2025 Human Rabies Vaccinations

Please read all information below before signing up:

The deadline to sign up and pay for the rabies vaccinations is April 4th, 2025. Payment is now taken online. When you complete the signup form below, you will be redirected to the payment page. The clinics will be held on April 12th, April 19th, and May 3rd, 2025. The clinics will be from 2pm – 4pm on each of those Saturdays (we may add time if we have a lot of folks sign up.) They will be held at Deb Glottmann’s home. Directions to Deb’s will be sent once you have signed up and paid. Booster dates will be assigned as we get closer. There must be at least 5 people per vial.

The cost of the series will be $575. A booster will cost $195. Once the vial is open we only have a few hours to give the vaccine. Unfortunately, there is zero wiggle room. If you cannot make it for any reason your money can not be refunded. Everyone’s cost depends on everyone’s participation. Please do not ask, it is just not an option once the vaccine has been purchased.

This cost will NOT include the titer that you should run in the fall.

We are happy to organize this for the veterinary/rescue community, but we do need everyone’s cooperation to be able to afford the expense of this clinic.

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the brain. It is most always fatal once the symptoms develop. The rabies virus is transmitted through contact with saliva or nervous tissue of an infected animal. Persons with regular contact with wild animals should receive rabies prevention with Human Diploid Cell Vaccine (HDCV).

A series of three vaccinations given on days 0, 7, 21 or 28 should provide adequate protection.

Titers should be checked every two years and booster doses of vaccine should be given if the titer is less than 1:5. You will need additional boosters if you are bitten/exposed to a rabid animal even though you have received all of your pre-exposure shots.

Contraindications to vaccine: Certain drugs may interfere with the development of immunity if taken during the course of rabies vaccination. These drugs are all immunosuppressive agents (e.g., steroids, chemotherapy). Pre-exposure vaccination should not be given until the person stops taking these drugs. Similarly, persons with immunosuppressive illnesses may choose to wait until illness resolves before being vaccinated. Persons with a developing illness involving fever should delay vaccine until illness is resolved. It is not known whether the rabies vaccine can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman, or if it can affect reproductive capacity. Rabies vaccine should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed. A pregnant woman or a woman planning a pregnancy should consult with her private physician or obstetrician before receiving rabies pre-exposure vaccination. People with a history of serious reaction to rabies vaccine or any of its components (e.g., neomycin) in the past should consult their physician before being re-vaccinated.

Possible adverse reactions or side effect of vaccination: Local reactions at the injection site such as pain or itching commonly occur. Systemic reactions such as headache, nausea, and dizziness occur in 5-40% of recipients. Approximately 6% of persons receiving booster doses of rabies vaccine develop an immune-complex reaction consisting of hives, joint pain, and fever. Serious allergic (anaphylactic) reactions occur rarely following vaccination. For severe reactions, call your physician. Rarely, the vaccine may fail to induce an adequate level of immunity. Your physician should report any serious reaction to us so we can notify manufacturer and VT Department of Health.

All vaccinations will be given by Dr. Stephanie Wawrzyniak, ND.

Relevant resources:

CDC: Recommendation of the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee Supplementary Statement on Pre-Exposure Rabies Prophylaxis by the Intradermal Route

Rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins: WHO position

Intradermal Rabies Vaccine Noninferior to Intramuscular Vaccine

Sign up using the form below:

Name: *

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Last

Personal Email Address: *

Cell Phone Number: *

Home Phone Number: *

Work Phone Number: *

Veterinary clinic or place of work pertinent to rabies exposure: *

Are you signing up for an initial series of 3 vaccines or for just a vaccine booster? *

Do you have allergies to medications, food, a vaccine component, or latex? What are you allergic to? Please list: *

Have you ever had a serious reaction after receiving a vaccination? If yes, please explain. *

Do you have a long term health problem with heart disease, lung disease, asthma, kidney disease, metabolic disease (e.g. diabetes), anemia, or other blood disorders? If yes, please explain. *

Do you have cancer, leukemia, HIV/AIDS, or any other immune system problem? If yes, please explain. *

In the past 3 months, have you taken medications that affect your immune system, such as prednisone, other steroids, or anticancer drugs; drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, or psoriasis; or have you had radiation treatments? If yes, please explain. *

Have you had a seizure or a brain or other nervous system problem? If yes, please explain. *

During the past year, have you received a transfusion of blood or blood products, or been given immune (gamma) globulin or an antiviral drug? If yes, please explain. *

Have you received any vaccinations in the past 4 weeks? If yes, please explain. *

Are you pregnant or is there a chance you could become pregnant during the next month? *

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Do you give us permission to request a phone call from your health care provider and any medical records that your provider deems necessary to share? *

Name and phone number of your general practitioner and/or allergist: *

Any other medical condition that our doctor should know about -- for example, needle phobia: *

Type your name below to confirm: I have read the above statements about rabies, HDCV and the contraindications and side effects. I was advised that this is off label use of the vaccine. I have had the opportunity to ask questions and understand the benefits and risks of rabies vaccination and request that it be given to me or to the person named below. I am the parent or legal guardian. All vaccinations will be given by Dr. Stephanie Wawrzyniak, ND. *

Type name to confirm.