Going Rabid over Rabies Vax!

[bbeventer]

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I never thought it would be so difficult to get these vaccines! I tried to get them at my doctors office, they refered me to the Health dept. The health dept told me they only do post bite and refereed me to my current school. Current school says I am no longer a student June 8th, but I am more than welcome to buy the complete series (I have to buy the whole series) and have the first vax administered there. They said I can then take the serum up to UofI (vet school) and have the rest administered. I wanted to double check so I called UofI and asked if this was okay, and they told me no.

The reason why I don't want to begin my whole series at UofI is because it is 3 1/2 hours away 1 way! UofI said I would have to order the vax from them and then have all 3 administered there.

There has to be an easier way right? How/Where did you guys get your vaccines done? Oh, and UofI says these have to be done by June 22

 

[Tco87]

I don't know why they put the rabies form under "Due by June 22nd" but we don't have to be vaccinated by then. The form says ".All first year veterinary students are required to provide proof of immunization to rabies or pay for vaccination in the early part of the fall semester." and "..If you do not provide proof of immunization to rabies by the first day of instruction, you will be required to participate in a rabies vaccination program in conjunction with the University of Illinois McKinley Health Service. "
So you're fine, you'll have to have it done by McKinley people. If you really want it done before than you could call around to other doctors. Mine said they'll do it for me but I have to pre-pay for the vaccines. I haven't decided if I'm going to do that or have it done at McKinley.
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[bbeventer]

I don't know why they put the rabies form under "Due by June 22nd" but we don't have to be vaccinated by then. The form says ".All first year veterinary students are required to provide proof of immunization to rabies or pay for vaccination in the early part of the fall semester." and "..If you do not provide proof of immunization to rabies by the first day of instruction, you will be required to participate in a rabies vaccination program in conjunction with the University of Illinois McKinley Health Service. "
So you're fine, you'll have to have it done by McKinley people. If you really want it done before than you could call around to other doctors. Mine said they'll do it for me but I have to pre-pay for the vaccines. I haven't decided if I'm going to do that or have it done at McKinley.
...

I must have seriously missed that then, I thought I read it twice, once on the form that we have to submit, and then again on the web page that it has to be done by June 22. If not then that would be seriously awesome, because right now I am having the hardest time finding anyone who will get me these vaccines.

 

[SnowyRox]

I got mine done at the Travel Clinic when I was going abroad for a vet trip. THey tend to have weird vaccinations in stock there. Definitely cheaper to get it through your school though.

 

[bbeventer]

I don't know why they put the rabies form under "Due by June 22nd" but we don't have to be vaccinated by then. The form says ".All first year veterinary students are required to provide proof of immunization to rabies or pay for vaccination in the early part of the fall semester." and "..If you do not provide proof of immunization to rabies by the first day of instruction, you will be required to participate in a rabies vaccination program in conjunction with the University of Illinois McKinley Health Service. "
So you're fine, you'll have to have it done by McKinley people. If you really want it done before than you could call around to other doctors. Mine said they'll do it for me but I have to pre-pay for the vaccines. I haven't decided if I'm going to do that or have it done at McKinley.
...

Ah, I just saw that they revised the form today... I guess many students where calling with similar issues. Yep, guess I will be one of those who will be in the "required vaccine program", it will have me lots of gas and time.

Travel clinic? I should look around for one of those, too.

Thanks guys!

 

[devyn]

So glad I never had to worry about these! Going to vet school in a rabies free country has an extra plus! 😀

 

[jmo1012]

I got mine done at the Travel Clinic when I was going abroad for a vet trip. THey tend to have weird vaccinations in stock there. Definitely cheaper to get it through your school though.

mine were done at a travel clinic too. easy, easy because they have lots of stock

 

[Emiloo4]

mine were done at a travel clinic too. easy, easy because they have lots of stock

I remember this being mentioned before and I can't find one. Do you remember what the company was or know how to find one?! Pleeeeaaaasse 😀

 

[jmo1012]

I remember this being mentioned before and I can't find one. Do you remember what the company was or know how to find one?! Pleeeeaaaasse 😀

i didnt actually find it, my mother did, but i wonder if you called your primary care and asked if they knew of places specializing in travel medicine if they could refer you to something local. i also live in the DC area where world travel is VERY common, so demand here is certainly higher than normal

 

[Emiloo4]

i didnt actually find it, my mother did, but i wonder if you called your primary care and asked if they knew of places specializing in travel medicine if they could refer you to something local. i also live in the DC area where world travel is VERY common, so demand here is certainly higher than normal

Gotcha! I'll give it a try! Thanks 🙂

 

[abbercadaver]

I'm getting mine done at LSU. They start the series on the first day of class for first years if you haven't gotten it done elsewhere.

It was the same price to do it this way than to get a GP doc to order it for me and administer it.

Sorry yours is being such a pain in the butt! 🙁

 

[Emiloo4]

I'm getting mine done at LSU. They start the series on the first day of class for first years if you haven't gotten it done elsewhere.

It was the same price to do it this way than to get a GP doc to order it for me and administer it.

Sorry yours is being such a pain in the butt! 🙁

UF offers it too.... for $383 a shot

 

[kakurubird]

i didnt actually find it, my mother did, but i wonder if you called your primary care and asked if they knew of places specializing in travel medicine if they could refer you to something local. i also live in the DC area where world travel is VERY common, so demand here is certainly higher than normal

Do you know where you went in the DC area?
Don't need rabies vx yet, but would be great if you remember to have notes of places in this area for when I do need it.

 

[BlackDog618]

I just got the first of the series done (and it didn't hurt like I thought it would!). There's an immunization clinic at a private hospital 2 towns over from me. They actually carry the vaccine and didn't have to special order it. All I had to do was have my PCP fax over a letter saying I was healthy. I would try googling something like immunization or vaccination clinic and see what comes up. I was also really lucky that my insurance through work covers the series. Not sure how much it would have cost if it didn't.

 

[SnowyRox]

I remember this being mentioned before and I can't find one. Do you remember what the company was or know how to find one?! Pleeeeaaaasse 😀

Mine was a branch of the UPenn hospital system. I know they have a travel clinic in west philly as well as the suburbs.

 

[Emiloo4]

Well, the cheapest I can find is $225 a pop. Insurance will put $100 toward it. I am getting them done at Passport Health if anyone is still trying to find somewhere.

 

[wldlfstdnt]

I got mine because I work with wildlife. Explained this to my dr and she added it to my available vaccines. My insurance is awesome because my rabies vax were free

 

[bbeventer]

Okay, so I found a health department in St. Louis that does travel vaccines and will do the vax for $233 a piece, it is more expensive then my school which will order the whole series for $600, but then they would only administer 1 shot. So I guess this beats driving 3 1/2 hours, now I only need to drive 2! 😳

 

[jmo1012]

Okay, so I found a health department in St. Louis that does travel vaccines and will do the vax for $233 a piece, it is more expensive then my school which will order the whole series for $600, but then they would only administer 1 shot. So I guess this beats driving 3 1/2 hours, now I only need to drive 2! 😳

is there a reason you aren't willing to wait until you start school to have them done there? i just can't imagine that this is really that critical and worth all of the driving, hassle, money, and time you're going to be putting out. i understand wanting to have them over with, but this seems a little extreme to me? 😱

 

[bbeventer]

is there a reason you aren't willing to wait until you start school to have them done there? i just can't imagine that this is really that critical and worth all of the driving, hassle, money, and time you're going to be putting out. i understand wanting to have them over with, but this seems a little extreme to me? 😱

Well at Illinois we will have minimal rotations the first 8 weeks of classes, and I was told that if I did not have the series before coming to class there may be some restrictions.

 

[Tco87]

Well at Illinois we will have minimal rotations the first 8 weeks of classes, and I was told that if I did not have the series before coming to class there may be some restrictions.

I know you can't volunteer in the wildlife clinic without your rabies vaccines, but that was all I heard. Did you contact admissions to ask about what restrictions you would have if you didn't come in fully vaccinated? I've honestly been under the impression we were going to be doing a lot of watching and not much hands on stuff anyway, regardless of our vaccine status.

 

[Emiloo4]

There has to be a passport health or traveling clinic somewhere near you 😕

 

[Lissarae06]

So glad I never had to worry about these! Going to vet school in a rabies free country has an extra plus! 😀

Are you planning on practicing in the US when you get finished with school?

 

[horsegirl]

Luckily, RU is allowing us to get vaccinated once on the island because I have talked to about two dozen doctors/travel clinics/occupational med clinics/health departments/hospitals and what came out of it was no vaccine and not willing to order, only post-exposure, or $413 per injection + $150 consultation + $10 vaccine fee per injection = hell to the f**king no.

 

[Trilt]

Luckily, RU is allowing us to get vaccinated once on the island because I have talked to about two dozen doctors/travel clinics/occupational med clinics/health departments/hospitals and what came out of it was no vaccine and not willing to order, only post-exposure, or $413 per injection + $150 consultation + $10 vaccine fee per injection = hell to the f**king no.

😱 Are you serious, that's INSANELY priced. Almost $1600 for the series?! holy crap.

 

[Emiloo4]

Luckily, RU is allowing us to get vaccinated once on the island because I have talked to about two dozen doctors/travel clinics/occupational med clinics/health departments/hospitals and what came out of it was no vaccine and not willing to order, only post-exposure, or $413 per injection + $150 consultation + $10 vaccine fee per injection = hell to the f**king no.

Do you have passport health in your area? I think they are in every county but I could be wrong.
$225/ injection
$45 for first consulation
$15 for 2nd two.
Not cheap, but not terrible.

 

[horsegirl]

Do you have passport health in your area? I think they are in every county but I could be wrong.
$225/ injection
$45 for first consulation
$15 for 2nd two.
Not cheap, but not terrible.

Passport Health was cheaper but still expensive.. I think the total was like $1,000.

 

[Lissarae06]

Man, this just reminds me how lucky I am that Oklahoma State paid for half of our vax and set it up for us through the student health center. All we had to do was show up and pay for our half. They even took care of the insurance for us if your insurance covered them.

 

[horsegirl]

My insurance would cover everything if I was exposed.. Which kind of makes me want to try to handle one of the feral cats in my neighborhood.. I haven't gotten to that point......... yet.............

 

[wildcatj]

Before I realized I could get the vaccines at school (for free since school had to eat my co-pay cost), it was going to cost me $600 PER vaccine.

 

[bbeventer]

My insurance would cover everything if I was exposed.. Which kind of makes me want to try to handle one of the feral cats in my neighborhood.. I haven't gotten to that point......... yet.............

My health dept will only do post bite, needless to say the finding of a positive rabid bat in the county over got my imagination going.

 

[SnowyRox]

Before I realized I could get the vaccines at school (for free since school had to eat my co-pay cost), it was going to cost me $600 PER vaccine.

YOWZAH! 😱

 

[wildcatj]

My health dept will only do post bite, needless to say the finding of a positive rabid bat in the county over got my imagination going.

Even though the health department will only do post bite you should be able to find someplace else to do it. New thought: try calling local animal control and asking them where they get their vaccines done. They have to have it done, but maybe DOH does it for them. Travel clinics are usually your best bet.

 

[horsegirl]

New thought: try calling local animal control and asking them where they get their vaccines done.

I called my animal control, and they said "We do not recommend where to get human rabies vaccinations, but try calling the local health department." Awesome. Thus began my many phone calls and transfers. Apparently my county just sucks.

 

[tigerkissedqt]

I had a little trouble tracking mine down as well! I had to make an appointment with my doctor to get a Rx written to get the series ordered (and then she wasn't sure which one to order for me!). I then had to take that order to the local community/public health clinic and had to pay for it in full before they would order it (just over $600). I then had to wait for it to get ordered & arrive before I could start them! It worked out being cheaper doing it this way as opposed to waiting for the school's vax clinic in the Fall ($800), but boy was it a hassle!

I would think any public health clinic should be able to order & administer them (the places with planned parenthood, discounted care, etc).

 

[Emiloo4]

Some people are having trouble getting vaccines because there was a shortage of them or something... 😕
They said everything should be back up to stock by the end of July. So if you need to find a place to order them for you, just keep that in mind. Most places that give them on a "regular" basis have enough in stock.
Just wanted to throw that out there.

 

[New Foundland]

"The Department of Health warns that all rabbits sold here in the last three days are infected with the disease Rabbititis. It is highly contagious to human beings, causing spots before their eyes, coating of the tongue, violent fits, and in the final stages the patient has delusions assuming the characteristics of rabbits."

 

[LetItSnow]

Some people are having trouble getting vaccines because there was a shortage of them or something... 😕

It happens periodically; I've heard of it a few times. Back when I tried to get vaccinated the first time 'round my doctor said he couldn't get it. Wasn't for a year before he could.

It actually made me wonder what happens when someone gets bit (since it's the same stuff, other than the Ig). Even when supplies are running low for prophylactic use there must be some reserved for post-bite use?

 

[Lissarae06]

It happens periodically; I've heard of it a few times. Back when I tried to get vaccinated the first time 'round my doctor said he couldn't get it. Wasn't for a year before he could.

It actually made me wonder what happens when someone gets bit (since it's the same stuff, other than the Ig). Even when supplies are running low for prophylactic use there must be some reserved for post-bite use?

I would hope so!

 

[jmo1012]

It happens periodically; I've heard of it a few times. Back when I tried to get vaccinated the first time 'round my doctor said he couldn't get it. Wasn't for a year before he could.

It actually made me wonder what happens when someone gets bit (since it's the same stuff, other than the Ig). Even when supplies are running low for prophylactic use there must be some reserved for post-bite use?

i believe they always keep a very small supply on hand for that stuff, but i have heard of them being so short that unless a case is rabies suspicious, they request the necropsy + before they'll administer... :-/

 

[Bearby]

Just wanted to let you guys know that I just found out that some Plasma donation centers will vaccinate you for rabies and will pay YOU! If I had known this a year ago, I would have done that. They need people who have the vaccines so they can make the post-exposure vaccine for hospitals, so they're willing to pay you to get the vaccine. Not all places will do this, but it may be worth looking into for those of you who are interested.

 

[bbeventer]

Just wanted to let you guys know that I just found out that some Plasma donation centers will vaccinate you for rabies and will pay YOU! If I had known this a year ago, I would have done that. They need people who have the vaccines so they can make the post-exposure vaccine for hospitals, so they're willing to pay you to get the vaccine. Not all places will do this, but it may be worth looking into for those of you who are interested.

Hmm, I may look into this. We have a plasma center here, just a couple blocks from my place. I will check it out.

 

[Jamr0ckin]

I'm so glad my titer came back with sufficient protection levels...

I hate that everyone is having so much trouble. that everyone gets them at a reasonable cost

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[bbeventer]

I'm so glad my titer came back with sufficient protection levels...

I hate that everyone is having so much trouble. that everyone gets them at a reasonable cost

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Yay for the positive titer! My fear is that when I find the vaccine, I will not not have a high enough titer and have to go through the whole thing again!

 

[Jamr0ckin]

Yay for the positive titer! My fear is that when I find the vaccine, I will not not have a high enough titer and have to go through the whole thing again!

Yeah, I had the vaccine series 10 years ago, and a booster 5 years ago.

I.don't think you'll have to do a titer right after vaccination, I only did mine because of the time frame.

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[bbeventer]

Yeah, I had the vaccine series 10 years ago, and a booster 5 years ago.

I.don't think you'll have to do a titer right after vaccination, I only did mine because of the time frame.

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Illinois requires ones.

 

[Jamr0ckin]

Illinois requires ones.

Ooooh snap

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[drpbnjelly]

😱 Are you serious, that's INSANELY priced. Almost $1600 for the series?! holy crap.

Wow!!..I can't believe the set of rabies vaccines cost that much...thank goodness in most parts of Canada the government fully pays for the rabies vaccine set, checking titres, boosters etc for those working in the animal field - and we can easily access the vaccines at the local health unit/CDC.
Does your university offer the vaccines? WCVM offers them, at a cost of $150 in total, for those from areas that don't have government coverage.
Wish you guys the best of luck 🙂

 

[SnowyRox]

Wow!!..I can't believe the set of rabies vaccines cost that much...thank goodness in most parts of Canada the government fully pays for the rabies vaccine set, checking titres, boosters etc for those working in the animal field - and we can easily access the vaccines at the local health unit/CDC.
Does your university offer the vaccines? WCVM offers them, at a cost of $150 in total, for those from areas that don't have government coverage.
Wish you guys the best of luck 🙂

Don't worry, you will be paying for those vaccines for many years in your taxes 😉.

Just got my rabies titer results back today... and my PCP office can't figure out whether to recommend a booster . She's going to research it and call me on Monday, lol. Only took 4 weeks to get a result.

 

[irrelephant23]

$1600 is insane!!! I actually got mine at Mckinley at the end of last semester (for an internship) and it was $630. It took all the energy I had to give the check to the receptionist. Good bye grocery money. 👎