A new study by Kansas State University veterinary diagnosticians finds that pets with out-of-date rabies vaccinations are very unlikely to develop the fatal disease if given a rabies booster immediately after exposure to the virus.

The finding gives pet owners, veterinarians and public health officials new options when faced with the difficult situation of quarantining or even euthanizing a pet that has been exposed to the rabies virus, said Michael Moore, project manager of the Kansas State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

“This has the potential to save a lot of pets’ lives,” Moore said. “our hope is that now animals with an out-of-date vaccination status that are exposed to rabies will be allowed to be handled the same as dogs and cats with up-to-date vaccinations. They will be given a booster and a 45-day observation at home.

Moore conducted the study with Rolan Davis, reference diagnostician of the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab; Derek Mosier, professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology; Christopher Vahl, assistant professor of statistics; and colleagues at the Statistical Intelligence Group LLC and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.