2 hours ago, freedomnow said:

Costs buttons in local hospitals walk-in and you only need 2/3 injections.

I paid about 250 baht per injection.

 

 

   NO, you needed 2/3 injection and I needed five injections .

There are also other fees like paying to register and other tests and tetanus jabs and things 

2 hours ago, connda said:

Whoever wrote that the shots will cost you 15,000 THB must have rabies as their brain is cooked.  A lot of misinformation spewed here.

It has been said that HRIG has this price.

That's true, 15000 is actually a bargain. 30,000 up is more realistic.

You need HRIG only if bitten and unvaccinated. In this case, you cannot shop around, and it's hard to find anyway. Big international hospitals do have it, of course. 

BTW it's usually not given in Thailand,  too expensive and too hard to find. 

 

You don't need HRIG if you are bitten but you have been vaccinated before. 

2 hours ago, connda said:

.  Whoever wrote that the shots will cost you 15,000 THB must have rabies as their brain is cooked.  A lot of misinformation spewed here.
 

 

  15 000 Baht in total .

You can pay 5000 Baht just to register at some hospitals and  see a doctor  and take some tests to see what you are allergic to . 

16 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

has anyone had a preventative rabies shot, and if so, how often does it need to be boosted? 

I have it.

No boosters necessary, only if bitten.

 

16 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Have there been many cases of rabies in animals in Thailand?

Yes.

Very common in dogs.

15 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Presumably, one can just make an appointment at any major hospital in Thailand and get a rabies vaccination?  I

Yes.

Cheaper at Thai Travel clinic.

Even cheaper at government hospitals.

15 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

If unvaccinated, how quickly can you get treatment after an incident? 

Same day, easy (but you don't usually get  RIG in Thailand).

 

15 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

most people would ignore a small scratch!  

Thai doctors do not ignore minor scratches from cats or dogs. They will give rabies vaccine. 

Rabies is not just stray dogs
While rabies deaths in Thailand have dropped significantly over the years, people still die every year (10 last year) – mostly because they don’t get treated after exposure.

Unfortunately a common but overlooked source is cute, unvaccinated puppies in markets.
These unvaccinated animals are often kept in cages, picked up and cuddled by the public — and people don’t take a little nip or scratch seriously.

Rabies doesn’t need a deep bite. It’s spread via saliva, and bodily fluids not just blood. Even a small scratch can be deadly.

Most current deaths in Thailand are from failure to get post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in time. If you’re scratched or bitten — even by a “friendly” pet or market puppy — get to a hospital immediately.
The Thai government has made great strides with vaccines, awareness, and access to PEP — but it only works if people use it.

Don’t wait. Don’t guess. Rabies is always fatal — but always preventable.
 

In 2008 I got preventative rabies jabs when I knew I was coming to live in Thailand full time. My local hospital clinic on the UK didn't do the jabs, but they told me to order a course of Verorab from Boots the chemist (about £150 I think) and when they arrived, the clinic administered them free. Here in Buriram, my local Doctor does the rabies jabs. Last time I got bitten by a puppy it cost me around 2500 baht for a course of 5 jabs.

10 hours ago, hotsun said:

Travelling seems to be becoming more unappealing over time

 

Stay home.

 

Oh, you're already there. Problem solved

4 hours ago, kwilco said:

Don’t wait. Don’t guess. Rabies is always fatal — but always preventable.

I prefer not to touch other peoples pets.

21 hours ago, Hummin said:

Norwegian woman 

 

Nope.  The Norwegian woman was in 2019 and was bitten.  The recent case is a British woman who was only scratched.

6 hours ago, Lorry said:

I have it.

No boosters necessary, only if bitten.

 

Yes.

Very common in dogs.

Yes.

Cheaper at Thai Travel clinic.

Even cheaper at government hospitals.

Same day, easy (but you don't usually get  RIG in Thailand).

 

Thai doctors do not ignore minor scratches from cats or dogs. They will give rabies vaccine. 

Thanks.  That's an extremely helpful post.

Is it routine for kids (under 15) to be vaccinated?

Best stay away from all animals especially filthy dogs, pets or not. Do not approach or touch any and if walking take an expandable metal batten to ward them off or whack them. Dogs and cats are pests, they are not your 'friend' they are not 'fur babies' and cannot love you, but they can kill you.

8 hours ago, Lorry said:

Thai doctors do not ignore minor scratches from cats or dogs.

Why scratches ? No saliva like a bite.

 

I have scratches nearly every day.

It's like playing Russian roulette then.

2 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Is it routine for kids (under 15) to be vaccinated?

 

If they are bitten,  scratched or licked on broken skin, they will be vaccinated,  but pre-exposure prophylaxis is not routine.  It's not a vaccine all kids get as a routine.

 

But it is routine to have all your pets vaccinated,  that includes all dogs on your farm.

It is also routine to go to the local hospital if bitten or scratched. 

20 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Why scratches ? No saliva like a bite.

 

I have scratches nearly every day.

It's like playing Russian roulette then.

Thais vaccinate their pets.

Then,  if they get scratched,  they don't go to get the vaccine themselves. 

 

If the scratching pet had not been vaccinated yet (too young) Thais will often get rabies vaccine if scratched. Everything else is Russian roulette. 

 

7 minutes ago, Lorry said:

Thais vaccinate their pets.

Then,  if they get scratched,  they don't go to get the vaccine themselves. 

 

If the scratching pet had not been vaccinated yet (too young) Thais will often get rabies vaccine if scratched. Everything else is Russian roulette. 

 

Still doesn't explain why a scratch (or even as it is reported for the British woman's light scratch), it is possible to get infected

when transmission is by bodily fluids like saliva.

2 hours ago, Zaphod Priest said:

 

Nope.  The Norwegian woman was in 2019 and was bitten.  The recent case is a British woman who was only scratched.

I didn't claim it was recently, but it made me think about having the vaccine, since I always being around dogs and exposed to small bites and scratches.

 

 

This is an translation from one of the articles who describes her scratches as minor puppy bites/scratches. And being a nurse she treated her puppy bites/scratches properly, and didn't think about it even when she got sick. Neither associated her illness with rabies months later, before to late 

 

 

 

https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/i/70B5mo/birgitte-kallestad-24-fra-hordaland-doede-av-rabies

 

Me playing with my puppy as a reference 

 

3 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Still doesn't explain why a scratch (or even as it is reported for the British woman's light scratch), it is possible to get infected

when transmission is by bodily fluids like saliva.

Ok, you are the expert.  It is not possible.  The British woman didn't die.

 

8 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Still doesn't explain why a scratch (or even as it is reported for the British woman's light scratch), it is possible to get infected

when transmission is by bodily fluids like saliva.

If you google you see it is possible 

 

Yes, it is possible to contract rabies from a scratch, but it's rare and usually requires the scratch to be deep enough to break the skin and for the animal's claws to be contaminated with infected saliva. Rabies is primarily transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, typically through bites, but scratches can be a route of transmission if the saliva comes into contact with a break in the skin. 

 

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/animal-bites-and-rabies#:~:text=The rabies virus enters the,Rabies: Stage 2

3 minutes ago, Hummin said:

This is an translation from one of the articles who describes her scratches as minor puppy bites/scratches. And being a nurse she treated her puppy bites/scratches properly, and didn't think about it even when she got sick. Neither associated her illness with rabies months later, before to late 

I am surprised a nurse didn't realize she needs rabies vaccine. Shít happens.

 

In rich European countries, rabies free, like Norway, when symptoms develop (months after a long forgotten week in Morocco) nobody thinks of rabies. Psychiatrists are often consulted. 

There once was a patient who didn't want to be hospitalized in a psychiatric ward.  She started to be aggressive and bite (!) the nurses.

 

 

17 minutes ago, Lorry said:

I am surprised a nurse didn't realize she needs rabies vaccine. Shít happens.

 

In rich European countries, rabies free, like Norway, when symptoms develop (months after a long forgotten week in Morocco) nobody thinks of rabies. Psychiatrists are often consulted. 

There once was a patient who didn't want to be hospitalized in a psychiatric ward.  She started to be aggressive and bite (!) the nurses.

 

 

This was Philippines not the recently UK woman in Morocco. 

 

It all comes down to experience and knownledge. One Dr thought about rabies, but being 200 years since last rabies death, well

I don't think they have proven that:

 

1. the rabies virus exists

2. the rabies virus, if it exists, causes rabies

3. the rabies vaccine prevents catching rabies, assuming it exists and is the cause of symptoms

5. the rabies vaccine is safe, both in humans and definitely pets.

 

One interesting thing is to look at the number of people who died "of rabies" who were also treated for rabies.

 

 

2 hours ago, davb said:

I don't think they have proven that:

 

1. the rabies virus exists

2. the rabies virus, if it exists, causes rabies

3. the rabies vaccine prevents catching rabies, assuming it exists and is the cause of symptoms

5. the rabies vaccine is safe, both in humans and definitely pets.

 

One interesting thing is to look at the number of people who died "of rabies" who were also treated for rabies.

 

 

so you wouldn't have the injections if bitten?

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I prefer not to touch other peoples pets.

How about your own? How can you guarantee 100% you won't come into contact with any mammal? (you DO know what a mammal is?)

20 minutes ago, kwilco said:

How about your own? How can you guarantee 100% you won't come into contact with any mammal? (you DO know what a mammal is?)

Yes, I keep rabbits.

One bit me and the vet asked if I wanted rabies vaccine.

It doesn't have rabies, it's just forgotten it's prey, and is a bit bitey.

Anyways, at 70 I've got to die of something, I doubt it'll be rabies.

 

Odd how so many men are frightened of disease and worship doctors and big pharma. I'm grateful for paracetamol, immodiam and antibiotics, but that's about as far as I'll go.

6 hours ago, davb said:

I don't think they have proven that:

 

1. the rabies virus exists

2. the rabies virus, if it exists, causes rabies

3. the rabies vaccine prevents catching rabies, assuming it exists and is the cause of symptoms

5. the rabies vaccine is safe, both in humans and definitely pets.

 

One interesting thing is to look at the number of people who died "of rabies" who were also treated for rabies.

 

 

These things are all  thoroughly proven. The virus was identified more than 120 years ago and there is no doubt whatsoever that it is the cause of rabies. The efficacy of the vaccine is also well established, and post-exposure vaccination, if started in a timely manner and continued for the full course,  is almost 100% effective in preventing the disease. 

 

As with any vaccine, there are side effects. Mostly minor, but rarely a serious allergic reaction occurs (about 2.8 cases per million doses). 

 

It is not possible to be "treated for rabies" as no treatment exists once the disease has taken hold, and it is 100% fatal.

 

Rabies in endemic in dogs and other animals in Thailand. Human cases are rare (less than a dozen per year) mainly because people are well aware of the need tio get vaccinated after a bite.

 

Pre-exposure vaccine is recommended for people at high risk of bites,  like veterinarians.  For the general population, not usually recommended but can be done if desired.  Living or travelling in areas with a lot of stray dogs would be a consideration. Important to note that there is still a need for vaccination after any bite even if vaccinated, but only 2 as opposed to a series of 5 injections, and no need for the immune globulin.

 

The duration of protection from pre-exposure vaccination is unclear. High risk people (vets etc) are advised to get a booster every 3 years unless blood titers shows continued adequate protection.

 

Besides hospitals,  pre-exposure rabies vaccine can be obtained at clinics with vaccination services e.g. 

 

Bangkok:

https://www.thaitravelclinic.com/cost.html

https://wellmedbangkok.com/services/vaccinations-thailand/

https://www.medconsultasia.com/vaccinations/

 

 

 Chiang Mai

https://www.chiangmaiwellnessclinic.com/rabies

https://www.healthcaremedicalclinic.com/

and hospitals

 

 

 

 

Bickering and trolling posts have been removed

19 hours ago, connda said:

No they are not.  What a load of tosh.  The shots are available in virtually all Thai government hospital.  As i said, rabies in endemic here and the health authorities understand that. 

 

   I am allergic to the anti rabies injection made from horses , they use horses to make the vaccine  .

   I had to visit various hospitals looking for the human made vaccine , so I had to register at hospitals and pay to see numerous doctors and those hospitals also had to do new tests to see what I was allergic to as test results from other hospitals were nt acceptable  

2 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   I am allergic to the anti rabies injection made from horses , they use horses to make the vaccine  .

   I had to visit various hospitals looking for the human made vaccine , so I had to register at hospitals and pay to see numerous doctors and those hospitals also had to do new tests to see what I was allergic to as test results from other hospitals were nt acceptable  

A little bit of science can be quite dangerous, especially in the hands of the conspiracy theorist - horses are not used to produce human rabies vaccines. Modern human rabies vaccines are primarily made using inactivated rabies virus grown in cell cultures or embryonated chicken or duck eggs. While horses can get rabies and transmit it to humans, and they may receive rabies immunoglobulin derived from horses, the vaccine itself is not made from them. 

10 hours ago, Hummin said:

I didn't claim it was recently, but it made me think about having the vaccine, since I always being around dogs and exposed to small bites and scratches.

 

 

This is an translation from one of the articles who describes her scratches as minor puppy bites/scratches. And being a nurse she treated her puppy bites/scratches properly, and didn't think about it even when she got sick. Neither associated her illness with rabies months later, before to late 

 

 

 

https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/i/70B5mo/birgitte-kallestad-24-fra-hordaland-doede-av-rabies

 

Me playing with my puppy as a reference 

 

People around mammals a lot - especialy dogs are advised to get a vaccinated - ask the dog rescue centres.

4 minutes ago, kwilco said:

People around mammals a lot - especialy dogs are advised to get a vaccinated - ask the dog rescue centres.

I know, will get it done back home. Cheers