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What Is The Dosage Of Vaccine For Dog Bite?

Posted on Wed, 1 Jun 2016

Question: The dog who bit me has not died in more than 15 days. I have already taken my 4 vaccines. Do I need to take my 5th one?

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Discussion follows

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome and thanks for your query.
If the dog has survived 15 days it is likely that it doesn't have the infection. But there's a rare possibility that the dog is an asymptotic carrier which has been documented and reported in medical literature.
Since you have already taken 4 injections, it is better to complete the course in case the dog belongs to the rare category. You will also be properly immunized in case of a bite in the future.
Take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (44 minutes later)

Thanks for the reply. The dog I'm referring here is a pet dog and is given rabies vaccine regularly at an yearly frequency. It's my wife's pet dog. The dog used to lick her face, my wife also used to feed him and then eat without washing hands. I feel, there is a chance she too would have catched rabies virus through the dog. I asked her to take rabies vaccine, but she is adamant on not taking it. My in laws and my parents are also taking her side. They say that I'm tensed without any reason. I'm worried that even if I take vaccine, I'll get infected from her. Moreover my doctor has asked me not to take any more vaccines and clear all worries from my head since the dog has not died in 10 days.

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (8 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Your wife can be vaccinated if there is a risk from other dogs

Detailed Answer:
The dog is most likely to be immune and not carrying the virus.
There's no need for your wife to take the vaccination to protect herself from this dog. She would only need it if there's a chance that she may be bitten by dogs other than her dog.
In your case you can complete the vaccination so that you will be protected from other dog bites.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (57 minutes later)

Thanks for the reply. As per your explanation, I don't need to worry about getting my wife vaccinated since the dog is immune else it would have died in first 15 days. However, since I have already taken first 4 vaccines, I should take one more just for the sake of protecting myself from future dog bites. Even for very rare possibility that somehow my wife have rabies, the vaccination would protect me from getting it from her. Is my assumption correct?

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Yes

Detailed Answer:
Relax.
I believe that both you and your wife are going to be fine and will not get rabies from her pet.
Wish you both good health and a great day

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (23 minutes later)

Thanks again. It's just that given hoe dangerous is rabies I am pretty worried. I have a few more concerns which I would be extremely grateful if you could answer them as well by giving your valuable time. This is my vaccines schedule:
Dog bite around 13th March, 6:00 pm
First Rabipur vaccine around 14th March 8:00 pm
Second Rabipur vaccine around 17th March 9:00 pm
Third Rabipur vaccine around 21st March 10:30 pm
Fourth Verorab vaccine around 28th March 9:30 pm
Fifth Rabipur vaccine to be taken around 12th April 7:30 pm
1. I took my first rabipur (rabies vaccine) around 26 hours from exposure. Is it alright?Â
2. I have read that rabipur vaccine should be kept in temperature between 2 to 8 degree celsius. But my doctor gave it to me approximately 2 hours after I bought it during which it was at higher temperature than this range. Is it alright? I have read that these vaccines contain inactivated rabies virus, I am particularly worried that the virus won't have got activated in this period.
3. My 4th vaccine which I took on 28th around
9:30 pm was verorab, since rabipur was not available at the place where I was. Is it okay?

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
You are welcome. Discussion follows

Detailed Answer:
Relax, I do not see anything you should be worried about.
The pet dog does not have rabies. So it does not matter whether you took the vaccine on day 1 instead of Day 0.
The inactivated virus does not get activated by not maintaining the temperature. If the vaccine is exposed to high temperatures for long period, it will not be effective. 2 hours out of the Fridge is not a problem.
It is not good to mix the vaccines because I am not aware of any study on the efficacy of the vaccination when different vaccines are used in the same schedule.
So try to use Rabipur for your next dose on the 12th.
You can consider yourself to be in a preventive vaccination schedule in case of a future exposure.
Check your anti rabies antibodies in 3 months time and ensure that you have a good antibody level.
Best wishes to both of you.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (28 minutes later)

Thank you sir. Is it compulsory for me to get my rabies antibodies level check after 3 months, or if you wish I can get them checked earlier as well. As far as Rabipur and Verorab goes, I have confirmed from other doctors that they are same.

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (12 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Welcome

Detailed Answer:
There is no need to get the antibodies checked earlier unless you have another bite from another dog.
These vaccines are prepared through different patented processes by different companies and both are very effective in protection. So there is no difference in efficacy between the two. However we do not have studies where some of the doses were of one company and the remaining of the other company. So as far as possible it is better to stick to the vaccines from one company.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (3 hours later)

Thank you sir. It's just that I was at this other place during the time of my 4th dose and Rabipur was not available there. Therefore the doctor there give me verorab. Also my doctor here told that they are interchangeable. So, do I need to undergo some tests to make sure everything is ok?

Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (23 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No need of any test.

Detailed Answer:
There's no need to worry. Even if the verorab vaccine did not help, you will not be at risk if you take the 5th dose due on the 12th because 4 doses of Rabipur is enough to protect you. So relax and don't worry. Try to take Rabipur if possible for your 5th dose.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar