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Pet Vaccine Requirements and Protocols
The state of Texas requires that
dogs and cats be vaccinated against rabies by 4 months of age and on a 1-year or
3-year basis thereafter depending on the vaccine used.* Additionally, when
traveling with a dog or cat, have in your possession a rabies vaccination
certificate that was signed by a veterinarian. Check with your veterinarian
about other vaccines that are available for a wide range of diseases.
All dogs and cats over 3 months of age that are being transported into
Texas must have been vaccinated against rabies within the last 12 or 36 months
depending on the vaccine used.*
Although not required by law, it is
recommended that livestock (especially those that have frequent contact with
humans), domestic ferrets, and wolf-dog hybrids should be vaccinated against
rabies. Again, check with your veterinarian about other available vaccines for
these animals.
For an animal to be considered currently vaccinated, at
least 30 days must have elapsed since the initial vaccination and not more than
12 or 36 months (depending on the vaccine used*)can have elapsed since the last
vaccination.
If a domestic animal has possibly been exposed to a rabid
animal, contact your local animal control agency. There are different procedures
to follow depending on whether or not the domestic animal was currently
vaccinated or not. Although humane killing of the animal is offered as an option
in either scenario, there are also vaccination and isolation protocols that are
possible through Texas law. For instance, a currently vaccinated animal would
receive an immediate rabies booster and would be kept in strict isolation for 45
days. However, if the animal was not currently vaccinated, it would receive a
series of 3 rabies vaccinations (immediate and during weeks 3 and 8) and be kept
in strict isolation for 90 days.
If a domestic animal bites a person,
contact your local animal control agency. A biting domestic dog, cat, or
domestic ferret must be placed in quarantine until the end of a 10-day
observation period that starts at the time of the bite incident. Bite scenarios
involving other domestic animals need to be evaluated on a per incident basis.
Refer to Texas
Administrative Code - Chapter 169, Subchapter A, Rabies Control and Eradication
for details on vaccine requirements and protocols as mandated by the state
of Texas.
* All dogs and cats must receive a second rabies
vaccination within one year of receiving their first vaccination, regardless of
the type of vaccine used or the age at which the animal was initially
vaccinated.
Texas Department of State Health Services - Infectious Disease
Control Unit
1100 West 49th Street, Suite T801, Mail Code: 1960 PO BOX
149347 - Austin, TX 78714-9347
(512) 458-7676 - Fax: (512) 458-7616 -
E-Mail
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