Will that be ok or Should I go to the hospital?

I appreciate some response.

In later days I felt better but confused at times then clear again. At two and a half weeks, I had headaches again. I went to the doctor and the dog bite was reported to animal control. The owner was cited for non reg and for non proof of rabies shots. Animal control did not see the dog but was told the dog was OK. It was already past the time the dog would have died. I was told not to worry.

My rashes went away but I continued to have a variety of different symptoms intermittently. A few times I drank something and my throat felt funny and my voice became hoarse, but it cleared after a few moments.

Today nothing happened but for two days, three times I experienced my muscles contracting. One time after it happened I felt heaviness like a numbing. I tried to move to make the feeling go away but then I could not move the numbed part of the body. Then it would just go away after a few minutes. The doctors are irritated with me for asking what is happening. I feel neurotic or something. I keep trying to think I am OK but then something happens. The dog did not die so how come I have rabies like symptoms?

Non-mammals cannot get rabies so if you were bitten or scratched by a non-mammal, no need to be here.

Rodents almost never get rabies so if you were bitten or scratched by a mouse, rat, squirrel, chimpmunk, rabbit, etc., I would not worry much unless the animal attacked you unprovoked or was displaying extremely unusual behavior. I know because I had an incident with a rodent that was not unprovoked and they did not recommend getting vaccinated. To my knowledge there has never been a documented case of a rodent spreading rabies to a human.

If you came in contact with a pet that's been vaccinated, there is nothing to worry about, however if you come across a stray cat or dog and they bite or scratch you, then yes you should probably get vaccinated.

If you were bitten or scratched by a carnivorous wild animal (fox, bat, raccoon, etc.) seek vaccination immediately

It is possible although very unlikely for humans to spread rabies to other humans. In order to be at risk, the human would have to be displaying outward symptoms of rabies and would have to bite, kiss or scratch you.

Finally, for those of you who think you have rabies symptoms, you don't. If you really had rabies symptoms, you wouldn't be on here rational enough to type these posts, you'd be stuck in bed and all delusional, sick and crazy. Your symptoms are probably anxiety, especially since it's highly unlikely symptoms would develop before two weeks after exposure.

I hope this answers everyone's questions/concerns but seek a doctor or the department of health if you are still worried at all.

More than one post maintains that if a human is bitten by a rabid animal, treatment must be administered within 24 hours or certain death will ensue. This is not true; treatment must be administered prior to symptoms, which in humans can be *weeks* or *months.*

Moreover, the virus that causes rabies is a dead end in humans (people can't transmit rabies). Cross contamination can occur if the saliva from an infected animal is passed from human to human via a break in the skin, however.

The strains of viruses that cause the disease rabies are some of the most closely studied to date.

Once, a person has developed the symptoms of rabies it is almost irreversible; death is almost certain!

However, if you are bitten/scratched by an animal then immediately visit your doctor and get an anti rabies vaccine like Rabipur (generally 3-5 shots are administered with a gap of few days between shots after a person has been exposed). Please understand, the vaccine needs to be administered immediately (within 24 hours) for it to be effective. Taking the vaccine let's say 3-4 days after the bite won't help even if symptoms have not developed.

Please, do not neglect an animal bite or scratch.

Stay safe! cheers.

i was wondering if i should get vaccinated or whether i'm just worrying way too much. i would much appreciate a response.

i think there has been one other case too.

Be wary, though. For all of you reading this, which should be everyone, if you do not go in to get shots and start experiencing any of these symptoms, including insomnia (can't sleep), anxiety, confusion, paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, agitation, increasing more saliva then normal, difficulty swallowing, or/and fear of water then you missed your chance Jack.

Let me give you an example. Bob gets bit by a rabid dog on Monday. He starts having serious headaches and decides not to go to the hospital because he is probably overreacting. On Thursday he can't sleep or eat and he is starting to hallucinate. Bob is dead by Sunday. So listen: if you think you have rabies, go get checked out, because after being bitten by an animal that has rabies you generally have days to live. Nothing else -- no years or months or weeks. If you contract rabies and don't get it treated you will die in a matter of days.

I have very dry hands and so I have cracks in my skin all over them. My cat has had her rabies shot. I was just wondering if I might have contracted rabies by touching her wound if a rabid animal bit her?

When the symptoms start, you are going to die! If you are worried that much about it, go get the shots.

That being said, you shouldn't freak out over an encounter with an animal unless its wild. Think about it: most wild animals will simply run away if you get too close, so common sense would tell you that something is up. Also, if a domesticated animal runs away and comes back acting a little strange, just remember that most animals are going to be a little skittish after a trip to a strange unfamiliar area (or even excited). Also, a rabid monkey would be a frightening thing.

i observed my puppy and he is still very active like nothing happened. he has not been injected with anti rabies. is it possible that i will be infected with rabies? how can i stop my puppy from biting? he likes to bite stuff.

However, it is more common in some species like raccoons and bats, etc. than others. If your pet bit you and showed no signs after two weeks you should be in the clear.

There is no cure or treatment after clinical signs develop and it is 100 percent fatal. If you are bitten by any wild animal you should automatically act like it is rabid and start the PEP as rabies can be found in any warm blooded mammal, especially raccoons, foxes, bats, skunks, and coyotes.

P.S. No raccoons should be kept as pets, and if you contact your state health department and ask about your raccoon, they should have the results on record because rabies is a reportable disease.

No, you will not get rabies from being licked by your puppy unless he licks an open wound or mucous membranes like inside your mouth and he is infected with the virus.

Symptoms in people can take months to appear but in other mammals they usually appear in two weeks or less. A 10-day quarantine for an animal that bit you (six months if you are obsessive) will tell you if they were infected at the time of the bite.

If they show any neurological symptoms like staggering, foaming at the mouth, trouble swallowing or aggression they should be euthanized right away and the head must be sent to the state vet. Be careful cutting off the animal's head. If you use a band saw or power instrument the virus can get into the air and infect you (it can also be in the air in bat caves). this is something that should be done only by a professional -- like a vet!

If you were bitten by an animal that was not confirmed rabies free and have any symptoms you should go to your emergency room right now and tell the attending doctor you may have rabies.

I did have to get the shot but that timeshare pool saved my life.

I told the physician at the clinic about it, he cleaned and sutured the wound, and gave me antibiotics. He did not even mention rabies to me! Now, I've called in to see if I can get a rabies-test, and they said they need the animal, or just to come in to get the vaccine (series of rumored-to-be painful injections). I have a super-fear of needles, and I don't want to just get stabbed with needles unless I have to be.

Here's the weird part: I've been getting really weird itching sensations at, and around, the wound site. Also, I have been twitching a bit, been having difficulty swallowing and getting this lump in my throat, experienced horrible migraines, and recently, what may even be hallucinations.

I thought at first I was just being paranoid, but after doing more net research, I'm pretty certain it's rabies. So I am pretty sure I'm screwed now, right? no point in going to the doctor, right? How long can you live with rabies? I saw that Quarantine movie, and I don't want to be a zombie, but, I also don't want people trying to quarantine me.

Anyone else know a cure/treatment for rabies? Perhaps any stories about encounters with rabid people before? I think before I go too crazy, I may super-glue a football helmet to my head to keep my ravenous rabies-induced zombie-self from hurting anyone.(hopefully it's not rabies, right?) Please read!

but i am not really sure if i was really bitten by the dog. but in case just for my safety.

should i worry? or should i get vaccinated?

If you are worried that a scratch or a bite is something that requires medical attention for rabies, ask someone competent! Call a veterinarian or a doctor's office or a hospital's nurse's line. Unless you like gambling with slow, painful deaths. In that case, just take the word of some other anonymous poster who could know as little as you.

i went to feed her in her pen/cage and she attacked me. i went to the ER and they did nothing but give me antibiotics in case it got infected. they didn't clean it, bandage it or anything. My foot swelled up so bad and it is hard to walk. I've had slight headaches but only from stress thinking i had rabies, but they sent my raccoon to some place and killed her to do the test and i never heard the results.

the county health department told me to wait until they came back but you only have a certain amount of time to start the treatment, correct? so should i tell them to just give me the shot anyway and just get it over with?

Hell, waiting on these jerks could cost me my life. not to mention it attacked all my dogs and almost killed my four week old puppies. damn coon just went crazy.

If things go south, consider this the beginning of my obituary. The end will probably be wicked crazy! LK

Were those enough for me to be sure that the bite didn't have any rabies in it? Or do I still need to see the doctor just to be super sure?

I tried to hit it down and it bit me instead -- just like a little puncture then done. At first it didn't bleed then it started to. I have had my tetanus shot. That is what you have for 10 years, am I protected?

And if you are bitten/scratched by an animal that you think may be infected with rabies then immediately seek medical attention. They will thoroughly clean your wound then administer the rabies immunoglobulin at the site and in your hips.

You will then start the rabies vaccine series and usually some type of antibiotic. If you are seen with in a couple of days of exposure the virus can generally be prevented.

Today he is suffering with the headache and little fever little problem in throat. he had the vaccination within three hours after he had continued that as per doctor's prescription. Now my question is, after how many days these symptoms will appear. will we need to go for any tests to know the symptoms?

do i need to have another vaccination and observe my dog for 10 days again? or was the vaccine i had last month enough?

After the bite he had a few more spaz moments. My finger was punctured and bled. Bit there is more than one spot of injury. I ran it under cold water, cleaned it with a dermal cleaner and neosporine. It is feeling pretty hot now but no excessive swelling. what to do.

When she let them in (we keep them in a basket/bed inside of our restroom) when she was about to take a shower, she noticed that she was bleeding from behind her ear and called my dad and they went to check and it looked like she got bit or scratched from behind the ear.

They cleaned her up but she look absolutely horrible and her eye is dilated from the side where she got injured and she is shaking and we gave her a treat and she barely ate it, not even half.

And i'm scared that she might give it to her brother then i would lose all my dogs and i love them so much. i have grown up with them and i hope it's nothing.

It is, however, unlikely that an animal that spends all its time inside will have it but it is a good idea to have it vaccinated beforehand. There is also a "dumb" rabies where an animal is sick but not showing signs. The case of the "friendly" cat may be such a case but if it has been a few years since the incident then you are most likely safe.

If you are still concerned then go ahead and get the vaccine. Many people who work with animals (especially wild animals) are required to have these just in case.

And for those who wrote about their pet cat or dog biting them, get them vaccinated. Then you won't have to worry about it and you will save your animal from a horrible death in case they do encounter a sick animal and yourself from some painful shots!

It is definitely a lot easier and less unpleasant than the alternative.

Please, people, use some common sense!

He never had any symptoms or anything,so i'm just assuming that cat who bit my brother did not have rabies. Could he get rabies after four years?

what does he do now?

i never had any symptoms or anything, so I'm just assuming that the dog who bite me didn't have rabies.

Could i get rabies after eight years?

I'm scared now. =S

it is thursday and she is better but, can your dog get rabies by walking outside? can they get it through feces and dry urine or do they have to be bitten? I am so worried! it has been six days already. she hasn't bit or scratched me either. and everyone says you can only get it with a bite.

You should only worry if all/most symptoms are present: fever or localised heat especially.

Infected animals that bite you will be noticeably p*ssed and otherwise would not likely bite you without warning.

There are a few cats that enjoy being in water and being bathed, but the vast majority of them despise it. Her behavior seems entirely normal, to me.

I have had a completed course of rabies vaccination last year so the doctor just gave me booster doses. The problem is, since that day, I never stopped worrying about rabies. I am consumed by many hours of researching in the internet about the symptoms and treatments of rabies.

Almost a month ago, I also started feeling weird. My throat feels tight, I am always nervous, and more than two weeks ago, my big toe began to feel achy, itchy and numb. Last night, I felt some involuntary muscle twitching in my right knee. To my horror, its been twitching on and off up to now. I don't have any symptoms aside from these.

I don't think that my consciousness is affected. I know my symptoms are quite unusual because of the length of time they have been appearing but I'm very worried that I have rabies. Please help me. Thanks

Thanks

What are the symptoms if a monkey or raccoon bites you?? Probably pain! The symptoms of rabies are pretty clearly stated in the above article.

If you were bitten by a dog, and the dog had rabies but you are showing *no* signs of rabies, the shot treatment would not be useless. If the dog had active rabies, it would have died. Did the dog die? If not, it didn't have rabies.

It's really not that long of an article people, try *reading* it!

She doesn't see the serious side to it and just finds it funny even though her entire arm is all scratched up and bruised up.

She has even been offered free medical care by her workplace where it happened and she refuses to go.

What can I do?

Oh yeah I have fibromyalgia so muscular problems may not be noticed since I have those anyway. This bite happened Saturday. There was a lot of burning at the wound but because of my still trying to watch for and catch the pup I did not even wash the site for a number of hours. I know signs don't present this quick but the stress probably caused diarrhea today and I have had faintness and a headache.

Fibromyalgia has a multitude of problems anyway.

Thanks. CC

For the two posters that asked should they

be worried? Well worrying is not healthy for

you nor does it solve the problem. Find the

facts, which are relatively simple.

If you get bit an animal has to be on quarantine for 10 days from the bite. Doesn't mean

anything. The thing is to watch your dog and

after the 10 days are over if he/she seems

normal, there is no need for concern.

On the other hand if the dog that bit you dies, then they have to test the brain, which is done simple and quick. If the animal proves negative you do nothing. If it proves positive, then you

have to go to your health department Immediately and start the series of post exposure rabies

vac.

Good luck, but don't make yourself sick worrying

as it doesn't change anything, just pray.....

that works.

From what I understand even if I get a shot now it would be useless...my question is how long do I need worry about a possible infection??