09/18/2026
RABIES!!! Unfortunately, we MUST post again about this because it is SO serious and can be fatal if you or your pet come in contact with a rabid animal.
Several rabies outbreaks and mass rabies exposure events have occurred nationwide including some directly over the boarder in Illinois, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to highlight the importance of performing careful rabies risk assessments and following evidence-based recommendations for administering post-exposure prophylaxis.
We require all pets to be current on rabies vaccine to be seen and treated here at Dyer Animal Clinic.
We use the safest Rabies vaccines on the market (thimerosal free and Purevax). We have both the 1 year and 3 year options.
Facts about rabies in Indiana:
1. Rabies vaccines are required by state law on all dogs, cats, and ferrets. Period. ALL of them, NO EXCEPTIONS! No medical exemptions or free passes because you say your pet never leaves your home. The fine might be a reasonable risk for you but rabies disease is not - it is 100% FATAL!
2. Most rabies exposure in Indiana occur from a bat or a skunk while a pet is playing or fighting with an infected animal or if a rabid bad gets in your house (which is very common).
3. The rabies vaccine protects your pet from getting rabies after exposure to the disease. It also is labeled to prevent rabies from spreading from your dog/cat/ferret pet to a human.
4. Rabies vaccines can LEGALLY only be administered by a USDA licensed veterinarian.
5. ****The Indiana State Board of Animal Health announced earlier this month that the laboratory has exceeded its capacity with testing and had to suspend testing on dogs and cats and only do high risk animals at this time. That means getting bit by an animal with unknown rabies vaccine status sends you immediately to the hospital for post-exposure vaccinations right now. Post exposure vaccines are expensive and painful and require multiple vaccinations.
Call us immediately and schedule an appointment if your pet is coming due or past due for their Rabies vaccine.
The CDC is warning about an increase in rabies activity and human exposures across the U.S., following a rise in reports involving potentially rabid animals this summer.
Health officials say both animal exposures and the use of rabies post-exposure vaccination increased nationwide during summer 2026. Because rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, anyone who is bitten, scratched, or otherwise exposed to a potentially rabid animal should seek medical guidance right away.
The CDC is also urging people to avoid contact with wildlife and animals that appear sick. When exposure does occur, timely vaccination can prevent the disease before symptoms begin.
