If a dog that has had the antirabies vaccine a while ago, bites you, do you get rabies?

Question

My grandma had found a dog around her house and eventually found the owners. They told her he had had his shots a while ago and didn't want him so my grandmother now owns him. I was at her house sunday and the dog bit my thumb and broke the thumb nail. It bleed and I am scared that I have rabies.

Answer 1

If the dog doesn't have rabies, you can't get rabies from him, whether he had his shots or not. Since he had his shot, he doesn't have rabies anyway.

Answer 2

If an animal has been vaccinated against rabies, it is HIGHLY unlikely the animal has rabies. If the dog isn't acting oddly, isn't sick and YOU haven't started feeling ill, I would say you are safe.

Have the former owners give you his rabies certificate.

Answer 3

You should be okay IF it did have it's shots but if I were your Grandmother I wouldn't take their word for it, if they don't care enough about the dog to keep him contained why would they care enough to get it's shots? I'd take the dog and get the shot so she has proof, just in case he bites someone else. She'd need it if the animal control or police showed up at her door.