Rabies Vaccine

The rabies vaccine is used to prevent rabies, a deadly virus that spreads through the infected animals' saliva when bitten. They are given to people who have an increased risk of developing rabies, such as veterinarians, animal handlers, and rabies laboratory workers. Preexposure vaccination is given with 1.0 ml of rabies vaccine intramuscularly on days 0, 7, 21, and 28. A booster dose of 1 ml is given to maintain the serum titer more than 1:5 serum dilution. Post-exposure, unimmunized individuals are given 1 ml of five doses intramuscularly on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28 with human rabies immunoglobulin. In previously immunized persons, 1 ml is given intramuscularly on days 0 and 3.

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I observed scratches on my hand after waking up, but I do not have any pain or swelling. Can these be rat bites?

Query: Hello doctor, When I got up from sleep today, I found two scratches and small wounds on my right hand. I am not sure, but I may have scratched myself in my sleep. I suspect a rat had bit or scratched me while I was asleep. I have attached two images of my hand. Please see them and let me know if it ...  Read Full »


Dr. Kaushal Bhavsar

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have read your query and understand your concern. I looked at the images you attached (attachments removed to protect the patient's identity). And they are not rat bites. No need to worry about it. You do not need to take any vaccine. I hope this has helped you o...  Read Full »

My hair was dried with a cloth licked by a street dog, and I had a small scratch with a blade on my head. Do I need to take a rabies vaccine?

Query: Hello doctor, Today I had a haircut in the saloon. First, my hair was washed, then they used clothes for hair drying, which may have been licked by a street dog because these dogs were present there. After the haircut, I had a small scratch with a blade on my head that I washed with shampoo. Shoul...  Read Full »


Dr. Shubadeep Debabrata Sinha

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. You need not have to worry about contracting rabies. The street dogs may not be rabid. However, if possible, you may watch the street dogs, signs and symptoms of rabies, or let a veterinarian check if the dog is identified. Rabies spreads by bites, scratches, and lic...  Read Full »

Will rabies vaccination cause future health issues for my 9 year old son?

Query: Hi doctor,My 9 year old son was licked by a stray dog. I was not sure what happened, but I took him to the doctor and got him injected. Would the injection cause him some future health issues?  Read Full »


Dr. Sharoff Lokesh Mohan

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. No, the injection will not cause any issues in the future. Rabies Vaccination Injection is given at the 0, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days of the bite, but consult your nearest doctor and get the vaccine from that doctor. This vaccine should be taken if there is a dog bite or if t...  Read Full »

Is vaccination needed for a non-rabies dog bite?

Query: Hello doctor, My daughter is 3 years old and has been bitten by a pet dog. The dog would not bite if not touched. It has been in our home for 10 years. It stays always at home. The dog does not have rabies. The dog is a Pomeranian breed.  The wound is not very deep but a slight cut on the upper ...  Read Full »


Dr. Deepak Patel

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Any bite from a dog needs a vaccination for rabies. If the cut is not very deep, it will fall under grade 1 of dog bites and it will definitely need antirabies vaccination and tetanus vaccination. In grade 1 bites, antirabies immunoglobin is not needed but vacci...  Read Full »

A stray dog's leg touched my foot. Should I be concerned?

Query: Hi doctor, My query is related to the necessity of rabies vaccine for me. I am a 27 year old healthy male. I am a student, staying in the large campus of my institute. This campus is filled with stray dogs and many other types of animals. People caressing those dogs is a very common scene here. One...  Read Full »


Dr. Arun Kaushik. R

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your apprehension. As it is already one week since you had the dog touch your feet and there was no bleed or break of skin as such. No vaccination is required now. You should have thoroughly cleaned the region immediately after the dog had touched your leg....  Read Full »

Can fat burner medications interfere with anti-rabies vaccine?

Query: Hello doctor, I am on an anti-rabies vaccination. I am very worried as I have been on other medications which I beilieve may interfere with rabies vaccine: 1. Modafinil, 2. Fat burner (ingridients:-yohimbine,bioperine,guggulsterones,synephrine,caffeine).  Read Full »


Dr. Rahul Ramakrishnan

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. As per your medical history, I went through, I would suggest that the above mentioned medicine will not interfere with rabies vaccine. However, keep rabies vaccine as the top priority and if possible stop other medications till the course is done as rabies is a much mor...  Read Full »

I do not want to complete rabies booster doses after side effects. Is it dangerous?

Query: Hello doctor, I have been injured by a needle after injecting unvaccinated white mice in my college and I have received two doses of rabies vaccine on the day of exposure and day three but the side effects were severe (hypertension, nausea, vomiting, dizziness) and I do not want to complete the thre...  Read Full »


Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Hassan Shoukat

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. Rabies for sure is dangerous. Only one case is reported in the world to be able to survive in your country after having rabies. But, it all depends upon how much chances of getting rabies. With needle stuck I do not believe there are many chances also and chances are hi...  Read Full »

Does my kid need rabies vaccine if a stray dog licked his hand?

Query: Hello doctor, A stray dog came near my 3 years and eight months old toddler. Its mouth was very near his hand. I do not know if it licked his hand or not but I just got worried. He has no open bleeding wound but yes mosquito bite sites and many minute abrasions because of playing. In the last two ye...  Read Full »


Dr. Goswami Parth Rajendragiri

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Just licking on unbroken skin comes under category-1 exposure. Here no vaccination is needed. But if licking was on abraded skin then better to get vaccinated. If you are not sure about licking on the abraded skin and if dog not traceable than better to get vaccinate...  Read Full »

Will antirabies injection work seven months after exposure?

Query: Hello doctor,Under the influence of alcohol, I committed a blunder by making intimacy with my own pet dog last year. From that day onwards, I started to develop health problems such as weakness, mild fever, headache, tingling, unexplainable inflammation and burning sensation of the genitals area. I ...  Read Full »


Dr. K. V. Anand

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. You underwent many tests and all of them were normal except for some infection and for that, you are having antibiotic. You can talk to your nearby doctor regarding rabies and can take antirabies course of injections to prevent rabies. Otherwise, you are doing fine....  Read Full »

My pet dog scratched me before three days. Can I take rabies vaccine now?

Query: Hello doctor, I have been scratched by my pet dog and I think it reached beneath my skin. I got red areas and I did not take any rabies medicine. And it is the third day, can I take medication now?  Read Full »


Dr. Peter Bryant Rapsing Grutas

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Yes, you can still take the medication. Do you have rabies or tetanus vaccine? If not or you are not sure, I recommend you go to a nearby hospital to have a rabies vaccine and tetanus shots or at least booster shots. I recommend you to complete the dose as per your d...  Read Full »

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