How Long Does Immunity Last After Receiving Rabies Vaccination?

Posted on Sun, 8 Jan 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 8 Jan 2017 Answered on

Wed, 1 Feb 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi Doctor, I had taken a rabies vaccine 1.5 years back. Now I have two puppies German Shepard and XXXXXXX breed. German Shepard got parvovirus and is under treatment. XXXXXXX also got the same disease and we started the treatment. But it died after one day of treatment. We played with both of them.
German Shepard is slowly recovering.
Do we need to take rabies vaccination

A vet was giving treatment for both the puppies.

Answered by Dr. Vaddadi Suresh (53 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Better get yourself shots of ARV.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Sorry for your puppy.
Please let me know if those puppies were vaccinated for Rabies and if you ever took rabies shots.
If both of them were vaccinated, theoretically they are free from rabies and you do not need vaccination. However, we do recommend vaccination in every case of dog bite/scratch, especially when the dog died with some disease (Parvo could be misleading), as Rabies is only preventable but not treatable.
If they were not vaccinated: Though logically, Parvo virus has no relation with rabies and you have had no bites or scratches, you still might need some shots on the grounds of benefit of doubt.
So, in either case, it is good to get the vaccine.
Hope i am clear. Feel free to ask any further queries.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Vaddadi Suresh (12 hours later)

I got vaccine on July 2015 IDRV 4 doses.

Puppies were not vaccinated was waiting for that (since puppies were just 3 months old)

Answered by Dr. Vaddadi Suresh (13 hours later)

Brief Answer:
2 booster does of vaccines.

Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Ok. As per recommendations, you need 2 booster does of vaccines at days 0 and 3. Please go ahead. All the best.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng