Dog Licked On The Mouth. Am I At Risk For Exposure To Rabies?

Posted on Tue, 9 Oct 2012

Question: My dog licked me on the mouth yesterday. He bit an opossum last week. I'm curious if I'm at risk for exposure to rabies. He's had his shots, but can he still pass the virus to me?

Answered by Dr. Praveen Rodrigues (38 minutes later)

Hi there.
I read your query with interest. I dont envisage any problem whatsoever.
Firstly your dog has been vaccinated.
Second the dog bit the opossum last week..hence enough & more time has lapsed & by now there would have been definitive signs in the dog should it have contracted the virus
Thirdly..these & most viruses are fastidious organisms & do not do well outside the host's environment/body..so it is highly unlikely it will have remained in the Dog's salivary/oral cavity region all this time!
So, to put things in perspective, the lick would not have been anything but just that..a lick! Trust this has cleared the air for you & do feel free to send in your feedback /ratings if satisfied! Cheers & Godspeed!
Dr Praveen Rodrigues MD
Dermatologist, Cosmetologist, Venreologist XXXXXXX Hospital, Bangalore, India

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar