Electronic Rabies Submission Notification Form

By completing and submitting this notification form, you fulfill the rabies notification requirement set out in Texas Administrative Code 25 TAC §169.33. Notifying the DSHS Laboratory of a rabies specimen submission is required by law.

• Complete all required fields in the notification form, below.
• Submit the form by clicking the “Submit Form” button.

All hand-delivered specimens and specimens shipped by courier will be accepted during the Laboratory’s regular business hours (Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.). Hand deliveries may be dropped off at the Specimen Receiving Dock on the north side of the Laboratory building during regular business hours. Directions to the Specimen Receiving Dock are in this downloadable map of the Lab.

Do Not Ship for Weekend or Holiday Delivery. Ship the specimen such so it will arrive by Friday, or delay shipment until Monday. Keep the specimen refrigerated until it can be shipped for delivery during regular business house.

• If this is your first time submitting a rabies specimen to the lab, please refer to the Rabies Specimen Submission and Shipping Instructions.
  • A rabies specimen submission tutorial Submitting Rabies Specimens to the Laboratory is available for download.

A Completed G-9 Rabies Specimen Submission Form is Required with Every Specimen. This notification form is not a substitute for the form. Download a G-9 Submission Form. The identifiers provided in the notification form must match the identifiers in the G-9 Rabies Specimen Submission Form to verify receipt of the specimen.

Testing is Free, Shipping is Not. Rabies submitters do not need to pay for testing but must cover all shipping costs. DSHS does not provide shipping containers nor cover shipping costs for rabies specimens.

Specimen shipping containers can be returned only when the submitter provides sufficient return postage (in the form of stamps or a shipping label). Cash or checks are not acceptable.

Emergency Testing Notification Instructions

The Laboratory does not routinely perform rabies testing on Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange emergency testing on a Saturday, you must first receive prior approval from the Laboratory:

• Before 4:00 p.m. Fridays, call the Rabies Laboratory at (512) 776-7595.
• After 4:00 p.m. call (512) 776-7111 and request to speak with a regional Zoonosis Control (ZC) staff member. The ZC staff member will determine the need for immediate testing.

Specimens for emergency Saturday testing must arrive at the Laboratory by 8:00 a.m. Saturday. 

Required Specimen Types

Do Not Submit LIVE Specimens! Live animals will not be accepted.

DSHS Laboratory Cannot Accept Large Carcasses. Submit only the animal head, unless it is a small mammal such as a bat, rat, or mouse.

Specimens Must be Kept Cold. Immediately chill the specimen(s) with gel packs or similar refrigerant to 36°F – 46°F (2°C – 8°C).
DO NOT FREEZE! DO NOT USE DRY ICE!

Brain Tissue Must be Fresh. Do not fix in formalin. Fixatives interfere with the testing process.