Selection, Collection, and Shipping

RFFIT Submission Guidelines

It is the responsibility of the submitting clinic to ensure their name, postal address and the email or fax (required for receiving results), is correctly entered on the test submission forms for FAVN and RFFIT. The Rabies Laboratory considers the submitting clinic listed on the test submission form its client, regardless of who pays for testing and who ships the sample to the laboratory. The pet owner is not the considered the client.

This information is entered into an account, and all future samples received in the laboratory will be match to the clinic’s account via the clinic’s name and postal address on the submission form. If the name of the submitting clinic is not an exact match between the submission form and the clinic name as it appears in their account, delays to receiving results may occur or the sample may be matched to the wrong account. If a sample is matched to a wrong account, it can lead to billing and result send-out errors. A copy of the results for FAVN and RFFIT tests are sent via email or fax to the submitting clinic. For international clinics we recommend email for receiving the copy of test reports.It is essential that each specimen be packaged and shipped properly.

Packaging and Shipping

• If a serum separator tube was used, the serum should be poured off into a 3.0 to 5.0 mL plastic leak-proof tube (without anticoagulants or additives) to send. The sample tube should be packed in a sealed plastic bag with absorbent material.
• Sample tube(s) and the secondary packaging must be capable of withstanding travel conditions without leakage. More than one sample can be sent in a package.
• The “Rabies Serology for Vaccine Titer Response by RFFIT” submission form and any accompanying paperwork should be enclosed in a protective plastic bag and placed inside the package with the sample(s).
• Enough pre-frozen gel packs for the anticipated duration of transit should be placed in the package. Samples can be sent on dry ice if they must travel for an extended period before arriving to the lab. Do not freeze your sample unless necessary, as this will delay testing when it arrives.
• The use of an overnight or next day carrier is highly recommended. Shipping charges are the responsibility of the shipper; we will not accept packages sent “bill to recipient.”
• Samples may be stored up to one week in refrigeration before shipping. It is preferable to hold onto samples over the weekend. If it is urgent to send a sample for Saturday delivery, please contact us.
• The Rabies Laboratory will not track samples shipped to us, please do this yourself to determine when we have received your sample.
• Please check with your shipping company for additional requirements.

Laboratory hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, excluding State Holidays.

The Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices provide guidance that administration of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis is a medical urgency, not a medical emergency. Submissions received on Saturday will be tested the next working day. There is no routine testing on Sundays or holidays if the following day is a business day. The need for emergency testing will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and arrangements MUST be made by telephone in advance.