What should you know about Zoetis rabies vaccine?

Zoetis is an animal-health company, so a rabies vaccine carrying that brand is intended for use under veterinary direction. Its label, storage requirements, dose and route are designed for the animal species named on the product. A veterinary product should never be injected into a person or used as a reason to delay medical advice after an exposure.

Human rabies prevention is planned by a clinician using products and schedules intended for people. After a possible exposure, the care plan can include wound cleaning, a vaccine course and other treatment depending on the exposure and a person’s previous rabies vaccination.

Wash bites, scratches and saliva-contaminated broken skin thoroughly with soap and running water straight away. Seek medical assessment without delay after contact with a bat or with an animal that bites or scratches, especially if its health or vaccination history is uncertain. Take any available details about the animal, the incident and your own previous rabies vaccinations.

Do not handle an unfamiliar, injured or unusually behaving animal. If a pet has had a veterinary vaccine, keep its record for the veterinary and public-health authorities; it does not determine what medical care an exposed person needs.

Treat an animal bite, scratch that breaks skin, or saliva contact with the eyes, mouth or broken skin as a reason for prompt medical advice. Go for urgent assessment if the injury is deep, bleeding heavily, on the face or hand, or if you cannot clean it properly. Do not wait for symptoms after a possible rabies exposure; assessment is based on the contact event.

Ask whether the contact requires post-exposure treatment, what records of prior rabies vaccination are useful, and where to receive any follow-up doses. Tell the clinician when the exposure occurred and exactly where saliva or teeth contacted your body.