This week, the state of Alabama joined most of the rest of the US in allowing veterinarians to administer 3 year rabies vaccines for pets instead of yearly boosters.
The Alabama House passed the bill unanimously and now it only needs the Governor's signature to become law.
I think that this is a great story, BUT...again, there seems to be a media bias against veterinarians in general. If you listen to the anchor as she gets ready to pitch the story to the reporter she talks about "costly veterinary visits" and how this law will help to reduce the number of veterinary visits. Then the reporter says that the law "allows pet owners to go to the vet once every 3 years".
Ok...I get the idea that they are focusing on the change from a 1 year vaccine protocol to a 3 year protocol, but it's still a good idea to take your pet to the veterinarian at least once a year...twice is actually better. As I used to tell my students when I was teaching at the veterinary hospital..."a second exam is a second chance to find little issues before they become BIG problems!"
So...for those of you pet owners in Alabama...CONGRATULATIONS! Your pets will be at less risk for the rare vaccine adverse events. BUT, please ignore what the media has told you and continue to keep up a routine visit schedule with your veterinarian!
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