Rabies injections- how long after contact?

[mommysboy]

I'm in Surat Thani City.  I came in to contact with a rather over zealous dog 8 days ago at a local garage- it's not a stray.. It just muzzled me, there was no bite, and I didn't sense any other contact.  But a couple of days ago I noticed a couple of small scratches on my ankle.  Now they could have got there anyhow in all honesty, eg, I was kicking a ball about with the local kids.  I checked up on the dog yesterday and it looked to be in annoyingly fine fettle, though I noticed its partner in crime was not around.

 

I have been assuming it is too late for injections anyway, is that correct?

 

 

[TerryLH]

Not too late.  

If the dog that you think might have bitten you is alive in ten days, then there shouldn't be any worries.  

If it is real sick or dead, start the shots right away.

[mommysboy]

Well that is what I should do then- get injections.

 

I very much suspect they are not needed as I wasn't bitten, and the dog that approached me only nudged with its nose. It does look healthy.

 

But there were two dogs, now there is only one.  I could go to the garage again, but all I would get is BS, lies, and blind denials.

 

 

 

 

[mommysboy]

I started a course of injections yesterday.  The doctor, having listened to the story, said that he didn't feel it necessary but offered them anyway.  I guess they will act as an inoculation in the future- there will be other dogs.

 

My wife did go to see the garage owner beforehand to check on the two dogs. Like me, all she got was lies and blind denials.  I've a good mind to hand them the bills.

[fstarbkk]

Based on your description of the contact, there is virtually no chance that you contracted rabies from that dog, even if it was infected. But since rabies does exist in Thailand, it would be a reasonable precaution to be vaccinated against it. Any government hospital can administer the full course (usually 3 injections) for a very modest amount of money.

[fstarbkk]

5 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

I started a course of injections yesterday.  The doctor, having listened to the story, said that he didn't feel it necessary but offered them anyway.  I guess they will act as an inoculation in the future- there will be other dogs.

 

My wife did go to see the garage owner beforehand to check on the two dogs. Like me, all she got was lies and blind denials.  I've a good mind to hand them the bills.

Wait! You want to go and make a dog owner pay for your rabies prophylaxis because the animal touched your hand with his nose? Really?! Well, good luck with that.

[mommysboy]

2 minutes ago, fstarbkk said:

Wait! You want to go and make a dog owner pay for your rabies prophylaxis because the animal touched your hand with his nose? Really?! Well, good luck with that.

Charged and possibly scratched me, and I didn't get to check the pair of dogs 9 days later, which would have given me the all clear.  It's up to them to control their dogs.

 

I was joking really. In all honesty, I don't think there is any rabies in Surat Thani.  And the contact was minimal.  But it is a good idea for the future as you say.  No, I wouldn't cause trouble.  I quite like dogs, and it isn't their fault the owner is a muppet.

[fstarbkk]

4 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

Charged and possibly scratched me, and I didn't get to check the pair of dogs 9 days later, which would have given me the all clear.  It's up to them to control their dogs.

 

I was joking really. In all honesty, I don't think there is any rabies in Surat Thani.  And the contact was minimal.  But it is a good idea for the future as you say.  No, I wouldn't cause trouble.  I quite like dogs, and it isn't their fault the owner is a muppet.

Ah, thanks for clearing that up! 

 

By the way, the incubation period from exposure to symptoms (behavior changes when the virus reaches the brain) in dogs, is 3-8 weeks. So checking both dogs after 9 days really wouldn't be conclusive. But I think you did the right thing to get the vaccine, just for peace of mind, anyway.

[mommysboy]

The 9 (it might be 10) days is because any infected animal can only shed the virus a few days prior to the acute infection stage, and obviously when infection is fully blown.  If one was unlucky enough to be bitten by a rabid animal, then the unfortunate creature would be either very sick or dead by the 10th day.

 

Yes, inoculations are very cheap and I've a mind to address a couple more gaps as I don't have Hep B inoculation, and tetanus booster must have elapsed twenty years ago.

 

I don't think the rabies injections were at all necessary based on something which wasn't even an incident, but what an awful disease and so final.