Already had rabies vaccine. Do I need another after a new bite?

Hi Margaux! I'm sorry that Chim Chim has been biting you. If he has been fully vaccinated against rabies, there is no worry to you about getting it from him. Now if he hasn't been fully vaccinated, i.e. he's had only one rabies vaccine and not the subsequent booster, I would give your human doctor a call. Your question about needing to be re-vaccinated is one related to human medicine, and since we are veterinarians and veterinary professionals, we cannot advise on human medical questions. Give your doctor a call to find out if you need another vaccine. Best of luck.

Hello, and thanks for your question. I'm wondering if the rabies vaccine product or protocol is a bit different in India vs the United States. Our typical protocol with a previously vaccinated (up-to-date) dog who may have been exposed to a rabid animal (such as a wild animal or unvaccinated dog) is to booster the dog immediately with another rabies vaccine - just once....and then get back on the standard vaccine schedule of every 3 years. We don't typically do the multi-dose PEP you're describing, although that protocol would be given to people with exposure. However, rabies is much more endemic in your area - so I would defer to the advice of your local vet who treats far more rabies exposure cases than we would. If the original plan (prior to your dog's second altercation with another stray) was to give the two additional shots on the 4th and 5th, then I would probably stick with this plan. All vaccines can carry a small risk of reaction - but there's no "overdose" per say. And any risk of vaccine reaction is negligible compared to the risk of actual rabies exposure, in a rabies endemic area. So it is always best to err on the side of protection from rabies. I hope this helps!

You should contact the health department or animal control in your area regarding your bite - they might recommend a quarantine for your cat to be sure there is no concern for rabies. No vaccine is 100% effective so while it is unlikely that the unvaccinated cat could transmit rabies to your cat it is possible. You should also probably contact your physician - cat bites often get infected!

Since he has had his rabies vaccination, you do not need to be worried. You do not need ARV. You do, however, need to be worried that you could get a skin infection. Just keep the wounds clean as it looks like you have done. If you notice any major redness, pain or swelling around the bite areas you need to see your human doctor.

The good news is that rabies is transmitted through bites/saliva and not scratches. If Ming was infected and shedding the rabies virus a month ago, then he would have died from the disease by now. Considering all of this, I think you should be safe, but it's best to consult with your physician if you have any further concerns. Below is a link to more information about rabies. https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html I hope that helps and all is well.

No. I would not be worried about this unless you know the dogs have been in contact with a rabid animal (domestic or wildlife). If they have not, then there is no chance of you getting rabies. Also, the vaccine is a killed virus so there is no chance of you getting rabies from a vaccine or a recently vaccinated animal. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Unfortunately, that would be a question for your physician since we are unqualified to comment on problems with people. It sounds like you went to the ER and they determined that there was no need for post-exposure prophylaxis. You could double check with the public health department in your area to make sure. I would think that it would be very unlikely that your cat would have clawed the bat in the mouth and then immediately clawed you to transmit rabies. In the future, keep in mind that a bat can be tested for rabies if there is concern about exposure to people.