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Took TT Injection After Dog Scratch. Feeling Like Blocked Throat . Should I Take Rabies Vaccination?

Posted on Sat, 5 Jan 2013

Question: Doctor a street dog of age 3 to 5 months has just crossed between my legs on the parking area on 06-12-12 ( last thursday) when i reached home i found a XXXXXXX which 1 mm thick and 3 mm long i have shown a doctor and taken only TT injection. now this is fourth day today i feel like my thorats are getting blocked for more than 2 hours after my lunch pls suggest me if i take a rabies injection today will it prevent the infection (if any) . and please tell me what will the first symptom and from which date will it starts if the person is affected .

Answered by Dr. Santosh Kondekar (45 minutes later)

Dear,

Thanks for the query.

Your current symptoms do not appear to be due to rabies. However it would important that you take antirabies vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin as per protocols at the earliest possible.

Rabies may start any day after dog bite...and it may be up to years in some cases. You can discuss with your treating doctor and learn about the degree / type of exposure and insist to give you complete protection at earliest.

It is important to be vaccinated when in doubt as it will be too late to wait for early symptoms to suspect rabies like say irrelevant talk, hydrophobia etc.

I hope I have clarified your doubts. Let me know if you have other concerns.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Santosh Kondekar (2 hours later)

Thanks Doctor so if i take ARV even now will it be helpfull for me in preventing against the problem , and will a small dog of age XXXXXXX 5 months will have the power to transfer infection, and 14 years back i took ARV in stomach 7 nos consecutive days at Chennai medical college & Hospital, will that still have any power to prevent or it will be better to go for new one, please reply me

Answered by Dr. Santosh Kondekar (47 hours later)

Hi there,

Sorry for late reply.

Old immunisation may have little benefit… with fresh bite. Fresh post exposure prophylaxis is recommended.

Now new safer and better vaccine is in market and injections in stomach are no longer needed.… Though this dose may give protection… none is hundred percent proof. However you are most likely to protect yourselves from rabies, if you complete course earliest possible.

If you could trace the dog it may be worthwhile to know if dog had no rabies… You will be safer if the dog can be traced.

Hope this clarifies all your doubts. If you have any other queries, I will be glad to answer.
If all your queries are answered, please close this discussion.

Regards

Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad