Introduction

Virbac AH Logo Blue

Company name: Virbac Limited

Address: Woolpit Business Park

Windmill Avenue

Woolpit

Bury St Edmunds

Suffolk

IP30 9UP

Telephone: 01359 243243

Fax: 01359 243200

Website: www.virbac.co.uk

Presentation

Inactivated vaccine containing > 2 I.U. Rabies virus strain Pasteur RIV per dose. Also contains Aluminium phosphate as an adjuvant. 0.1 ml Thiomersal are added as a preservative.

Uses

For the active immunisation against rabies to reduce clinical signs and mortality.

Onset of immunity: an adequate serological response (> 0.5 I.U.) has been demonstrated 2 to 3 weeks after vaccination.

Duration of immunity: 3 years.

Dosage and administration

A single dose inoculation of 1 ml is sufficient irrespective of size, species or breed of animal. Sterile equipment should be used for administration. Avoid contamination of vaccine with traces of chemical sterilising agents. Do not use chemicals such as disinfectant or spirit to disinfect the skin prior to inoculation.

Primary course and booster vaccination:

Dogs & cats

Primary vaccination age*	3 months or older
Booster vaccination	every 3 years
Route of administration	intramuscularly or subcutaneously

* Primary vaccination may be administered at an earlier age (minimum in dogs and cats of 4 weeks of age), but then a repeat vaccination must be given at the age of 3 months.

Can be used during pregnancy in dogs.

Further information:

Limited safety data for ferrets are available from monitoring post vaccination reactions. Ferrets can be vaccinated subcutaneously from 3 months of age. An adequate serological response (> 0.5 I.U.) has been demonstrated 1 month after vaccination and they should receive a booster vaccination every 18 months.

Health regulations and requirements in certain countries specify that dogs must be revaccinated annually against rabies.

Pet Travel Scheme (PETS)

Animals intended for vaccination under the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) must be identified by a permanent numbered microchip. This microchip number must be recorded on the record of the dog, cat and ferret vaccination at the time of rabies vaccination.

Experience has shown that a proportion of vaccinated animals, while protected, may not show the 0.5 I.U. antibody titre on blood testing required by the PETS scheme. Veterinary surgeons may wish to consider two vaccinations, particularly in young, naive animals. Blood sampling for antibody titres should ideally be carried out three weeks after the last vaccine injection.

Contra-indications, warnings, etc

Only healthy animals should be vaccinated. The vaccine may not be effective in animals incubating the disease at the time of vaccination.

A good immune response is reliant on the reaction of an immunogenic agent and a fully competent immune system. Immunogenicity of the vaccine antigen will be reduced by poor storage or inappropriate administration. Immuno-competence of the animal may be compromised by a variety of factors including poor health, nutritional status, genetic factors, concurrent drug therapy and stress.

Some animals may be immunologically incompetent and fail to respond to vaccination. Animals that have received the corresponding anti-serum or immunosuppressive drugs should not be vaccinated until an interval of at least 4 weeks has elapsed.

Transient local reactions such as non-painful diffuse to firm swellings of approximately 1 cm in diameter may be observed for up to 3 weeks after subcutaneous vaccination.

In the rare event of a hypersensitivity reaction following vaccination, administer an antihistamine, corticosteroid or adrenaline, without delay and by the most immediate route.

After administration of an overdose no effects other than those described above occurred.

The presence of maternal antibodies can interfere with the response to vaccination.

Can be used during pregnancy in dogs. There are no laboratory data on use during pregnancy in other species, but on the basis of field experience, such use is expected to be safe.

No information is available on the safety and efficacy from the concurrent use of this vaccine with any other except Virbac vaccines of the Canigen range containing one or more of the following:

live canine distemper, canine adenovirus, canine parvovirus and canine parainfluenza and inactivated canine leptospirosis antigens. It is therefore recommended that no other vaccines than these should be administered within 14 days before or after vaccination with Canigen Rabies.

Do not mix with any other medicinal products.

Withdrawal period

Not applicable.

For animal treatment only. Keep out of reach and sight of children.