Rabies is a serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the nerves and brain of warm-blooded animals (mammals). In the United States, wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats are most likely to carry rabies. Although rare, pet dogs and cats who have not been vaccinated can get it.
The RIG rabies vaccine uses live virus. It can affect how well other live vaccines work. Tell your child’s doctor or health care provider if they get anti-rabies vaccines. Your child may need a booster vaccine for one recently received or have to wait 4 months before getting other vaccines like the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella).
If the animal that infects your child is caught, it is tested for rabies. You should consider any bite by a wild animal as a risk for rabies until proven otherwise. It is important to call your doctor or health care provider or go to an urgent care after all animal bites.
The virus is carried in the spit (saliva) of an infected animal. If that animal bites or scratches a person, the virus can spread to humans. When rabies is carried by a bat, coming in contact with bat saliva is enough to get the disease. There does not have to be an actual bite for a person to be infected.
Does every dog bite cause rabies?
It is important to remember that not all dogs have rabies, but all dog bites should be treated unless you know the dog has been rabies vaccinated in the last year.
When used appropriately with timely wound care and administration of human rabies immune globulin, the administration of 4 doses of vaccine on days 0, 3, 7, and 14 is likely to induce an adequate,long-lasting antibody response that is able to neutralize rabies virus and prevent disease in exposed patients.
Can I take rabies injection after 1 day of dog bite?
It takes seven days to develop the required immunity after the vaccine is injected. Another anti-rabies serum or immunoglobulins should be given within 72 hours of the bite. This serum, available at medical stores, gives protection to the person for the first seven days. It is free in civic hospitals.
Dog Bite? Vaccination Guidelines
The vaccine is given as a series of four injections , over the course of several weeks. An additional injection of rabies immune globulin is also required as part of the treatment.