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Guidance for Veterinary Professionals
Environmental Health
According to Centers for Disease Control, veterinary professionals and those who work closely with animals are classified as a category 3 risk for rabies infection and should be vaccinated according to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations. This vaccine schedule is commonly referred to as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
The Sulphur Springs Immunization Clinic located at 8605 N Mitchell Ave, Tampa, FL 33604 can administer rabies PrEP to veterinary professionals for a fee per vaccine. Call to schedule: 813-307-8077.
The recommended vaccine schedule is:
Two doses on days 0 and 7, plus EITHER:
- One-time titer check after 1 year and up to 3 years after the first two-dose vaccination
OR
- One-dose booster between 3 weeks and 3 years following the first vaccine in the two-dose vaccination
When a domestic animal bites another domestic animal
Contact Hillsborough County Animal Services at 813-744-5660 or send them an email.
When a wild animal bites a domestic animal
Provide rabies booster immediately following exposure, regardless of vaccination history, and click here to report an animal bite.
FDOH will follow up with the owner of the victim animal and discuss quarantine procedures. Domestic animals with a current rabies vaccine should quarantine for 45 days and unvaccinated or animals without proof of current rabies vaccine should quarantine for 180 days.
When an animal bites or scratches a human
When your facility has knowledge of an incident where a human has been exposed to a suspected or known rabid animal, it is required by Florida Statues Chapter 381 and Florida Administrative Code Chapter 64D-3 that exposures are reported to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). A suspected rabid animal is any mammal capable of transmitting rabies regardless of risk category. An animal cannot be ruled out as suspect until a full rabies investigation and/or testing has been completed by FDOH. Provoked scratches from healthy appearing dogs with a rabies vaccine history do not need to be reported.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Domestic animals (dogs, cats, and ferrets) which bite or otherwise potentially expose a person to rabies can be confined for observation for 10 days. Livestock, including horses, can be confined for a 14-day observation period. Humans exposed to an animal that can be monitored rarely require post-exposure prophylaxis.
Click here to report an animal bite.
Rabies Testing
Animals that have exposed a person and cannot be monitored for 10 days (sick or injured) must be approved for testing by the Florida Department of Health in the animal owner’s county of residence. Quarantine is ALWAYS the first recommended action, except in the case of high-risk wildlife.
- Call 813-307-8059 for rabies testing approval before euthanasia, if possible. Ask for the rabies program coordinator.
- Complete an animal bite report.
- Keep one copy of the bite report with the specimen under refrigeration. Avoid storage in the freezer whenever possible.
- Prepare the specimen. Call 813-307-8059 and ask for the rabies program coordinator if your facility is unsure of rabies specimen preparation procedures.
High risk animal vectors that have exposed a domestic pet may be approved for testing. Consult with FDOH in Hillsborough County for further guidance. If no exposure occurred and you still wish to submit an animal for rabies testing, contact Bronson Animal Diagnostic Laboratory at 321-697-1400.
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