How long can dog vaccines be out of fridge?

When it comes to keeping your pet safe and healthy, vaccines are an important part of preventative care. But as pet owners, one of the most common questions we face is how long can our pet’s vaccines be out of the fridge before needing to be refrigerated again. This question is especially important during the summer months when we are often in and out of the house and on the go. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the importance of keeping vaccines refrigerated and explore the maximum amount of time they can be out of the fridge without going bad. We’ll also discuss best practices to keep in mind when transporting vaccines to ensure they remain viable. Finally, we’ll look at the consequences of not keeping vaccines refrigerated and how to handle a vaccine that may have been left out too long.

The Importance of Storing Your Animal Vaccines Appropriately PHCNA would like to share some information about the importance of storing vaccines properly to ensure pet safety. Just like vaccines for humans, animal vaccines have specific storage requirements. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) references CDC guidelines for storage and handling of vaccines and states that most vaccines for animals should be stored between 2°C and 8°C (35°F and 46°F). Exposure to any inappropriate conditions can affect the potency of any refrigerated vaccine, but a single exposure to freezing temperatures (0°C [32°F] or colder) can destroy potency. Liquid vaccines containing an aluminum adjuvant can permanently lose potency when exposed to freezing temperatures. 1 It’s also important to note that appearance is not a reliable indicator that vaccines have been stored in appropriate conditions. Even when exposed to freezing temperatures, vaccines may not appear frozen – giving no indication of reduced or lost potency.2 For this reason, it is important to store your animal vaccines in a purpose-built refrigerator.

Does the refrigerator maintain that temperature range throughout the cabinet? This consideration is key so that vaccines can be stored uniformly on any approved shelf in the unit.

How reliable is the refrigerator? You should look for a vaccine refrigerator that has a long, consistent track record of performance.

Does the refrigerator meet current and emerging guidelines from the CDC, NSF, and ANSI, which include strict storage requirements for vaccines and biologics? Following recommended guidelines is the most effective way to ensure no vaccine goes to waste and no pet goes unprotected.

Vaccine Storage: How to Store Vaccines

Last updated: June 29, 2021

Proper vaccine storage is critical to ensure vaccine efficacy. You want to make sure you’re giving your pet the best chance at staying healthy, whether that means knowing how to store rabies vaccine, parvovirus, leptospirosis, kennel cough vaccine, or any other cat or dog vaccine.

Our Revival Education Team has provided guidance on how to store your vaccines in a refrigerator until you need them. Here are the top ten vaccine storage tips:

Don’t keep vaccines in the door or the top or bottom shelf of the refrigerator. You want to make sure their temperature doesn’t fluctuate or get too warm. It’s ideal to store vaccines in the middle of the unit, two to three inches from the walls, top, bottom, door, and cold air vent so air can easily circulate around them.

Consider what else you are storing in that refrigerator. If you are using the fridge to store hot leftovers, you need to consider that the hot food placed in the fridge will change the inside temperature for a brief time. To help maintain a constant temperature, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends not putting any food or beverages in the same refrigerator used to store vaccines. The CDC recommends replacing the crisper bins with water bottles to help maintain consistent temperature. But make sure to label those water bottles “Do not drink”. Those water bottles are there to help maintain proper temperature. When one is taken out and replaced, it takes time for the new bottle to get back to the right temperature. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does NOT permit storing vaccines and drugs with food and beverages for human consumption.

According to the CDC the storage temperature for refrigerated vaccines should be between 36ºF and 46ºF with an ideal temperature of 40ºF. Refrigerated vaccines stored in an area that is warmer or cooler than the recommended temperature range, should not be used. Never freeze refrigerated vaccines. The CDC recommends checking and recording the refrigerator temperature daily. Using a refrigerator thermometer that measures the min/max for the day is helpful. If your thermometer does not display min/max temperatures, the CDC recommends recording the temperature a minimum of two times per day (morning and evening).

The CDC recommends using a standard size refrigerator, not a dorm style fridge.

Always store vaccines in their original packaging with the lids closed. This will help prevent exposure to light, eliminate mix ups and make it easier to check the expiration date before administering. Always put the vaccines that are first to expire in the front.

When vaccinating a litter of puppies, take out the needed doses and put the rest of the tray back in the refrigerator. Sometimes it takes a couple of hours to get through the process especially with a large litter. And if you are deworming, cutting toenails or anything else as well as marking the health records, it can take that long to get everyone done. Putting the vaccines in a bowl or an ice chest with an ice pack on top of it will help keep them the proper temperature.

Once you have mixed the two portions together, never put the empty vials back in the tray. Dispose of them in a sharps container along with the needle and syringe. And never put used needles or syringes in the tray to store in the refrigerator. Store unused needles and syringes in a shoe storage box or a container with a snap on lid to help keep everything contained and clean. Remember to peel the labels off the vaccine vials, both the diluent and vaccine vials, and include these for your record keeping.

Create awareness. Make sure those who are around this refrigerator are aware of the contents inside. Posting a “Do Not Unplug” sign on the refrigerator and near the electrical outlet can be helpful.

If you have a large inventory of vaccine, consider having a battery backup or generator to keep the vaccine safe if there is a power outage.

Look at how often the refrigerator is used. Is this a fridge that is opened frequently? Is the door opened and held open for a while? Remember, each time the door is opened, cool air escapes and warm air enters which changes the internal temperature. Ideally you want to store them in a refrigerator that is not used often.

Revival Animal Health ships pet vaccines in specially made polar boxes that have undergone extensive testing to ensure that the vaccines stay cool inside for 48 hours.

When your vaccines do arrive, do this simple trick. Hold the vaccine against your cheek or the inside of your arm as you open the box. If the vaccine feels cool, it is still good. If it feels warm or hot, replace it. It is not worth the risk.

Call our Pet Care Experts at 800 to ask any additional questions you may have regarding vaccinations or vaccine storage. 786. 4751.

Meningococcal Vaccine (Group A and C)

At room temperature, the meningococcal vaccines (MenACWY, MenB, and MenC) are very unstable. Purified meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine undergoes depolymerization at ambient temperatures. In the past, healthcare professionals had to freeze the vaccine’s polysaccharide form. Lyophilization has increased the vaccines thermal stability. Now, providers can store the MenACWY stored inside of refrigerators. The non-lyophilized, non-aluminum-adjuvanted vaccines need to be kept between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F) in storage.

FAQ

How long can dog vaccines be out of the fridge?

Any time vaccine products are taken out of the fridge unless they are being prepared for immediate administration, they must be put in a cooler with ice packs. Within an hour, either the vaccines should be given or the ice packs should be changed.

What happens if a dog vaccine gets warm?

1) Ineffective vaccine The vaccine is rendered inactive if it becomes too warm during transportation to or storage at the distributor. “Temperature is critical in maintaining potency. This is a frequent issue with vaccines purchased online, by mail, or from feed stores.

Does dog vaccine need to be refrigerated?

Vaccines may not appear frozen even when exposed to subfreezing temperatures, providing no sign that their effectiveness has been diminished. This is why it’s crucial to keep your animal vaccines in a refrigerator that was made for the purpose.

How long can vaccine be left out?

Before the first puncture, vaccines can be kept in a cool or room temperature between 8°C and 25°C (46°F and 77°F) for up to 12 hours.