rabies

[carol]

has anyone bothered to have rabies injections, Im always fussing dogs that live next door to me and wondered if I should

[PeteC]

has anyone bothered to have rabies injections, Im always fussing dogs that live next door to me and wondered if I should

I don't think they've developed a vaccine that one can get before being bitten, Carol. The injections are done after the bite, if the dog can't be found and quarantined and observed for XX amount of days to see if they are rabid. Even if the dog is found and observed, I think these days they give the shots regardless as they are not as painful as in the past. Pete

[Jim]

Certainly in the UK vaccines are taken as a precautionary measure - if you get chomped and you're not vaccinated, you need help quickly.

I think the overwhelming majority of infections come from bats, not from dogs though.

[DawnHRD]

Yes, you can get pre rabies shots. They're only effective for a short period of time (I think, but not sure 6 months) which would mean you constantly redoing them. Not worth it, unless you're working constantly with street dogs. In fact I do work constantly with street dogs & still don't have the pre rabies vacc.

Post rabies vaccines are a series of 5, starting within a day (ideally) of being bitten/scratched. They are done in the arm, not the stomach, are no more painful than any other jab & total cost is about 2,500bt or less.


Quite honestly, I wouldn't bother with a pre-rabies jab. The likelihood of you being bitten at all is very small, much less you being bitten before it runs out. If you do get bitten, wash the wound thoroughly with soap & water. Apply alcohol & get to a clinic or hospital for treatment & your first jab as soon as possible.

[PeteC]

Certainly in the UK vaccines are taken as a precautionary measure - if you get chomped and you're not vaccinated, you need help quickly.

I think the overwhelming majority of infections come from bats, not from dogs though.

I've never heard or read Jim that they have developed a vaccine that prevents rabies. Are you sure? I say this as in the last 3 years we went through everything there is to get with our little daughter, and rabies was nowhere on the list, not even up to what they get in late childhood. Thanks. Pete

[PeteC]

Certainly in the UK vaccines are taken as a precautionary measure - if you get chomped and you're not vaccinated, you need help quickly.

I think the overwhelming majority of infections come from bats, not from dogs though.

I've never heard or read Jim that they have developed a vaccine that prevents rabies. Are you sure? I say this as in the last 3 years we went through everything there is to get with our little daughter, and rabies was nowhere on the list, not even up to what they get in late childhood. Thanks. Pete

Well, live and learn. Dawn has solved it Jim. Pete

[sargeant]

One of my Tin Shack strays 5 year old that virtually lives at our house got bitten badly on the head by a tin shack dog and as Dawn says the jab is in the arm for 5 days and he is fine it was the 4/5 stitches in his scalp that bothered him. I talked him into it being a badge of honor

[Jim]

I think my worries were based on those who got infected but couldnt get to a hospital to get post-event treatment ie on safari on Africa. Then you tend to die if you're not vaccinated. The on-line advice in the UK is that the vaccine lasts three years. According to Wiki, only 6 people have ever survived after showing symptoms of the disease, post-exposure treatment has to be as quick as possible and within 6 days.

[DawnHRD]

^ I've been told it's very short-term. Certainly not years - months

Sarge, it is 5 jabs, but they're graduated. I can't remember how it goes, but it's something like 3 jabs first week, 1 second, & 1 third. Hospitals/clinics can tell you.

[sargeant]

Yes Dawn correct you beat me by a few mins Mrs Sarge just put me wise she is in the shower and i forget but its something like one in each arm first day then 4 days then one in one arm 2 or 3 days after that as i said he is quite tough with the jabs its when they start cleaning the wound he crys tuf little bugger
Oh by the way i forgot to ask did you get littlun sorted with a school

[sargeant]

I will get it correct 2 jabs first day one in each arm and then one jab three times the last one on the 2nd of next month but an increasing number of days between each one the first of these three was two days after the first two

[Jim]

Dawn
I dont know myself, I was just quoting from http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/travel/diseases/rabies.htm which says 3 years. Lets hope none of us ever gets to find out!
Cheers
Jim

[sargeant]

I now have the full skinny on this and i think people with kids here in school will be pleasantly surprised
Nong Lut was bitten on the 3rd of this month his wound was dressed and stitched and he recieved two rabies shots one in each arm
Every day he goes to have his wound cleaned and redressed
on the 6th he also recieved two rabies shots one in each arm he will recieve two more on the 10th and a further two more on the 2nd of sept

Total cost 3,000 plus but not more than 3,500

This money will be reclaimed via the schools accident insurance which ALL schools must carry and covers ALL Kids enrolled in the school it also covers incidents that happen outside the school grounds as in Nong Luts case
Interesting apparently part of the school fees covers this insurance i think that is something to about i was groping for my wallet

[Big Boy]

Our GP recommended Rabies Jabs (3 of them each) before one visit when we were about to spend some time in my wife's village.

To cut a very long story short, we had to spend circa £500 because our doctor had made the recommendation based on WHO advice, or our travel insurance would have been invalid.

[DawnHRD]

Jeeze, Sarge, where did you go for those jabs? I smell a scam on the school's insurance. Even San Paulo only charge 2,500bt - the Red Cross Clinic are much cheaper.

3,000 or 3,500? Someone is pocketing a lot of difference...