that we were using the best science available in order to help protect public health but also reduce the need for unnecessary euthanasia or quarantine of animals." Dr. Catherine M. Brown, co -chair of the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control Committee, on the new guidance As before, cats and dogs that are exposed to rabies and are current on vaccination should receive veterinary care and a booster, then be kept under the owner's control and observed for 45 days. "The rationale behind that is that development of rabies in an animal that is currently vaccinated is extraordinarily rare," Dr. Brown said. "It almost never happens. But because it's almost never, we know we need to be cautious. So, we make sure they get that booster vaccination to stimulate their immune system, so it can fight the rabies virus." Euthanasia is the primary recommendation for cats and dogs that are exposed to rabies and have never been vaccinated, because of the high risk of developing disease. The other option is vaccination and quarantine. "If the owner is unwilling to have the animal euthanized and has the wherewithal to do a strict quarantine, we actually have reduced that quarantine period for dogs and cats to four months from six months," Dr. Brown said. The committee based the guidance on unpublished data from states that provided information on the incubation period for rabies in unvaccinated cats and dogs. There are cases in the literature of animals developing rabies more than six months after exposure, Dr. Brown noted, but these also are extraordinarily rare. She said the mean incubation period is about six weeks. For cats and dogs exposed to rabies and overdue for a vaccine, the committee distinguished between animals with documentation of vaccination and animals without documentation. With documentation, the compendium does recommend that animals out of date for vaccination be treated the same as animals that are up -to -date. "The most confusing category is dogs and cats that are overdue for a booster vaccination —so, they have received a rabies vaccination at some point —but there is no appropriate documentation," Dr. Brown said. "The simplest thing to do is go ahead and booster that animal —get them to veterinary medical care, give them a booster —and then place them in strict quarantine for four months. So, essentially, you're treating them as an unvaccinated animal." According to the compendium: "Alternatively, prior to booster vaccination, the attending veterinarian may request guidance from the local public health authorities in the possible use of prospective serologic monitoring. Such monitoring would entail collecting paired blood samples to document prior vaccination by providing evidence of an anamnestic response to booster vaccination. If an adequate anamnestic response is documented, the animal can be considered to be overdue for booster vaccination ... and observed for 45 days." Dr. Brown said, "Owners should have current rabies vaccination certificates for their animals. That remains, actually, our priority. But we also know that sometimes things happen. You move houses, and you lose the paperwork along the way.... This gives them a possible alternative to the four -month quarantine." https: / /www.avma.orglnewsljavmanews /pages /16030la.aspx ?utm_ source = javma- news &utm_ medium= email &utm campaign= gen &PF =1 5/