Rabies Vaccinations: Required by Law
Here at Central Animal Hospital in Scarsdale, every veterinary need of your pet is important to us, but one of the single most vital things that you can do to help your pet stay healthy and happy is to get the regularly recommended pet vaccinations. The rabies vaccination, as required by New York State law, is one vaccination that all pets must have, and we provide this vaccine for dog, cats, and ferrets routinely. We are here to monitor the health of your pet and make sure your pet is protected from contagious diseases.
Central Animal Hospital Explains Rabies
Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal by a bite or contact with an open wound. It is a viral disease that launches an attack on the central nervous system and almost certainly results in death. Due to its fatality to pets and ability to transfer to humans, it is vitally important that your pet has been vaccinated against rabies.
Rabies can be prevented by vaccinating your pet, keeping your dog on a leash, keeping your cat inside, and avoiding feeding or having contact with wildlife and stray animals. Wild animals, feral cats or dogs, skunks, bats, and woodchucks can be rabies carriers, so it is especially important for our White Plains, Scarsdale and Westchester patients to keep this in mind and be sure that their pet is always protected!
Rabies Vaccination Protocol
Central Animal Hospital is here to help protect both humans and pets from being infected by rabies by providing a rabies vaccination protocol. All dogs, cats, and ferrets must receive their first vaccine by 4 months of age. This vaccine is administered again 1 year later. Cats and ferrets are then immunized yearly; Dogs are immunized every 3 years. A pet that is up-to-date with its rabies vaccinations would only need a booster dose of vaccine within 5 days of the pet’s exposure to a known or suspect rabid animal. Pets not up-to-date with rabies vaccinations would need to be quarantined or potentially euthanized following contact with a rabid or suspect rabid animal. In addition, Westchester County Health Department places a monetary fine on those pets that are not vaccinated for rabies.
Our veterinary staff is available to talk about rabies vaccinations with you: Do you have any questions? Please call us and we will be happy to answer!