title: Comparison of anamnestic responses to rabies vaccination in dogs and cats with current and out-of-date vaccination status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare anamnestic antibody responses of dogs and cats with current versus out-of-date vaccination status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  74 dogs and 33 cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were obtained from dogs and cats that had been exposed to rabies and brought to a veterinarian for proactive serologic monitoring or that had been brought to a veterinarian for booster rabies vaccination. Blood samples were collected on the day of initial evaluation (day 0) and then again 5 to 15 days later. On day 0, a rabies vaccine was administered according to label recommendations. Paired serum samples were analyzed for antirabies antibodies by means of a rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All animals had an antirabies antibody titer ≥ 0.5 IU/mL 5 to 15 days after booster vaccination. Dogs with an out-of-date vaccination status had a higher median increase in titer, higher median fold increase in titer, and higher median titer following booster vaccination, compared with dogs with current vaccination status. Most (26/33) cats, regardless of rabies vaccination status, had a titer ≥ 12 IU/mL 5 to 15 days after booster vaccination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicated that dogs with out-of-date vaccination status were not inferior in their antibody response following booster rabies vaccination, compared with dogs with current vaccination status. Findings supported immediate booster vaccination followed by observation for 45 days of dogs and cats with an out-of-date vaccination status that are exposed to rabies, as is the current practice for dogs and cats with current vaccination status.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Rolan D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Christopher I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Vahl
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Cathleen A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hanlon
authors.forename: Derek A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Mosier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002415:Cats; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004285:Dogs; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D011819:Rabies Vaccines