Is It Normal To Have Sore Throat For One Week After Bitten By A Vaccinated Dog?

Posted on Fri, 18 Sep 2015

Question: My name is XXXXX, and I live in Ottawa, Canada. I have a dog, a Labrador Retriever, who has been vaccinated for rabies, and is not due for another vaccination till 2016.

One month ago, we were roughhousing, and he snapped at my knee. His teeth scratched my skin, and one tooth punctured it. The bite mark became red, but did not bleed.

About six weeks later, I began having a sore throat, which I still have, one week later. My throat hurts when I swallow, but I have no difficulty swallowing. The pain has neither increased nor decreased.

I have no other symptom of rabies. I feel well. I have no fever. I am neither drooling, nor foaming at the mouth. I am not irritable. I am not confused, or disoriented. I feel no pain at the site of the wound.

I have air conditioning at the office, in my car, and in my home.

My dog has been with me since the incident. He displays no symptom of rabies either. His conduct has not changed. He is alert and active. He is docile, but does bark at other dogs when we walk, which has always been his custom. He is neither drooling, nor foaming at the mouth. He does not seem anxious.

Is it normal for me to have a sore throat for one week?

Is it possible my dog has infected me with rabies?

If am infected, how soon after the onset of mild symptoms of rabies, should I start feeling acute symptoms?

Answered by Dr. Divakara (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Its not due to Rabies.

Detailed Answer:
HI

Greetings from Dr.Divakara.P
Thanks for posting your query.

Well it is very unlikely for the Rabies to cause you Soar Throat, Reason :

1. Your Dog is perfectly fine, if it was infected with Rabies it would have behaved abnormally or even died in 10 days .

So , what you are having is just a sore throat. Yes Sore throat can persists for a week or more , more commonly if it is due to Bacterial cause. You would require a proper Antibiotic course to cure it.

I would recommend a test called Throat swab Culture sensitivity test which shall help in choosing the right antibiotic.

Regarding your third question, the onset of symptoms can start as early as 5-6 days to as late as 2-3 months. After the onset of mild symptoms the acute symptoms usually will appear in matter of 4-5 days.

Hope this information was useful to you.
Any clarifications feel free to ask.

Regards.

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