Moberly Area Community College Veterinary Technology Student Handbook 2026-2027

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Rabies Form

Questions about rabies vaccination:

  1. As a veterinary technology student at Moberly Area Community College, should I be vaccinated for rabies?
    1. Answer: It is required that all veterinary technology students be vaccinated for rabies. This is an AVMA CVTEA requirement. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) considers individuals who work with animals an exposure risk category, and they recommend these individuals obtain the primary course of rabies vaccination with serologic monitoring and/or booster vaccination.
  2. If I am exposed to rabies, what is the treatment?
    1. Answer: For vaccinated individuals, the wound is immediately and thoroughly cleansed with soap and water. Then 2 doses of rabies vaccine are given, one is given immediately, the other is given three days later. For non-vaccinated individuals, the wound is immediately and thoroughly cleansed with soap and water. The area around the wound is injected with Human Rabies Immune Globulin (HRIG), and then 5 doses of rabies vaccine are given after the exposure on days 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28. As one can see, pre-exposure vaccination reduces the number of injections the patient would receive and does help to protect against possible unknown exposure to the rabies virus. The injection of HRIG around the bite wound is painful and could be avoided by having pre-exposure vaccination prophylaxis.
  3. Which regimen is more effective in preventing rabies, pre-exposure or the full series of post-exposure injections?
    1. Answer: Both approaches are effective in preventing rabies infection. Both require injections after exposure. The main benefit of pre-exposure vaccination is that some immunity has been already mounted if you are unknowingly exposed to a rabid animal.

*All vaccine and titer records must be submitted to the MACC Veterinary Technology office before coursework begins.

I understand that it is a requirement that all students provide proof of rabies vaccination before they will be allowed to work with live animals.


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