[gary1suifOLsan2]

Are dogs required to have rabies shots if they are inside dogs? Is this a federal/state law?

[mydogquestion]

Check your state laws. Some states require it. Also some counties within the state have laws in regard to household pets,dogs cats and ferrets. A rabies vaccine is not really that expensive so why would you not vaccinate. I just got my dog the three year vaccine.
Also in order to have my home owners insurance I had to provide proof of vaccinations.

[Silverfoxkit]

Your pet may may be less likely to get rabies if it is mainly an inside dog, but its still not impossible. Yur dog could get bitten by something on a potty break or walk, and since you only need to get the shot once a year, I would recommend getting your pet the shot regardless of law.

[linnealand]

If a rabies vaccine is required for dogs in your area, saying that it's an "inside dog" would not support a waiver. First of all, they can't be 100% that it's true 100% of the time. Second of all, there could be an emergency situation down the road, and your dog would not be protected. Unpredictable things happen with dogs.

I'm just wondering what you mean by "inside dog." could you please explain what you mean by that term? Thanks!

[Staserbeam]

There are no federal regulations on rabies vaccinations.

Check with your state to see what the regulations are, and then check your county.

I live in Kentucky, and the only law we have regarding a rabies vaccine, is that in order for the vaccine to be recognized by the state, it MUST be given by a licensed veterinarian.

Some insurance policies require annual vaccination records, as well.

A one-year rabies vaccine at the clinic I work at costs $10.60. (KY does not recognize the 3 year vaccine yet)

Also, while rabies is probably what most people are concerned with when getting their dogs vaccinated, it's rarely seen. Parvo and distemper, however, are fairly common and are what I would be worried about more. They're both highly contagious and can often times be fatal.

I recommend having any dog - inside or outside- vaccinated yearly and checked annually for heartworms. (25% of our heartworm cases are from "inside" dogs.) It's much cheaper to PREVENT heartworms with parasite prevention than to TREAT heartworms.

[Alty]

So your dog never goes outside? You don't walk him, let him in the yard to do his business, he's indoors all day everyday forever?

It may not be illegal, but it isn't responsible. Please, protect your dog, get him vaccinated.

[rposthau]

I was the director of a county health department for several years. Law aside, I highly recommend getting your dog a rabies vaccine. Many times we had concerned callers

[rposthau]

Sorry about that. I hit a button I guess. Anyway, people would find a bat in their home and ask questions. Bat bites are very small and often go unnoticed. It is highly recommended by the CDC that if a bat is found in a bedroom of a small child or otherwise incapacitated child, and that bat tests positive for rabies then the kids have to endure the series of shots. Once symptoms appear it's too late. A lady was bitten on the foot by a bat. She killed it and threw it over the fence. Next day she decided to see if she could find it and have it tested. It was positive for rabies. When she found it her two cats were playing with it. Those cats were not vaccinated. By law the cats either had to be quarantined for 6 months, at about 15 dollars a day, or be destroyed. They could not afford the quarantine. Pets come into contact with bats INDOORS 10 times as often as outdoors. The ones they actually contact are generally sick, not necessarily rabies but the risk of a pet being exposed to rabies indoors is usually greater than outdoor pets. Vaccinate.

[linnealand]

I totally agree with what's been posted.

I'm also still trying to figure out what's meant by "indoor dog." does that mean that he's not an "outdoor dog" that is forced to live tied up or locked up outside of the house, come rain, sleet or snow? Or does this mean, like alty has asked, that he's living his entire life like an indoor cat, never being taken out for walks or outside socialization? Or do you just mean to say that he lives inside the house like most dogs, going out for normal walks, exercise, etc.

Gary, please come back to post again! There are a lot of experienced, bright, understanding and helpful people on this site, and we do want to help you to make the best decisions for you, your dog and your family. No one has ulterior motives or a reason to do otherwise! :) you just have to come back for us to really do that!

[goldgazelle]

It is important to have your dog vaccinated against rabies, and even more so for distemper/parvo virus, as they are more common and easily spread.
It IS also VERY important to be aware of over-vaccination as well.
Adverse reactions to rabies vaccination can include various autoimmune
Diseases affecting the thyroid, joints, blood, kidney, and liver; anaphylactic shock;
Aggression; seizures; epilepsy; and cancerous tumors at injection sites.
Before you automatically agree to revaccinate (for DHP - Distemper/Parvo), request to have a titer test done to check the level of antibodies in the blood.

If anyone is interested, there is a very informative book/article file "Vaccine Junkie" by a DVM - please let me know if you'd like to read it, I can email it.

[Alty]

If anyone is interested, there is a very informative book/article file "Vaccine Junkie" by a DVM - please let me know if you'd like to read it, I can email it.

If it's really good why not start a thread under the pets forum or members discussion. I'll take a look at it and if the information is valid and safe I can recommend that it be made into a sticky.