Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been using the cornsnake forum for several months now and I never knew this rehab one existed until this morning! I've been doing this for 3 years now, and it's good to find a small community of people that I can relate to for a change...lol.

Glad to have you! The forum is typically pretty peaceful, though we do hear now and then from the "so I want to have a pet raccoon (squirrel, opossum, etc) and how do I raise it?" folks. But we also have some very good experienced rehabbers that visit, and many that are learning.
Me, I do volunteer foster care for orphaned unweaned raccoons and a variety of squirrels (flying, grey, 13-lined). I do this work through the shelter I work at which is a licensed rehab facility. This will be my 3rd season coming up, looking forward to the babies!

Joker
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PHJoker
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Yes, I've seen a few of those posts on here....some people...lol

Do you work in a state where raccoons are considered RVS? If so, roughly how much do the pre-exposure shots cost? I'm getting certified this spring, but I haven't been able to pin down a price for the shots yet and it's frustrating!

>>Yes, I've seen a few of those posts on here....some people...lol
>>
>>Do you work in a state where raccoons are considered RVS? If so, roughly how much do the pre-exposure shots cost? I'm getting certified this spring, but I haven't been able to pin down a price for the shots yet and it's frustrating!

I *think* on average they run about $25 per shot (least that is a price I remember hearing a few years back in MD). It is possible that the shots may covered or discounted under various health insurances if it's work related safety issues.
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Wyvern

Wow, I really hope that's still the case. I was under the impression that they were several hundred dollars. And get this... up here in PA anyway, the pre-exposure shots aren't covered by insurance under any circumstances. BUT if you're a complete idiot and get in a fight with a rabid animal, insurance (i.e. the taxpayers) will gladly pay for them completely! Tell me that makes sense! lol

>>Wow, I really hope that's still the case. I was under the impression that they were several hundred dollars. And get this... up here in PA anyway, the pre-exposure shots aren't covered by insurance under any circumstances. BUT if you're a complete idiot and get in a fight with a rabid animal, insurance (i.e. the taxpayers) will gladly pay for them completely! Tell me that makes sense! lol

That is totally insane. I work at a nature center and we can opt to get the pre-expos shots since our staff does on semi-regular occasions come into contact with wild animals - it's not required but the option is there for those who may be paranoid about the risk. Some years ago I got the first shot in the pre-expose series just for the hell of it and it didn't cost me anything. But then later I got to thinking that since most of the animals I preferably come in contact with are not in the high-risk rabies critter catagory I didn't bother to complete the process (maybe the fact I hate needles also came into play with that decision lol..the shot didn't hurt --itched like crazy-- but I still hate needles).

My understanding is that essentially you get the first shot, wait a few weeks, get a blood titer done and if the antibody levels are not high enough you get a second pre-expose shot and tested again a few weeks later. By then you should be covered and after that it's a matter of a yearly blood titer to check to see if you need a booster shot or not. For the most part you are only saving yourself the hassle of having to go through the entire series in a short period of time should you ever get bit by a possibly rabid animal. If you have the vaccination, then you only need to worry about going through the post-exposure series rather than have to do pre-exposure then post.
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Wyvern

I just got off the phone with the local hospital....the shots are $570 apiece here in PA!!! So much for that idea!

>>I just got off the phone with the local hospital....the shots are $570 apiece here in PA!!! So much for that idea!

Woah. I think perhaps they are pulling your leg there. Try this.. contact a few of the local humane socieities or animal control facilities. I believe it's usually a mandatory regulation for any state that people who work with the stray dogs/cats/etc. have the pre-exposure shots as a safety precaution since they deal with such animals on a daily basis. so contact them and see what they can tell you. Might also try some local zoos as they have to deal with mammals in outdoor cage settings so it's always possible for them to come in contact with rabid animals and pre-expos. shots are probably required for them as well. And you can try looking for local licensed/permitted wildlife rehabilitation folks to talk to... since they work with raising and rehabbing wild animals they definitely need to be up to date on shots...maybe even contact the PA fish/game commission to see if they can help direct you to someone that can help.
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Wyvern

Yeah, I tried the county health dept. and they told me to call the hospital...that's where I got the price from. Later on, I got ahold of another hospital here in PA and they said it was $210 for the three shots. In Ohio it's about the same (does it vary by state?).

At the rehab center I work at, there are only two RVS-certified people on the staff. One of them is my boss, and it's been years since she got the series, so she didn't remember the cost. The other person's was covered by insurance because it was the result of a post-exposure incident with her dog or something.

I talked to some people at the zoo where I got hired for the summer, and only one person has had the vaccination...and that was 35 years ago. I'm going to try the humane societies, shelters, and other rehabbers tomorrow and see what they have to say. Thanks for the input!

>>Yeah, I tried the county health dept. and they told me to call the hospital...that's where I got the price from. Later on, I got ahold of another hospital here in PA and they said it was $210 for the three shots. In Ohio it's about the same (does it vary by state?).
>>
>>At the rehab center I work at, there are only two RVS-certified people on the staff. One of them is my boss, and it's been years since she got the series, so she didn't remember the cost. The other person's was covered by insurance because it was the result of a post-exposure incident with her dog or something.
>>
>>I talked to some people at the zoo where I got hired for the summer, and only one person has had the vaccination...and that was 35 years ago. I'm going to try the humane societies, shelters, and other rehabbers tomorrow and see what they have to say. Thanks for the input!

As for the price, I just remember that for me to get the shots via work I didn't have to pay anything, but I seemed to remember someone mentioning that just anyone from the public who might want the shots for their own reasons only had to pay something like $25. That was about 10 years ago, so with inflation and such it probably could be closer to $50 per shot if they still do that.

dang just thought of something... try some of the local veterinarians and emergency animal hospitals..they work with dogs/cats daily and can always be at risk so they and their staff are probably diligent on getting shots and probably know where to go for good prices.
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Wyvern

Sorry, been negligent in checking the board, work is busy with spring just around the corner. Yes, we are a state in which raccoons are considered a rabies vector species, and no, the majority of us that deal with them are not vaccinated.

The state here (WI) for reasons that I am not quite sure of, prefers to do post-exposure as opposed to pre. I understand this has changed recently, as some staff/volunteers that have bee involved longer than myself have had the pre-exposure shots. Perhaps it isn't the state, maybe it is just the city/the doctors, I am not sure...but I am sure at some point, I will end up getting the post exposure rounds.....
Joker
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PHJoker
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>>The state here (WI) for reasons that I am not quite sure of, prefers to do post-exposure as opposed to pre. I understand this has changed recently, as some staff/volunteers that have bee involved longer than myself have had the pre-exposure shots. Perhaps it isn't the state, maybe it is just the city/the doctors, I am not sure...but I am sure at some point, I will end up getting the post exposure rounds.....
>>Joker

That is weird.. it's in a person's best interest as well as that of the health care facilities that people in a position who work with high rabies risks have pre-exposure vaccinations. If you have to wait until after you get bit by a possibly rabid animal, you have to get the pre-exposure vaccinations prior to getting the post exposure anyway..they make you go through the entire full series as the treatment. Having pre-exposure knocks off a large chunk of time so that you can go immediately into the post-exposure portion of the series which means less time getting the full treatment and less chance of contracting rabies! Saving time and money and helping secure a person's health is what the doctors are supposed to be aiming for...not putting their clients lives on the line with something as dangerous as rabies.
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Wyvern