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What Precautions Can One Take Against Rabies?
Question: Hi,
I am a pet lover and I use to feed stray dogs in my locality. Now, I need to confirm few queries -
1. should I consider every stray dog in XXXXXXX as potential carrier and reservoir of rabies?
2. As far as my knowledge is concerned, rabies can occur in dog's saliva maximum 10 days before any symptoms. Now, does a bite mean that the animal is rabid or we should quarantine the animal to observe it for two weeks?
3. in case the animal survives for more than two weeks, can the post exposure prophylaxis be converted to pre-exposure prophylaxis?
Regards,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I am a pet lover and I use to feed stray dogs in my locality. Now, I need to confirm few queries -
1. should I consider every stray dog in XXXXXXX as potential carrier and reservoir of rabies?
2. As far as my knowledge is concerned, rabies can occur in dog's saliva maximum 10 days before any symptoms. Now, does a bite mean that the animal is rabid or we should quarantine the animal to observe it for two weeks?
3. in case the animal survives for more than two weeks, can the post exposure prophylaxis be converted to pre-exposure prophylaxis?
Regards,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Brief Answer:
Rabies Vaccination
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
Q1.
Virus may be excreted in the saliva 3 days before symptoms of Rabies appear in animal, and the animal usually dies within the next 7 days. This is the basis for the traditional 10-day observation period for dogs that have bitten humans. There are however rare reports, from XXXXXXX of chronic excretion of virus in the saliva of apparently healthy dogs. Hence every stray dog in XXXXXXX is considered as potential carrier and reservoir of rabies virus.
Q2. To quarantine the dog for 10 days is enough. The explanation is given as above.
Q3. If the animal survives beyond 10 days, it is not rabid .
Pre-exposure Rabies Vaccination : The primary schedule consists of three doses of rabies vaccine given on days 0, 7, and 21 or 28. If a person has taken post exposure prophylaxis on on days 0,3, 7,and/or 14,it will serve as Pre-exposure Rabies Vaccination. If the said immunized individual is exposed to rabies, two booster doses of vaccine should be administered on days 0 and 3.
Regards
Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX
Rabies Vaccination
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
Q1.
Virus may be excreted in the saliva 3 days before symptoms of Rabies appear in animal, and the animal usually dies within the next 7 days. This is the basis for the traditional 10-day observation period for dogs that have bitten humans. There are however rare reports, from XXXXXXX of chronic excretion of virus in the saliva of apparently healthy dogs. Hence every stray dog in XXXXXXX is considered as potential carrier and reservoir of rabies virus.
Q2. To quarantine the dog for 10 days is enough. The explanation is given as above.
Q3. If the animal survives beyond 10 days, it is not rabid .
Pre-exposure Rabies Vaccination : The primary schedule consists of three doses of rabies vaccine given on days 0, 7, and 21 or 28. If a person has taken post exposure prophylaxis on on days 0,3, 7,and/or 14,it will serve as Pre-exposure Rabies Vaccination. If the said immunized individual is exposed to rabies, two booster doses of vaccine should be administered on days 0 and 3.
Regards
Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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