Q: Why do pets have to be vaccinated every year for rabies? A Web article suggested that more pets actually die of the consequences of being vaccinated than get rabies.

A: It remains the consensus of the human and veterinary medical communities that the benefits of rabies vaccination outweigh the risk. Yearly shots are no longer required, however; every three years is considered sufficient.

And while vaccination every three years may be required by law to protect public health, individual veterinarians may temporarily exempt pets in delicate health.

Some countries allow exemption from rabies shots based on a simple blood test for rabies antibodies, but that's not the case in the United States.

It's true that if your pets have received a round or two of rabies vaccine, they likely are protected for life. I received the human version of the rabies vaccine in 1991, for example, and my own antibody levels are still quite high.

So why force pets to undergo regular vaccination? Imagine that your child was bitten by an animal that had been vaccinated only once, 10 years ago, and faced the prospect of a series of painful shots. In the absence of hard science, human health will always trump animal health in these matters.

Dr. Patty Khuly has a veterinary practice in South Miami and blogs at www.dolittler.com. Send questions to khulyp@bellsouth.net, or Dr. Dolittler, Tropical Life, The Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132.

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