Hello,

I live in south eastern N.H. My doctor says I need a rabies booster. My doctor can't get the vaccine. Thier contacts will not sell the vaccine to them due to it's scarity.

Does anyone know where I can acquire the vaccine? My doctor will purchase it once I find the source.

Thanks

Chuck

Here in NC , I go thru the county health department.

It's that way everywhere. My doctor said it is only available for post exposure cases. He referred me to the county health department where I got the same story. Apparenty there are a only a few companies that produce the vaccine and production slowed for a few years and has never caught up with demand, especially in other countries where there are a lot of rabid dogs.

County Health Department..... In NY also

Got my booster a couple weeks ago at the same small clinic that I've got it at for years. No problems getting it.

How often do you guys get your boosters ?

The shortage of rabies vaccines was a very serious thing a few years ago, but was rumored to have been remedied. Used to have monthly meetings with our dept. of health and others in my old job and thought this issue was at least a few years old. I'd recommend anyone in this field have a doctor that understands your work, your exposures and risks and tests you for appropriate respiratory and other issues on a yearly basis. Realizing many don't have health insurance and that many will just be hoping that something bad doesn't happen.

Rabies shots can give you a strong titer for up to a decade or longer, I know many who have reported this in my old job where we were tested routinely. However, it is important to have them checked and your doctor should be able to tell you how often as CDC and others provide info to the medical community, whether they stay up to speed is much the same as any industry, don't expect all doctors to be up to date on the latest in zoonotic risks.

Also, it seems the take home message from most on the above thread, is check with your state or county health dept. No one wants you to be a statistic and when you explain that you work with wildlife daily in close quarters, you shouldn't get any resistance to you needing shots, or to check your titer.

Here is a link from the AVMA (on how often to have titer checked) to use as a bit of a reference, but again, find a good doc!

https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/101001p.aspx

Justin

Thanks, I have had my titer checked. It is on the low side so I need a booster.

Thanks all,

Chuck

I haven't been on here in a lllllllooooooooonnnnnnnngggggggggg time but this subject hit a nerve. Our local county health dept is the only place I found locally for pre exposure shots and boosters. Every year I've gone in for a titer check and every year I have to reexplain to the staff what the procedure is for taking a blood sample and submitting it for testing. This year was the final straw, they said they would take the blood sample but it was up to me to get it sent to the lab which I believe is in Kansas City.How the heck am I going to send a blood sample, thats biohazard material, thats their job. So I'm just going to be extra careful and not get bit or scratched and if it kills me so be it. I don't want to die of old age anyway. Just call me 'Ol Yeller.

Dave,

My .02, call your state DOH and explain what has happened to you at the county level. From experience I can tell you there often is a completely different thing going on within a county and sometimes it is opposed to what is mandated by their state DOH, which is the superior entity politically speaking.

I've seen counties with rabies cases in skunks, and other wildlife do completely botched jobs of sending samples in and completely disregard state DOH protocols, so worth a check to see if they are in the weeds as well, or if they have their....stuff together.

Justin

Justin that's a great idea, I never even thought of going to the state level. I guess I won't have to chain myself to a tree stump after all.

It may be different in each state, but in the 3 I've lived in there were always some folks not following guidelines and protocols! Good luck, let me know how you make out.

ATTENTION:
Veterans can get the series and booster shots FREE from any VAMC. May have to argue a bit, just tell them you handle wild animals, and NEED the shots.

Hey,

I am a veteran. Great!!!!

Thanks

Chuck

All veterans should register in the VMAC system, Even if you don't want/need the services. They get their budget from the number of Vets registered. And you never know when you might need it.

Oh no, just got bit by a rabid sperm whale .... got to go to the er fast ... get booster.

ps - whale escaped

At Phil's age, dreams about sperm under any circunstances, are not unheard of.

Whose???