My 3-month old puppy licked a wound in my foot. Do I have to get anti-rabies shots?

Question

She got her rabies shots the next day, so I don't know if observing her would help, but she's not acting weird or anything.

I got anti-rabies shots around a year and 3 months ago when another puppy bit me.

I've researched and they say non-bites don't usually require anti-rabies shots but my mom is paranoid and insists that I ask people.

Answer 1

I'm sure you've had time to search this on the internet by now and found your answer,,,, but ....

If a dog or cat bites a human, the animal must be observed for ten days to see if symptoms of rabies develop.

This is * necessary * even if it has been vaccinated, as very rarely, vaccination fails to protect an animal and it develops rabies disease.

Licking you was just a grooming action to clean your sore.

Time is a big factor here.

At the longest, a dog or cat can have rabies virus in its saliva for only ** 2-3 days ** before it develops rabies symptoms.

Therefore we know that if a dog or cat ** remains healthy for at least 10 days** after it bites someone, it could not have had the rabies virus in its saliva at the time of the bite.

If an animal does not have virus in its saliva, it cannot transmit the disease through a bite.

Answer 2

What nation do you live in that they are giving you rabies shots over a dog bite? In the states, it is very unusual for a dog to have rabies. You could get it from just playing with a rabid dog, no bites, but it is unusual for any dog to have it. If a dog bites then they just quarantine the dog and watch it for ten days to two weeks. As long as the dog is fine, the child doesn't have to go through a rabies round.

Answer 3

It would be really rare in the U.S. for a 3 month old puppy to have even been exposed to rabies - unless you've let it run with wild life. I understand most of the actual rabies cases in the U.S. now are caused by bats or skunks or occassionally other wild life - and an occassional cow who has been bitten by a rabid animal. In other countries you might not be so safe. Anyway, you might still have immunity from the other anti-rabies treatment. Ask the doctor how long that lasts.

Answer 4

If your dog has come into contact with or fought a wild animal then I would worry about rabies. Most puppies haven't even had the chance to come into contact with wild life yet though. Rabies is actually carried in the saliva of rabid animals and can be spread by getting into a wound or by causing a wound with their mouth (a bite). If you suspect that your dog has rabies I'd have her quarantined though. If you believe that she is fine (which she more than likely is) then you have nothing to worry about.

Answer 5

Your 3 month old puppy would have to have rabies to begin with. That's highly unlikely. Secondly rabies is only transmitted to you by blood. The dog has to bite you and draw blood. Thirdly, Whoever gave you anti-rabies shots before for a puppy bite is a quack!

Answer 6

Rabies is an acute virus disease of the nervous system of mammals that is caused by a rhabdovirus (species Rabies virus of the genus Lyssavirus) usually transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal and that is characterized typically by increased salivation, abnormal behavior, and eventual paralysis and death

Answer 7

Generally speaking the possibility is extremely low of you getting rabies. But the standard procedure for dog bites is to quarantine the animal for 2 or 3 weeks to see if it shows any signs of being rabid. if it doesn't then your fine.

Answer 8

Only if your puppy has rabies,which I highly doubt. I think your vet would have noticed if she thought the dog was showing signs of rabies!

Answer 9

It is better to have an ARV injection as PEP (Post exposure prophylaxis). Licking on the wound can transmit the disease. Don't take chances and play with your life. Rabies is dangerous. Also I find from your statement that you always play with pets like dogs. Though you don't get diseases like rabies by playing with the pets, there are so many diseases which cannot be diagosed easily may be spread by the pet animals. So avoid animals. They are created to dwell in the wild and not to be tamed and brought up in our homes.

Answer 10

You only get rabies if your bitten or if he licks an open wound, (when your bleeding), not a closed wound. Tell her to relax, and that it's impossible for you to get rabies from that.