# Rabies paranoia



## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

My dog bit me about 3 days ago, it was a very light bite, it broke the skin and bled but it looks like two paper cuts next to each other. It was provoked since I was trying to put some eye ointment on and obviously a dog wouldn't take too kindly to someone rubbing ointment directly on to their eye. My dog is vaccinated to the latest of my knowledge but honestly I am a bit bad at keeping track of those things, I live in California so I don't know what the laws are like there, I don't know if the vet is supposed to inform me when it's time for more vaccinations or if I have to keep track of that. 

I have been reading up online so many things about rabies and so many things clash with each other. The one constant I've noticed is that everywhere says once symptoms occur there is nothing that can be done. So many places have said that symptoms usually occur 2-8 weeks of exposure, other places said it could happen sooner than 10 days. This scares me because ever since yesterday I have been feeling a bit warm. I took my temperature a moment ago and it said 99.2 F and I don't think that is technically a fever. I don't have any other symptoms and my dog has been acting perfectly normal.

My dog has bitten me before years ago and I've heard they have a two strikes rule about that so I don't want her to be put down for my carelessness. I don't know what to do and I have no reason to really believe she has rabies, but I just need something to either know what to do about this, or something to calm my worries. I need to know what to watch for in my dog and what to watch for in myself.


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## WonderBreadDots (Jun 26, 2012)

Call your vet and ask when your dog is due for a rabies vac. 

Do you have the receipt from the last visit? Some vet offices print when shots are due are on it.

Once you find that information out you will know how to proceed.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

Call your vet and ask if you dog has had the rabies shot within the last three years (although there is new research showing that it may be good for much longer than 3 years) three years is the maximum allowed by most state laws.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

WonderBreadDots said:


> Call your vet and ask when your dog is due for a rabies vac.
> 
> Do you have the receipt from the last visit? Some vet offices print when shots are due are on it.
> 
> Once you find that information out you will know how to proceed.


I could do some digging for the receipts but I have no idea where I put them. Say if she IS vaccinated, what then?



Keechak said:


> Call your vet and ask if you dog has had the rabies shot within the last three years (although there is new research showing that it may be good for much longer than 3 years) three years is the maximum allowed by most state laws.


They are closed by now, I'd have to ask tomorrow.


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## WonderBreadDots (Jun 26, 2012)

Well, if she is vaccinated then...she is vaccinated. 

If your dog has rabies, the symptoms will usually show up within ten days. Keep in mind, your dog may be vaccinated. Call your vet in the morning, they can answer all your questions for you.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

WonderBreadDots said:


> Well, if she is vaccinated then...she is vaccinated.
> 
> If your dog has rabies, the symptoms will usually show up within ten days. Keep in mind, your dog may be vaccinated. Call your vet in the morning, they can answer all your questions for you.


Do I wait for symptoms to show up THEN seek treatment for myself if they show?


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## WonderBreadDots (Jun 26, 2012)

randomalias12 said:


> Do I wait for symptoms to show up THEN seek treatment for myself if they show?


You should call your vet in the morning. They will answer all your questions.


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## Miss Bugs (Jul 4, 2011)

if your that worried, then go to the doctor and get yourself a rabies shot, if your worried about it getting reported don't say it was your dog, just say it was "a" dog, you don't know it so you want to be safe lol. I cant stand the idea of a dog getting reported for biting me, so if I MUST go to the doctor, I refuse to give any info on the dog, I got bit by "a dog" period.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

...Do you have any reason to suspect your dog has rabies? Has she been attacked or bitten by any wild animals (or any animals at all) lately? Rabies isn't something that dogs just develop or catch when their vaccination "runs out." It seems like you're being overly paranoid here.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

WonderBreadDots said:


> You should call your vet in the morning. They will answer all your questions.


Alright, I guess I'll do so.



Miss Bugs said:


> if your that worried, then go to the doctor and get yourself a rabies shot, if your worried about it getting reported don't say it was your dog, just say it was "a" dog, you don't know it so you want to be safe lol. I cant stand the idea of a dog getting reported for biting me, so if I MUST go to the doctor, I refuse to give any info on the dog, I got bit by "a dog" period.


How late is too late for getting a rabies shot? Because it's already been 3 days since I was bitten. 



Crantastic said:


> ...Do you have any reason to suspect your dog has rabies? Has she been attacked or bitten by any wild animals (or any animals at all) lately? Rabies isn't something that dogs just develop or catch when their vaccination "runs out." It seems like you're being overly paranoid here.


I'm aware of this, it's just that there is so much time of the day where I'm not home and her door to the back yard is open, and we've seen things from cats to skunks to raccoons out there.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

randomalias12 said:


> Do I wait for symptoms to show up THEN seek treatment for myself if they show?


This information was confirmed by my state Department of Health's rabies hotline the last time I was feeling paranoid about a bite: It depends a bit on where you were bitten. The virus has to migrate from the site of the bite to your central nervous system, and that takes varying amounts of time depending on the location of the bite. To be shedding virus in the saliva, an animal has to have an active rabies infection and will deteriorate quickly over a period of several days, showing progressively more obvious symptoms - that's where the 10 day quarantine after a bite comes from. If you were bitten on your hand, it takes longer than that 10 days for the virus to migrate and you have time to start treatment even after the dog shows symptoms. If you were bitten on, say, your head or neck... you have significantly less time and really don't have time for that 10 day quarantine. 

Having said all that, I think it's extremely unlikely that your pet dog who was not totally unprovoked and who has at some point been vaccinated has rabies, unless he is showing some other signs of illness at this point (especially neurologic signs). Call your veterinarian in the morning, they can easily look up the date of the last rabies vaccine. If the vaccine is not current, still don't panic - I would contact your state health department for advice in that case. Unless the last rabies given was his very first rabies, it's very likely that he is still protected medically even if he is no longer legally considered so.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

The chances of getting rabies from a previously vaccinated dog (even if the vaccine isn't "current", as 3 years is the MINIMUM amount of time it's been proven to be effective) contracting rabies and shedding it at the exact time she bit you, living in the U.S., with the dog showing no symptoms currently . . .well, you'd have a far better chance of getting hit by lightning. This just isn't a thing you need to worry about.

Anyway, if you decide this is something you want to worry about-- standard protocol for rabies prevention is to quarantine the animal for 10-14 days. If the animal does not show symptoms in that time, he/she was not shedding rabies at the time of the bite. Since it's your own pet, obviously you don't have any risk of losing track of her, so, basically, just make sure she's still alive in 2 weeks (very few animals get the "rage" symptoms of rabies, most just hide somewhere dark to die). After that, you'd better have her rabies shot updated so you don't get all worried if she bites again.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

sassafras said:


> This information was confirmed by my state Department of Health's rabies hotline the last time I was feeling paranoid about a bite: It depends a bit on where you were bitten. The virus has to migrate from the site of the bite to your central nervous system, and that takes varying amounts of time depending on the location of the bite. To be shedding virus in the saliva, an animal has to have an active rabies infection and will deteriorate quickly over a period of several days, showing progressively more obvious symptoms - that's where the 10 day quarantine after a bite comes from. If you were bitten on your hand, it takes longer than that 10 days for the virus to migrate and you have time to start treatment even after the dog shows symptoms. If you were bitten on, say, your head or neck... you have significantly less time and really don't have time for that 10 day quarantine.
> 
> Having said all that, I think it's extremely unlikely that your pet dog who was not totally unprovoked and who has at some point been vaccinated has rabies, unless he is showing some other signs of illness at this point (especially neurologic signs). Call your veterinarian in the morning, they can easily look up the date of the last rabies vaccine. If the vaccine is not current, still don't panic - I would contact your state health department for advice in that case. Unless the last rabies given was his very first rabies, it's very likely that he is still protected medically even if he is no longer legally considered so.


Well I was bitten on the finger so I guess that means I should have plenty of time and such?



Willowy said:


> The chances of getting rabies from a previously vaccinated dog (even if the vaccine isn't "current", as 3 years is the MINIMUM amount of time it's been proven to be effective) contracting rabies and shedding it at the exact time she bit you, living in the U.S., with the dog showing no symptoms currently . . .well, you'd have a far better chance of getting hit by lightning. This just isn't a thing you need to worry about.
> 
> Anyway, if you decide this is something you want to worry about-- standard protocol for rabies prevention is to quarantine the animal for 10-14 days. If the animal does not show symptoms in that time, he/she was not shedding rabies at the time of the bite. Since it's your own pet, obviously you don't have any risk of losing track of her, so, basically, just make sure she's still alive in 2 weeks (very few animals get the "rage" symptoms of rabies, most just hide somewhere dark to die). After that, you'd better have her rabies shot updated so you don't get all worried if she bites again.


You're right, this probably isn't something to worry too much over.


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## roxiefoxie08 (Dec 15, 2011)

I wouldn't worry I had a chihuahua dog that i had to stop the vaccine cause she was highly allergic to it and it made her aggressive.
She bit me a few times broke the skin when i did try to pick her up and never got rabies from it.I would say she had plenty of
immunity so she couldn't get rabies from all the previous vaccines when she had to get them yearly.


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

When a dog bite occurs. The Dog is observed for 10 days. If it starts to show symptoms of rabies then actions are quickly taken. Even if a dog is vaccinated for rabies it is still observed for 10 days because rabies vaccinations are only about 70% effective. 10 days. In our county. If the dog is vaccinated and the bite occurs. You take the dog to the vet for a rabies observation exam. and 10 days later bring it back for the final exam. If the dog is not up to date on its vaccination according to the counties stipulation then the dog is quarantined by the animal control facility or a licensed veterinarian. Dog bites ( any animal bites ) can cause very bad infection which may be causing your fever. If your worried the laws on the rabies observation are in place for your safety. No harm will come to your dog its procedure to ensure rabies was not the cause. The law is not there to hurt or remove dogs from people. Its to make sure it was not rabies.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Fade said:


> No harm will come to your dog its procedure to ensure rabies was not the cause. The law is not there to hurt or remove dogs from people. Its to make sure it was not rabies.


I wouldn't guarantee that. The officials in some places are a little more. . .enthusiastic than in other places. I would be hesitant to recommend involving anybody else or make any reports if it's your own dog.


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

I was meaning that they are not gonna put a dog to sleep over a little nip. I would be shocked. People get nipped / scratched everyday. IF every dog got put to sleep for nipping there would be a lot of problems. Kids get treated a lot for minor dog bites during rough play. There are dog bite regulations in the state and county laws you can read. Usually its pretty drawn out. 

If your genuinely worried about rabies I would not hesitate to have your dog get a rabies exam even from a trusted vet they don't even have to report it. Just for your own peace of mind.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Generally if a dog bites someone on their own property, they allow the dog to be quarantined at home for 10 days. 

Rabies is only spread when the animal is showing symptoms. So if your dog has not been sick, high fever, or acting weirdly before biting you, you should be fine. If your dog has been vaccinated for rabies w/in a few yrs you should be fine.

Call your vet. Or if you are really concerned, say a stray dog bit you when you tried to catch it, and then get the Rabies protocol shots.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Fade said:


> rabies vaccinations are only about 70% effective.


Do you have a source for that? I was under the impression that the rabies vaccine is one of the more effective vaccine, in the 90%+ range. Unfortunately, my Google fu has failed me, I can only find some crackpot sites claiming either 100% or 0% effectiveness . And obviously neither of those could be true.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

So where do you live ( I am in CA too) are you rural, where your dog is outdoors alot and exposed to wildlife? Or in the city or suburbs where he is inside alot and has little exposure? We lived 20 yrs in a 3rd floor condo in SF--- would NOT have worried about rabies AT ALL back then (now dogs are in the country on 2 acres.... its alittle more of a concern...


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

Willowy said:


> Do you have a source for that? I was under the impression that the rabies vaccine is one of the more effective vaccine, in the 90%+ range. Unfortunately, my Google fu has failed me, I can only find some crackpot sites claiming either 100% or 0% effectiveness . And obviously neither of those could be true.


My boss ( vet for 50 yrs) always told me vaccines are around 70% Maybe rabies is a little higher I never asked. Ill see if he can look up in his medical books. I know its not as effective as we think I did research on it once and there was quite a few dogs that contracted it while vaccinated during their testing.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Willowy said:


> Do you have a source for that? I was under the impression that the rabies vaccine is one of the more effective vaccine, in the 90%+ range. Unfortunately, my Google fu has failed me, I can only find some crackpot sites claiming either 100% or 0% effectiveness . And obviously neither of those could be true.


I found one study that found ~95% efficacy overall, but varied slightly depending on the brand and vaccination schedule. It's from a subscription site so I can't link, sorry.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

WonderBreadDots said:


> Well, if she is vaccinated then...she is vaccinated.
> 
> If your dog has rabies, the symptoms will usually show up within ten days. Keep in mind, your dog may be vaccinated. Call your vet in the morning, they can answer all your questions for you.


Now, I've read about Rabies being able to take up to 6 months to develope. Something about 6 month quarantines for country to country travel... What's the concensus on that? Sass?



Fade said:


> I was meaning that they are not gonna put a dog to sleep over a little nip. I would be shocked. People get nipped / scratched everyday. IF every dog got put to sleep for nipping there would be a lot of problems. Kids get treated a lot for minor dog bites during rough play. There are dog bite regulations in the state and county laws you can read. Usually its pretty drawn out.
> 
> If your genuinely worried about rabies I would not hesitate to have your dog get a rabies exam even from a trusted vet they don't even have to report it. Just for your own peace of mind.


There are plenty of ACs around here and rescue organizations that put dogs down for ANY quarantined bite, or ANY amount (2 or 3 strike, regardless of size) that is reported. I wouldn't go around telling people that they should do this. I got bit by a dog at 17 in a redirected dog fight and he was put to sleep after his quarantine period.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

DJEtzel said:


> Now, I've read about Rabies being able to take up to 6 months to develope. Something about 6 month quarantines for country to country travel... What's the concensus on that? Sass?


Well there are isolated cases of it taking that long (or longer) for an animal (or person) to actually get sick and show symptoms of rabies after being exposed to it, but they aren't shedding virus in their saliva that whole time. An animal has to have an active infection to be shedding virus in the saliva.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

sassafras said:


> Well there are isolated cases of it taking that long (or longer) for an animal (or person) to actually get sick and show symptoms of rabies after being exposed to it, but they aren't shedding virus in their saliva that whole time. An animal has to have an active infection to be shedding virus in the saliva.


So it's just kind of... dormant?


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

BernerMax said:


> So where do you live ( I am in CA too) are you rural, where your dog is outdoors alot and exposed to wildlife? Or in the city or suburbs where he is inside alot and has little exposure? We lived 20 yrs in a 3rd floor condo in SF--- would NOT have worried about rabies AT ALL back then (now dogs are in the country on 2 acres.... its alittle more of a concern...


We live in the suburbs


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

DJEtzel said:


> So it's just kind of... dormant?


Well it's incubating, like any virus. You don't get any illness immediately after being exposed to the virus that causes it.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

sassafras said:


> Well it's incubating, like any virus. You don't get any illness immediately after being exposed to the virus that causes it.


I guess I didn't realize they could incubate that long. Seems a little excessive, rabies!


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

DJEtzel said:


> I guess I didn't realize they could incubate that long. Seems a little excessive, rabies!


In general, the longer the incubation period, the more "successful" the virus. As in, the more it can spread itself, the more "successful" in evolutionary terms. For the really deadly viruses, if the incubation period is very short, then it sort of extinguishes itself without spreading widely. 

For example, Ebola has an incubation period of about 2 to 21 days so symptoms show relatively quickly and although very deadly, tends to have contained outbreaks in part because of the short incubation period. But something like HIV/AIDS takes years and years to become symptomatic so it can be spread far and wide for a long time before anyone knows they are infected (barring testing of course)

This is a simplified explanation but basically, if a virus kills its host too quickly, it kills itself off too.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

DJEtzel said:


> I guess I didn't realize they could incubate that long. Seems a little excessive, rabies!


Well the cases of 6 month incubation are not really typical even for rabies, but have been reported. There was a case I read about recently (I don't know if it _happened_ recently or if I just read about it recently) where someone (a person) died of rabies they contracted from a donated organ, something like 18 months after the transplant. Which again, is pretty atypical. I would wonder if that had something to do with it being from a transplant instead of a natural exposure, but I doubt anyone knows.


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

Having gone through the rabies vaccine series after being bitten by a feral cat, I can tell you it's no fun. Unless you live in a high risk area for rabies or you're bitten by a feral animal, I wouldn't worry. Your own dog in suburbia? Watch it for 10 days, then relax.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

randomalias12 said:


> My dog has bitten me before years ago and I've heard they have a two strikes rule about that so I don't want her to be put down for my carelessness. I don't know what to do and I have no reason to really believe she has rabies, but I just need something to either know what to do about this, or something to calm my worries. I need to know what to watch for in my dog and what to watch for in myself.


1. Is that previous bite on record? I.e. did you report it to animal control officials, or sought medical treatment from a clinic or hospital? If not, there are likely no "strikes" against your dog. Additionally, "provoked" bites almost universally don't count against a dog; but please check your local state and county/city by-laws rather than taking my word for it. It also really depends on the severity of the bite. If the skin broke because his teeth scraped it, rather than a straight puncture, I'm not sure that would actually be considered a bit.

2. It is highly, _highly_ unlikely your dog has rabies unless she has been bitten by another animal in the past few weeks. Even then, while "common", it's not like the majority of wild animals have it. Basically what Shell said. Rabies is a naturally self-limiting disease because the host always dies, usually within a relatively short period of time (~10 days), during which it doesn't often get much of a chance to spread the virus widely.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

The vet I USED to take her too wasn't the greatest one, so when I called the lady who answered said there were no notes of them vaccinating her although I'm almost positive they did. They said our first visit to them was August 2010 and on my dog's record for vaccinations it says "current", I think she said that meant she was vaccinated before we took her there, but I couldn't really ask since she just hung up on me.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

EDIT: This is probably an important factor to explain but she has had MAJOR allergies since she was a puppy so just to throw that out there before I describe any possible symptoms.

Just sort of an update, my dog is constantly scratching the sides of her mouth with her paw, this isn't exactly an uncommon thing for her to do, she has been doing that every now and then for a while, but she is doing it for a lot longer than normal today. Is this something to be concerned about? A possible symptom?


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Doubt it. Sounds like allergies.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

Willowy said:


> Doubt it. Sounds like allergies.


Yeah, kinda figured, funny how I edited my post before I even read this.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

About now is when seasonal allergies start to ramp up. If she has lots of food allergies it is possible she has some seasonal ones too.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

For the symptom of being sensitive to light, what exactly does that entail? Would light make her angry like she'd growl and hate if it were near her? Or would she just avoid it? I shone a light on something close to her and she sort of just turned away and rubbed her eyes against her blanket. Also her pupils were looking pretty big, but I don't know if that's normal for when dogs sleep in a darker part of the room.


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

I think you're worrying WAY too much.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

Kirsten&Gypsy said:


> I think you're worrying WAY too much.


You're right, I'm just always confused on what constitutes a symptom. But my dog seems fine so I'm probably just being paranoid.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

In 2010 (the latest info available), only 69 dogs tested positive for rabies in the U.S., out of more than 6000 positive animals. Only 2 of those dogs were in California. I really can't emphasize how very rare it is for a dog to have rabies in this country. If you live in Southeast Asia, yeah, you should worry. But unless you recently pulled a whacked-out fox or skunk off your dog after a bloody fight, there's basically no chance of your dog having rabies. Really!


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Rabies symptoms aren't exactly subtle. Light sensitivity doesn't mean you blink when someone shines a bright light in your face. It means that normal amounts of light seriously bother your eyes and cause pain and you avoid it at all costs.


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

Aside from your worrying. IT seems like you need to do better for your dog if your not even sure if they are up to date and the last vaccinations may have been done pre 2010... Your probably not paying the ( LEGAL ) county rabies registration and the important heart worm testing and all that. It sounds like it might be the vets fault for not having good policy and lax with their record keeping. Whens the last time your dog went in for a vaccination ever? Obviously you visited the one vet for some other things but why no vaccinations? Your vet should have a accurate log ( exact DATE ) of your dogs vaccinations. even if the vaccines were done at another vet. You just do not right "current" that is a very bad practice. A vet should be run like any medical facility with very accurate record keeping. When they are due and send you reminders for them. Otherwise maybe you should find another vet. Especially the rabies vaccine since it is usually illegal not to keep them up to date.

I lived in a county that we did not have to pay for registration in rural Iowa for awhile. But even then I still got a rabies tag. because its pretty much a state law even though every county has their different details. Its a serious matter keeping track of rabies vaccinations. A case like yours is just the reason they are so particular about the accurate records.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

This is probably feeding into my paranoia but when I read about the possibly long incubation period of rabies I was reminded that my dad's cat died of unknown cause in September. I went to go see the cat often and she was a play biter, I don't think she was showing any symptoms and I wasn't there when she died but all I know is that we still aren't sure what killed her. This many months later should I be worried about Rabies with the cat? This cat I know FOR SURE was up to date on it's vaccinations, but it DID die of unknown cause and she was mainly an outdoor cat, getting into fights with raccoons and once even a coyote.




Willowy said:


> In 2010 (the latest info available), only 69 dogs tested positive for rabies in the U.S., out of more than 6000 positive animals. Only 2 of those dogs were in California. I really can't emphasize how very rare it is for a dog to have rabies in this country. If you live in Southeast Asia, yeah, you should worry. But unless you recently pulled a whacked-out fox or skunk off your dog after a bloody fight, there's basically no chance of your dog having rabies. Really!


Whoa really? Is there a source for that?



Fade said:


> Aside from your worrying. IT seems like you need to do better for your dog if your not even sure if they are up to date and the last vaccinations may have been done pre 2010... Your probably not paying the ( LEGAL ) county rabies registration and the important heart worm testing and all that. It sounds like it might be the vets fault for not having good policy and lax with their record keeping. Whens the last time your dog went in for a vaccination ever? Obviously you visited the one vet for some other things but why no vaccinations? Your vet should have a accurate log ( exact DATE ) of your dogs vaccinations. even if the vaccines were done at another vet. You just do not right "current" that is a very bad practice. A vet should be run like any medical facility with very accurate record keeping. When they are due and send you reminders for them. Otherwise maybe you should find another vet. Especially the rabies vaccine since it is usually illegal not to keep them up to date.
> 
> I lived in a county that we did not have to pay for registration in rural Iowa for awhile. But even then I still got a rabies tag. because its pretty much a state law even though every county has their different details. Its a serious matter keeping track of rabies vaccinations. A case like yours is just the reason they are so particular about the accurate records.


I already did find another vet, you see originally this dog was under the care of my mother, and when financial trouble hit us, we couldn't take her to the nice vet we usually did, so she found a cheaper one (the one that couldn't keep records). As of recent, a few months ago, the dog is now in my care and ever since she developed a large abscess on the back of her neck in February, I've been taking her to a wonderful vet that actually cares. But what has been done is done and honestly there isn't much that I can do about the bad vet in the past, especially since it wasn't in my hands at that time, I just sort of went with sometimes to the vet visits to keep my dog calm.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Dude. Go have a glass of wine and chill. The symptoms of rabies are not subtle, it will be obvious if your dog shows signs.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

sassafras said:


> Dude. Go have a glass of wine and chill. The symptoms of rabies are not subtle, it will be obvious if your dog shows signs.


Yeah I figure that now and my dog seems fine so I'm sure she'll be just fine. I get that much and I'm not so worried about that anymore. I hate to move from one thing to another but what I mentioned in my last post about long incubation periods and my dad's cat is worrying me a tad bit.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

CDC guidelines:




> Cats, dogs and ferrets
> If you were bitten by a cat, dog, or ferret that appeared healthy at the time you were bitten, it can be confined by its owner for 10 days and observed. No anti-rabies prophylaxis is needed. No person in the United States has ever contracted rabies from a dog, cat or ferret held in quarantine for 10 days.
> If a dog, cat, or ferret appeared ill at the time it bit you or becomes ill during the 10 day quarantine, it should be evaluated by a veterinarian for signs of rabies and you should seek medical advice about the need for anti-rabies prophylaxis.


Maybe have two glasses of wine?

Additionally
2010 Rabies stats for Cats and Dogs from the CDC


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

Shell said:


> CDC guidelines:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Alright alright but I don't KNOW if the cat had symptoms or not and it got into bloody fights with wild creatures all the time so thinking back I just want to know if incubation periods of over 6 months have been reported in domesticated animals. I know MOST that I'm seeing here are from bats in Asian countries or a dog bite in India, but is there anything from the U.S. with a longer than 6 month incubation period?


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

If you are that worried, just go and get the shots and say you got bit trying to catch a stray dog.

The cat had an up-to-date rabies vaccination right? Outdoor cats die early deaths all the time. 

I'm not a doctor nor a vet but it really seems like you either need to make the decision to get the prophylaxis vaccines (which aren't bad according to someone I know that got gnawed on by a feral kitten, just like normal shots in the arm) or to self-quarantine the dog for 10 days and get over it since that fits CDC data and guidelines.


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## randomalias12 (Feb 15, 2013)

Shell said:


> If you are that worried, just go and get the shots and say you got bit trying to catch a stray dog.
> 
> The cat had an up-to-date rabies vaccination right? Outdoor cats die early deaths all the time.
> 
> I'm not a doctor nor a vet but it really seems like you either need to make the decision to get the prophylaxis vaccines (which aren't bad according to someone I know that got gnawed on by a feral kitten, just like normal shots in the arm) or to self-quarantine the dog for 10 days and get over it since that fits CDC data and guidelines.


Alright, sorry for all the trouble my paranoia has probably caused. I'll think over whether or not to get vaccinated about my cat, since she did die with what I hear is a symptom of rabies, bleeding from the mouth.

(edit: she was actually bleeding from the mouth not the eyes)


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