Is Anti-rabies Vaccination Required For A Dog Bite On Hand?

Posted on Wed, 29 Jun 2016

Question: Do I need to take antirabies vaccination if slightly bitten on hand (1cm x 1mm deep with some bleeding) by my vaccinated Maltese small dog on 22nd May night I.e. 4-5 days ago. The wound is dry and no swelling no pain but slightly red. I got one TT shot next day of night.
My dog is perfectly OK without any behaviour change and no symptoms. He was fully vaccinated 8 months back.
I had a similar bite by him 2years ago and I had taken one TT and 3 shots on day 0, 3 and 7.

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (1 hour later)

Brief answer.....explained below
Detailed answer....
Hello,
Thanks for the query.
I have read your query and understand your concern.
Basically speaking if your pet has received all his vaccines at proper time and if there has been no miss in the subsequent boosters and if your dog doesn't get mixed up with street dogs and remain confined in home,then there is no need for any vaccine for you.
In case there has been a miss of any injection or your dog frequently plays with street dogs quite often,then go for anti rabies vaccine. In this scenario you would need only two doses since you have been immunised 2 years back
Just keep a watch on your dog for next 10 days and hopefully nothing adverse would happen.
But in case your dog does show any symptom,then you would need to consult a health care facility,although chances of such an event looks very less.
I hope it helps,however you are most welcome to revert to me for any further query.
Best of luck
Thanks

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

Follow up: Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (21 hours later)

Dear Dr. XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Yesterday afternoon I had posted my followup query which perhaps did not reach you and I have NOT received your response on that..........I am resubmitting the same.

1. My dog is 4+ years of age and it remains confined to home and does not play/mixup with other/street dogs.
2. We get him vaccinated in April every year regularly but in 2015 there was a gap of 4-5 months and he was vaccinated in Sept. 2015. Do you consider this as a 'miss' or now it does not matter?
3. Pls clarify "no miss in subsequent boosters". We get him only annual vaccination.
4. Keeping watch on the dog for 10 days means from the day of bite 22nd May or from now onwards?
5. So I do not need to take any doses till dog is under watch. However I know that I have to start the 2 doses immediately if I see any symptoms in the dog during observation period.
6. Even if I do not need anti rabies vaccination for the current bite incident, should/can I still take further 2 doses and then immunity will extend for how long? (or should avoid). Thanks...

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (1 hour later)

Hello,
I didn't receive your mail last evening otherwise I would have responded yesterday itself.
It is good that your dog doesn't mix with street dogs.
It doesn't matter now if he was vaccinated 4 months later than scheduled time.
Dogs are vaccinated on yearly basis only and so vaccination is regular in your dog and do there was no miss in his boosters.
Keeping watch for 10 days means from the day of bite.
You don't need any injection during the watch for the symptoms in dog.
You can take two injections now as that would give you a further immunity for at least 3 years.No harm in taking the injections now as that would give you added peace to your mind.
Thanks

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Sonia Raina