A pet dog bit me three years back. Can I take anti-rabies vaccine now?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am an 18-year-old male. Three years ago, a dog slightly bit my hand. The dog died 1.5 years after he bit me. It has been three years now, but I am worried as I heard that rabies appears after years. I did not take any medicine then. I ignored it because it was a pet dog. If I take anti-rabies vaccine or boosters now, will it protect me? The dog was my neighbor's pet dog.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your worry with this situation as rabies is considered dangerous.

The good news is that the dog that bit you probably did not have rabies as the progression of this disease is fast in dogs. If a rabid dog bites you, it will die in weeks. As you mentioned that the dog died after 1.5 years, I would not consider it rabid, and I think your health is at no risk due to that incident.

Keep in mind that if this ever happens again with a pet dog, the best action is for the dog to be monitored by a veterinarian for signs of rabies. If the dog that bites a person is a wild dog, it should be caught and taken to the vet to get tested, and if the wild dog is unavailable, this warrants taking prophylactic rabies vaccines. The bottom line is, always consult your physician immediately after a dog bite.

I hope this answer helped you. Feel free to ask if you have any further questions. Best wishes.