Dog Bites and Rabies

February 17, 2009

Q:

I have been bitten by a dog three times—in 1998, 2005, and this year 2009. I was given vaccination 17 daily injections after that first bite. I was not given vaccinations for the subsequent bites because the dogs did not show any sign of rabies. Am I still susceptible to “hydrophobia” or rabies?

Rx:

Rabies is an infection caused by a virus which attacks the brain tissue of animals particularly dogs. This is transmitted to other animals and human beings by contamination of entry of virus via the dog’s secretion, particularly its saliva.

Vaccination against rabies is required for those bitten by suspected or established rapid dogs. Stray dogs, dogs that mingle with other dogs or those that scavenge or feed on garbage are most likely to get rabies infection. Thus bites by such dogs must be vaccinated right away. For those dogs that neither are nor highly suspected to be rapid, an observation period of 10-14 days is made on the dog and injections immediately started once the dog show signs of defoliation.

There are two types of vaccination— passive and active. The first is given for immediate protection, and last for a few months. Active vaccination is a series of injections and its protective effects last longer.

Yours was mostly active injection because it was a series of 17 injections usually patients who have had active vaccinations are given only booster doses after they get exposed to suspected rapid dog bites. Because your injection was given about 30 years ago, when you are again exposed to rabies. I’d suggest you get booster injections of the rabies vaccine.