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I had a possible rabies exposure and got the shots. One of the nurses was from the Philippines and told me she had seen rabies-infected human patients in the hospital. That’s a very rare occurrence here.
Rabies is a real problem in third world countries. What a shame. The woman was young, too. She might have responded to one of the experimental protocols developed in the U.S. if only she’d been diagnosed in time.
I worked for a county animal control in CA years ago. Rabies vaccination requirements for dogs strictly enforced partially because of proximity to Mexico. Once dealt with a couple who insisted on sourcing, buying and giving their dogs the vaccine themselves to save vet costs. OK, as long as you know how to handle the vaccines. The type they used was temperature-sensitive. They often went to Baja with the dogs. On one trip one of the dogs was exposed during a scrap with local dogs on the beach, but they assumed it was protected. The dog nipped the husband during play after they got home. He got sick a couple of weeks later, but the possibility of rabies didn't occur to them. When he was finally hospitalized and diagnosed, the vaccine was analyzed and found defective, expired, not kept chilled; don't recall. Husband didn't survive.
Last edited by Parnassia; 05-11-2019 at 01:52 PM..
Rabies is extremely extremely rare in Norway (some parts of Europe are rabies free, I think) - I’m seeing articles saying she was the first rabies death there in over 200 years - so this probably wasn’t even on her radar. This just shows how important researching a country is before you go, especially a third world/developing country and especially health risks.
I was bitten by a pit bull last year. No real drama, just some small puncture wounds as I tried to get our vizsla away.
When I spoke to our county animal control officers, I was somewhat comforted when they stated the last case of rabies in dogs in our country occurred in 1977. That dog hasn’t been back to the dog park since. Thank goodness.
When I was a kid, we lived in Japan and there was a rabies scare there. This was in the late 1960s. I picked up a stray cat that was acting weird. It just leaned over and bit me on the neck, sort of casually. Next thing I knew, I was getting 14 shots, one each day for two weeks, in the stomach.
When I got older and realized how horrible death from rabies is, I was glad my parents made sure I got those shots.
What a tragedy for that young woman and her family.
I actually put a thread about this incident up in the Travel forum earlier, precisely because I’ve seen so many people go out of their way to interact with street dogs and cats in countries that are not rabies-free. It’s a bad, bad idea to do this; if you end up bitten or scratched at best you wind up needing rabies shots (which are expensive), and at worst...
FYI, while dog rabies is extremely rare in the US, rabies in cats is not so rare. Most US exposures are from contact with wild animals (primarily bats), but cats are the most commonly-infected of the domestic animals. And when you think about it, it’s understandable. Pet cats are supposed to be licensed, which requires up to date rabies inoculations,, but enforcement of this law is more difficult with cats than with dogs. Many people still let their cats roam free outdoors, where they could have an encounter with a rabid wild animal. And of course feral cat populations exist in many areas. Be safe - don’t pet stray cats! And if you work with a feral cat rescue group, it would be a very good idea to get the pre-exposure rabies immunization series (just as wildlife rehab people and veterinarians do).
(Can anyone guess what the second most commonly infected domestic animal in the US is? Cattle!)
While rabies is rare in domestic dogs in the USA, I wouldn't count on that to protect me. Biting dogs should be quarantined, but at least verify that the dog who bit you has been vaccinated.
The rabies vaccine for dogs is extremely effective. Vaccinated dogs don't get rabies. But some people don't vaccinate their dogs. How many anti-vaxers are there in the USA? If they don't vaccinate their kids, they might not vaccinate their dogs.
There are pools of rabies in wildlife: raccoons in the east, foxes in the west, and bats everywhere. It's not unusual for dogs to be exposed to wildlife.
Pet cats are supposed to be licensed, which requires up to date rabies inoculations,, but enforcement of this law is more difficult with cats than with dogs.
There is no law where I live requiring cats to be licensed. Not in my state, county or city. The state of NY (my state of residence) requires all domestic dogs, cats, and ferrets to be vaccinated and kept boostered for rabies.
It's a good idea to get the shots if you go a country with rabies, especially if you think it likely you may interact with animals. And then go for the post-exposure shots if you are bitten. Doesn't matter if rabies isn't common in your home country; you're not in Kansas anymore. When you travel, you prepare for the dangers and conditions in the place you're traveling to, not the place you're coming from. That would be like being surprised if she got heat stroke in Philippines, because it's not hot in Norway.
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