Is it safer to have my pet vaccinated for rabies by a trusted veterinarian rather than somone at a local Rabies clinic? That is a question we as pet owners have asked ourselves. My veterinarian was kind enough to share with me her opinion on the subject and I think it will be of great value to many pet owners.


"While I completely understand why the government supplies free or reduced rate rabies vaccines, I certainly would not vaccinate my pet this way. The government is trying to protect the public from rabies exposure and is targeting families who could not otherwise afford to give the vaccine. This is a good practice to keep many people and pets safe, BUT it is not intended for those who can afford the $20-25 given by their veterinarian. Vaccines are not a benign procedure...as you well know, and I strongly feel that it should be done with a physical exam including measuring vital signs. There are many times when I do a physical exam in preparation for a vaccination and elect to wait on it because of a fever or other medical issue. Once we get that under control, then it is a better and safer time to vaccinate. These crucial physical exams are not performed at the Rabies clinics. Also if your pet has a life threatening vaccine reaction, this can even be in the first few minutes after vaccination and doesn't matter how many times in the past the pet was vaccinated, the clinics are not prepared to handle such emergencies and this can have devastating results. Obviously these reactions are rare, but I wouldn't vaccinate my pets outside a medical facility for fear of such a reaction.  So Karen, that is my two cents worth. Hope it helps."