What is the rabies antibody titre test?
You must have come across the term RNATT when you are preparing your pet dog or cat for international travel depending on the destination country requirements.
Most countries require a rabies antibody titer test, also called rabies neutralising antibody titre (RNATT) test for your pet to enter their respective country.
The rabies antibody titre test is an important step in the international pet relocation process, and it is crucial that this test is conducted at the exact recommended time by an authorised laboratory.
Depending on the entry regulations, most rabies-free countries will not allow your pet dog / cat to enter their country even if the pets are fully vaccinated against Rabies and fulfil all veterinary requirements if the result of the Rabies Neutralizing Antibody Titre Test (RNATT) is not satisfactory.
RNATT (Rabies Neutralizing Antibody Titre Test) is the same as the FAVN test. FAVN stands for Fluorescent Antibody Viral Neutralization. RNATT is a generic term which encompasses the FAVN method.
When your pet dog / cat has receives a rabies inoculation, the only evidence of the vaccination is the vaccination stamps, serial numbers which the vet fills in for you in the pet passport or the vaccination booklet.
Most Rabies Free Countries including EU Member States, Singapore, UAE, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand requires further evidence to see if your pet has been immunised against rabies.
RNATT simply checks for the presence of the rabies antibodies in your pet’s blood. The presence of the antibody in sufficient amounts signifies that the pet has been vaccinated and is immune to rabies. RNATT measures the effectiveness of the rabies vaccine on your pet cat / dog.
Most countries including EU member states, UAE, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand require a level of 0.5 IU/ml or greater to show that your pet is adequately immunized against rabies as an entry requirement.
How is the rabies titre test performed for pets traveling from Sri Lanka?
You can either bring your pet child to our veterinary practice or we can send our vet doctors to your residence at your convenience to collect the blood sample.
We will process the serum sample and send it to an approved OIE / EU laboratory for the RNATT to be conducted.
Most countries in the world require a level of 0.5 IU/ml or greater to show that your pet child is adequately immunized against the rabies virus.
What to do when the pet fails the RNATT?
Sometimes, a small percentage of cats and dogs fail the Rabies Antibody Titer Test. In such instances, we suggest giving another rabies booster vaccination and repeat the RNATT after 30 days’ time.
Different countries have very differing entry regulations. Always check with us before you do the blood tests.
