หมาขี้เรื้อน

[klons]

I've come across หมาขี้เรื้อน . Is it a term used in general for sick stray street dogs or does it specifically mean a dog with leprosy?

I'm just wondering because it's been a year since the last time I was nipped by a street dog, so I think I'm safe

from rabies, but I never thought about leprosy.

[GarryP]

It means a dog with mange. You will not catch mange by being bitten. Mange is a skin parasite. Rabies is another matter though. Is the dog that bit you still alive. If so, rabies should not be an issue. Usually rabies symptoms appear after a few weeks or months.

If I was bitten by a stray dog I would definitely go for rabies shots. In fact in all my time in Thailand I have had two sets of post exposure inoculations. There are very few recorded survivors of rabies so it is just not worth the risk.

[klons]

OK thanks, Garryp. What would be a term used to refer to a stray dog. หมาไร้บ้าน ? or something like that?

[GarryP]

I use the terms หมาจรจัด or สุนัขจรจัด and หมาข้างถนน.