Is Anti-rabies Vaccination Required After Eating Food Licked By Street Dog?

Posted on Sun, 26 Jun 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 26 Jun 2016 Answered on

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : Do you need to get vaccinated if you or your wife ate food licked by a rabid dog by mistake? It must have been 2-3 minutes before we ate the food. I read online that : "TheÂ rabiesÂ virus is present in the saliva of an infected animal and is usually transmitted by a bite.RabiesÂ may also be transmitted if infectious material (such as saliva) of the infected animal enters a wound or mucous membrane such as the eyes, nose or mouth." Here it says that it may also get transmitted by infectious material (such as saliva), enters wound, eyes, nose or mouth, that's why I am a bit worried here.Â

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
NO, You need to have a broken skin for infection to be possible!

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.

I am so sorry to here about what happened. There is no need to get vaccinated as the virus only gets into the body through broken skin. Since this wasn’t the case, there is no need for vaccination following this episode. However, if you do live in a region with animals susceptible of transmitting rabies, I will suggest that you plan and get a full vaccination plan giant rabies. I requires 3 vaccination within a month for you to be fully protected.

I hope this helps. I wish you well. Feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be. Above all, thanks for using our services.

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

Follow up: Dr. Ivo Ditah (56 minutes later)

Thanks foe the answer. Over internet it says that it can get transferred by getting mouth, eyes or nose in contact of rabid animal.

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Vaccination guidelines do not recommend that!

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

These are possible but remain very unlikely. There is no recommended vaccination for such unless you are talking of real and huge exposure which is not what you have reported. Stay calm and disregard this generic internet information.

Thanks

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

Follow up: Dr. Ivo Ditah (18 minutes later)

Thanks for the reply. This has reduced my worries quite a lot. Just wish to inform that I sometimes get bleeding gums when i eat things like apple etc. Hope that doesn't matter here.

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You are welcome!

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

It doesn’t really matter here. Be calm and be reassured all is well. Your anxiety is understandable but there is no reason to continue being worried after reassurance.

I wish you well.

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