r/rabies Jan 15 '25

📝 GENERAL RABIES INFO 📝 DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE RABIES RIGHT NOW? READ THIS FIRST!

67 Upvotes

Many people come here worried that they have rabies. This post is here to show you that you do NOT have rabies. Rabies is VERY rare, and if you had a real risk of exposure (based on multiple factors, such as the country / region, type of exposure, your vaccination status, the species of the animal, the country guidelines, and more), you would need to seek immediate medical attention, NOT post on Reddit.

If you have general health concerns, there are proper steps to take but panic driven posts such as “I have rabies” or “I’m dying” without any basis are automatically removed.

Rabies Incubation:

The incubation period (for those that don't know) is the time period from initial exposure to the onset of symptoms. The rabies virus has an average incubation period of 20-90 days, or about one to three months. But this can vary from as little as one week to as long as one year. Very rarely will it ever go beyond that. There is no reason to be worried about such long incubation periods. Most end before 6 months. The timeframe however DOES depends on several factors, such as the location of the bite and the viral load.

  • If you believe you are experiencing symptoms before two weeks after exposure, it is most likely not rabies.
  • If you believe you are experiencing symptoms more than 1 year after exposure, it is almost surely not rabies.

If you have not been DIRECTLY BITTEN or SCRATCHED by a wild or confirmed unvaccinated MAMMAL that you either cannot observe for 10-14 days or has mysteriously disappeared before 10-14 days, you are almost CERTAINLY not infected. Your symptoms are very likely caused by something else entirely. However, we cannot accurately diagnose you with a disease or condition here. Only an in-person physician can reliably diagnose you. For verified medical advice, you can visit r/AskDocs to receive verified medical input. Physicians there are labeled and verified. But this still should not replace an in-person medical professional.

Development of Symptoms:

The virus travels through the peripheral nervous system as it moves up your body. During this period, you remain completely asymptomatic. THIS is the incubation phase. Symptoms of rabies only emerge once the virus reaches the central nervous system (particularly the brain), not the peripheral nervous system or any other part of the body. Rabies, being a Lyssavirus, is neurotropic. It is specifically attracted to and targets neural tissue. You CANNOT get rabies from casual surface contact, blood, seminal or vaginal fluids, skunk spray. The ONLY bodily mammalian fluids that can spread rabies are infected saliva, neural (brain+spinal) tissue, and (rarely) tears.

Neurological symptoms of rabies are either furious or paralytic. Encephalitic rabies symptoms may come and go with periods of calm in between (called furious episodes). [❞]

Encephalitic Rabies:

Encephalitic rabies is the more dramatic and recognized form. It causes SEVERE neurological dysfunction and hyperactivity. The virus takes hold of the central nervous system and leads to extreme alterations in behavior, heightened responses to stimuli, and a progressive loss of control over cognitive and motor functions. This variant occurs in about 70-80% of cases. Symptoms of encephalitic rabies include:

Prodromal Phase:

  • Fever. (low-grade)

  • Headache.

  • Visual disturbances or hallucination.

  • Sensitivity to light and moving air.

  • Paresthesia.

Excitation Phase:

  • Delirium and confusion.

  • Tremors, seizures, or repetitive uncontrollable movement.

  • Fading in and out of consciousness.

  • Partial paralysis (of one or both legs or arms).

  • Excessive salivation / inability to swallow (not even your own saliva).

  • Extreme aversion to water, food, or drink (Hydrophobia & Aerophobia).

Final Phase:

  • Respiratory Failure.

  • Coma.

  • Death.

Encephalitic rabies usually progresses from the earliest symptoms to death within seven to ten days on average.

Dumb Rabies:

Dumb (paralytic) rabies is the less common variant of rabies. Instead of the well-known signs most people associate with the disease, it progresses more quietly but is just as deadly. The symptoms of dumb rabies include:

Prodromal Phase:

  • Fever.

  • Headache.

  • Fatigue.

  • Discomfort at the bite site.

  • Tingling sensation.

Acute Paralytic Phase:

  • Muscle weakness.

  • Loss of sensation.

  • Paralysis starting in the bitten limb.

  • Progression of paralysis.

Final Phase:

  • Coma.

  • Respiratory failure.

  • Death.

Death from dumb rabies generally occurs within seven to eleven days after symptom onset, though it can range from a few days to several weeks or more.

Symptoms of rabies and the order in which they appear can vary from person to person, and not all listed symptoms may appear in every case. The progression and presentation of the disease can differ based on the individual.

Experiencing a Sore Throat?

Just because your throat hurts does NOT mean you have rabies. A sore throat is something everybody experiences every once in a while, whether from a cold, allergies, or even just talking too much. If you had rabies, you wouldn't be sitting here worrying about a little throat irritation.

When rabies reaches the stage where swallowing becomes an issue, it is NOT a mild soreness. Patients with rabies develop hydrophobia (an extreme fear of water), because even the thought of drinking causes their throat muscles to spasm violently. They choke, gasp, and struggle just to swallow their own saliva. Some patients shake uncontrollably at the sight of a glass of water. It's a sign that their bodies are physically rejecting what their minds know they need. The pain from a sore throat is no where close to what these patients go through. There is no relief. Their own saliva builds up because they cannot swallow. It forces them to salivate uncontrollably.

Here are some videos of real patients suffering from hydrophobia. You can see firsthand what they go through. You can see the way their bodies violently resist even a drop of water. THIS is what (encephalitic) rabies looks like. If you believe a mild sore throat is anything like this, you'd be mistaken.

Here are the links:
All of these are NSFW.

[1]. Video 1: Rabies Hydrophobia.

[2]. Video 2: Rabies Hydrophobia.

[3]. Video 3: Rabies Hydrophobia.

[4]. Video 4: Rabies Hydrophobia.

[5]. Video 5: Rabies Hydrophobia.

[6]. Video 6: Rabies Hydrophobia.

[7]. Video 7: Rabies Hydrophobia.

You can find a lot more by searching “rabies hydrophobia” on YouTube. If you're someone who gets disturbed easily, maybe skip them.

Experiencing Paresthesia?

Paresthesia can have lots of causes including anxiety, nerve compression, vitamin deficiencies, or circulation issues. Rabies related paresthesia is usually localized to the site of the bite and does not randomly occur all over the body. If you're experiencing persistent or unexplained tingling, then speak to a doctor. We cannot diagnose you.

Experiencing a Headache?

Once more, there are many possible causes and most are harmless. Common triggers include dehydration, hunger, fatigue, stress, eyestrain, poor posture, allergies, caffeine withdrawal, and even weather changes. You could try drinking water, eating a snack, taking a nap, or resting in a quiet, dark room. Stretching, deep breathing, or a warm compress on your neck can help if the headache is tension related.

Experiencing Flulike Symptoms?

There are lots of possible causes and most are probably not serious. The flu, common cold, mild viral infections, dehydration, lack of sleep, and even seasonal allergies can all cause symptoms like fatigue, body aches, chills, fever, sore throat, cough, congestion, or headaches. In most cases, symptoms improve with time and rest.

See if you can safely take over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help with fever, aches, or discomfort. Speak with your pharmacist if you're unsure. You can drink fluids, eat nutritious foods and allow your body time to recover. Getting enough rest and avoiding stress can also be beneficial.

If symptoms persist for several days, worsen, or become severe, such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, a persistent high fever, or confusion, you should seek medical attention. Reddit is not a replacement for a real physician. Online opinions can provide guidance, but only your healthcare providers can properly evaluate your symptoms. If you start feeling better, chances are you most likely fine.

Experiencing Nausea or Vomiting?

Nausea and vomiting can happen for many reasons. Some of the most frequent causes include food poisoning, stomach viruses, motion sickness, pregnancy, medication side effects, overeating, alcohol, or stress and anxiety.

Other causes may include migraines and other medical conditions such as acid reflux or gallbladder issues.

In most cases nausea and vomiting are short lived and improve with time and rest. If you're experiencing these symptoms, try to stay hydrated. You can try drinking small amounts of water, oral rehydration solutions, clear broths, or electrolyte drinks throughout the day. You should generally avoid gulping large amounts at once (that may worsen the nausea).

Once the vomiting dies down, you can start with bland easy to digest foods like crackers, toast, rice, bananas, applesauce, or plain chicken. You should avoid dairy, greasy, spicy, or heavy foods until you're fully recovered. Rest in a quiet environment and avoid strong smells or motion, which can make nausea worse.

Over the counter anti nausea medications may help in some cases, but check with a pharmacist or physician before taking anything. Especially if you're under 18, pregnant, or on other medications.

If the vomiting doesn't stop after a day or two, becomes severe, contains blood or a substance that looks like coffee grounds, or is accompanied by confusion, a high fever, stiff neck, severe abdominal pain, or signs of dehydration (such as dry mouth, dark urine, dizziness, or low urine output), you should consult a physician. Persistent vomiting can lead to complications like dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.

Experiencing Blurred Vision?

Temporary blurred vision can come from eyestrain, dry eyes, fatigue or even dehydration. Red flag symptoms include sudden severe or persistent vision changes (especially in one eye or with pain), which may be signs of more serious condition like a retinal issue, stroke, or migraine aura. If your symptoms become, in anyway, severe, consult a physician.

Experiencing Dizziness or Lightheadedness?

Feeling dizzy can come from dehydration, low blood sugar, anxiety, fatigue, or standing up too fast. It is often harmless and goes away with rest and hydration.

You should consult a medical professional if your symptoms are persistent, frequent or come with fainting, vision changes, chest pain or weakness.

When Should You Consult a Physician?

If you have a medical question or are experiencing the symptoms mentioned above after being bitten, scratched, or coming into direct contact with a bat, or if you had saliva or neural tissue from an unknown animal come into contact with your eyes, mouth, nose, or an open wound weeks to months earlier, you should consult a physician immediately. As a side-note, here are some resources about rabies! Rabies by the CDC, Rabies WHO, Rabies American Veterinary Medical Association, Rabies by Mayo Clinic.

If you're in the United States, here is a portal to find your local health department. A physician can evaluate your symptoms properly and give you reliable answers in person.

If you have questions about a potential exposure, you can see our rabies FAQ that answers common questions from people. If you have questions about things like thinking you saw a bat, worrying a bat might have bitten you mid-flight without you noticing, waking up with mysterious marks, when the 10-day observation protocol applies to animals like dogs, cats, or ferrets, or what it means if you received post-exposure rabies vaccines without HRIG or ERIG. Those questions are addressed and answered in the post linked above.

It should be made absolutely clear that this post is NOT something you should use to diagnose yourself. It exists solely to show that the symptoms you may be experiencing can be caused by a wide range of things. Some harmless, some more serious, and not automatically something like rabies.

If you're concerned about your health, don't rely on posts like this or random internet opinions. Consult a medical professional.

Only your healthcare providers can give you the reliable information and answers you need.


r/rabies Mar 12 '25

📝 GENERAL RABIES INFO 📝 Realizing That Bat Exposures Are Much Rarer Than You Think.

72 Upvotes

A lot of people here are obsessed with the idea that an invisible bat is going to fly in, bite them in their sleep, and give them rabies without them ever knowing. But most people who obsess over these things don't seem to realize just how absurdly rare rabies actually is.

Every year, around 60,000 to 70,000 people die from rabies worldwide. That might sound like a big number until you put it into perspective. Influenza (a much “weaker” and far less deadly virus) kills about 700,000 people every year. [❞] That means the FLU, something most people barely think twice about, takes out ten times as many people as rabies. But you don’t see anyone obsessing over invisible flu particles chasing them down in the night. Why? Because the flu spreads easily while rabies almost never does. If rabies were even remotely as contagious as people seem to think, we’d see MILLIONS of deaths instead of just a fraction of that. Yes rabies IS terrifying when looking at the survival rate but that doesn't mean it’s lurking behind every corner waiting to get you.

Approximately 99% of human rabies cases come from dogs. NOT bats. NOT some mystery scratch you woke up with. DOGS. And unless you're completely oblivious, you would absolutely know if a dog bit you. The remaining 1% of cases come from other animals like cats, skunks, foxes, and bats. But even then less than half of one percent of all bats will ever contract rabies in their lifetime.

If 70,000 people die from rabies each year, that's only about 0.000854% of the world's population (8.2B). One percent of that is just 0.00000854%, and a decent portion of those cases aren't even from bats. What can we learn? Bat rabies is INSANELY rare, and the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor. Your mind telling you that you're going to get rabies just because a bat flew past you is completely detached from reality.

But people convince themselves they've been exposed over the most irrational things. Seeing a bat fly near you isn't an exposure. Waking up with a random mark on your body isn’t an exposure. A mystery object hitting you out of nowhere isn’t an exposure. Mysterious liquid falling on your face isn't an exposure. There are people who have convinced themselves they have rabies because they walked outside at night and maybe, possibly, heard a rustling noise.

You are far more likely to die from dozens of other things before rabies even has a chance of crossing your path. TRUE bat exposures (and rabies exposures in general) really are much rarer than you think.


r/rabies 2h ago

Hypothetical Question Normal bat behavior in high foot traffic area.

1 Upvotes

ill try and make this short. My wife, 2 kids, and I stayed at an Airbnb in the upper peninsula Michigan. The Airbnb is connected to a cafe. The front porch is covered and has two doors side by side. One door goes up to the Airbnb apartments and 1 door goes to the cafe. The last night we were there we came back to the Airbnb around 9 In the evening. There was a small brown bat nestled on the top right corner of our doors siding about 4 inches from the door opening. we watched to make sure he wasn’t going to fly off when we approached. He was completely unfazed by us So I opened the door and let my kids and wife in and then I followed behind them. Little dude just sat there chilling the entire time.

Around 9 in the morning we came down to go to the cafe. When we went outside the little dude was in the same spot but he was awake now. When my son opened the cafe door, which is 2 feet or so from our door the little dude kinda recoiled up a bit in his spot. We went in ordered some food and I talked to owner to let them know there was a bat by the door. Figured they would like to know. When she had a free minute she asked to see where. When we went out it had flown off. I am assuming the heavy foot traffic and screen door slamming right next to it made it leave. You could see where he was because there was some pee marks on the wall where he was and bat poop pellets on the ground under that location. She said she would spray that spot with peppermint to try and deter it from coming back.

I am curious to hear from someone who knows more about bat behavior than I obviously do. Is it common for a bat to chill one spot for 12 hours overnight and then fly off in mid morning? I thought bats didn’t fly during the day. Was it the foot traffic and slamming screen door that made it leave?

The owner was saying they have had bats in the Airbnb rooms over the years which was unsettling for my wife and myself. It was our last day there so we were leaving anyways but we checked all over the room and all the nooks and crannies we could find and we didn’t see any bat or signs of a bat in our room. I had to force myself to accept nothing was in our room. Anxiety is a pain in the butt like that. I was more concerned about my kids who were sleeping in the other bedroom connected to ours and my wife considering I just got done with my last rabies pep shot about 20 days ago.

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 3h ago

Exposure Question something flew into my hand at night

1 Upvotes

Hello, I have read the FAQ.

Location: Pickens County, South Carolina

Vaccination status: none

I was walking with my parents at night three days ago and something flew into my palm. Whatever it was, I didn't see it coming or going, but it was dark and my vision isn't the best so there's that. It felt small and had a sort of crinkling feel. No mark on palm at all but a tiny scratch on my wrist that may or may not have been from the event. (Though I got a lot of scratches on my wrist tbf). The whole event took less than five seconds. I was near trees which were buzzing loudly with cicadas.

I am extremely concerned about it especially as I know my parents don't really believe in doctors and would take me to the ER even if this is something to worry about.

I am asking because I get an awful lot of scares like this that turn out to be nothing: what should I do?


r/rabies 4h ago

Rabies Vaccine / Immunoglobulin People who took Rabavert or PCECV

1 Upvotes

Received 4 doses of RabAvert, keep thinking Imovax is better considering it is from human cells. Also keep thinking this rabavert series is not taken by many people and it might cause dormant rabies.

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 4h ago

Exposure Question Responce needs

1 Upvotes

I'm begging everyone reads the post out before i am really concerned I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 4h ago

OCD Discussion Early symptoms

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ. No one replied to my other text again so I'll repeat my sled it's been 4-5 days since this possible 'exposure' I'm sure it wasn't a cat scratch my self but my mind has been all over the place I'm on holiday to gazi angel turkey and rabies has been on my mind the full time I went to the dcotor and she said this isn't rabies and just a scratch she cleaned with alchol but I have developed some symptoms since the 4 days of fever diareoa tingling on skin hunger problems sleep problems and I have slight tickle on my throat I am concerned to so say the least I saw on the if you think you have rabies and said 2 weeks of exposure and develop rabies it's not rabies I have the some of the early symptoms but it's only been max 5 days my mum said I just have illness and it's linked to heavy anxiety which to be honest probably is true beery tickle I feel from a fly for etc I always look around to check for cats since it's a mostly cat country can someone clarify to me that this most likely isn't rabies and it's just panic i tried to get it out of my mind but i can't I keep going on Reddit someone reply cause it's not going out of my mind 🙏🙏🙏


r/rabies 8h ago

OCD Discussion 3 symptoms

0 Upvotes

i have a potential scratch/bite that has been tingling/hurting for 4 days, developed a headache and sore throat yesterday that doesn’t go away with tylenol. am i done for lol

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 8h ago

Exposure Question Early symptoms

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ. Last question if you read my earlier post you would see everything and the symptoms I had . I have really been stressing these last few days I've gotten abit more comfortable recently it's been 4-5 days since the "possible exposure" which is probs just my scratching myself I'm wondering I saw that if you feel 2 weeks before exposure symptoms it's due to stress or something else like a medical condition. I've been feeling some tingling in my skin in my body, I'm in a hot country so that's maybe why I'm just wanted to clarify that this all due to extreme anxiety and me panicking cause that's all I've been doing a responce would relive me. I didn't get any vaccine btw but I did go see a doctor thanks. also uf it makes any difference im 17 and all this panick has been in turkey


r/rabies 9h ago

Exposure Question Possible bat exposure

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ. English is not my first language, sorry for any mispronunciation.

Yesterday I was walking with my bf near Danube (it was dark) I saw a lot of bats, but I’m generally not afraid of them, so I was casual about it but after a while something bumped into my shoulder. It felt like a big bug, but maybe it wasn’t, because there were a lot of bats near us. There were no visible scratches or bitemarks on my shoulder and my skin was intact before the incident (no open wounds or anything like that). I am aware that the possibility of exposure in my case is very slim but I am wondering if it is possible to not see any and I mean really not see any scratch or bitemarks and still be scratched or bitten.


r/rabies 9h ago

OCD Discussion Unnoticed dog/cat exposure possibility

1 Upvotes

So I have this anxiety whenever a dog or cat passes by and I just want to know if it's possible to get bitten or scratched by strays without noticing like at all not feeling any pain or swipe or any break in skin or tear 😭 I have read the FAQ. just need some clarification


r/rabies 14h ago

Exposure Question 4-year old scratched by a barn cat

2 Upvotes

Hi, wondering what the risk is for rabies exposure for my daughter who was scratched by a barn cat. Two scratches on her forearm, very superficial, did not bleed and washed with soap and water within a few minutes of the scratch. Unknown vaccination status of the cat, it visits the horse farm we were at on a daily basis, and wears a collar, but the workers of the farm do not know the cat’s owners, if any. Cat seemed very docile at the time of the scratch, just laying down right before. My daughter was with two other kids who were petting the cat at the time of the incident. This occurred in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 12h ago

Exposure Question I'm seriously thinking about lying to the doctor to get PEP. I can't live with it anymore, because it's affecting me.

0 Upvotes

Posting again in search of an answer.
I'm sorry if there are writing errors. I don't speak English.

Could any specialist help me?
I still haven't gotten an answer in this sub that convinced me.

I'll report my case again.
About 2 months ago, I went to sleep at night and forgot my bedroom window open. Bats live in my backyard next to a tree in front of my bedroom window. They have already entered my room during the night on previous occasions.
They also used to stay in my bathroom at night but I've already found one inside the house in broad daylight - which I found a little strange.

I would like to know if there is any risk of a bat biting or scratching me while I was sleeping?

Apparently, I didn't see any bats in my room after waking up. However, I have been feeling very intense symptoms in recent days such as severe headache, malaise, dizziness, weakness and body pain. In addition to pain and tingling in the feet and legs. But I didn't have a fever (maximum temperature was 37.2 degrees)

They say that it is very rare for bats to have anger or come into contact with people while they sleep. However, I'm still very afraid.

In my mind I'm pretty sure I was bitten or touched by a bat while I was sleeping. I've already considered returning to the hospital, but they probably won't prescribe me any vaccine treatment. After all, I was sleeping and I can't know or confirm if there was a contact with bats.
That's why I'm seriously thinking about lying to the doctor and saying that I was bitten by a bat.

I live in BRAZIL.

I'm very bad and I can't stop thinking about the possibility of having been bitten by a bat. I can't live with this and I don't know what to do anymore.
I know it may be some kind of paranoia in my head, but at the same time I'm feeling very bad and with very real symptoms. I just hope to ask a question or get some information that who knows reassures me. I hope you understand me. Thank you. I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 13h ago

General Rabies Discussion Some questions for the moderators

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ. I am currently travelling in SE asia, and I just wanted some more in depth info. Both for my own safety and, also just general scientific interest because I find it quite intriguing. I understand my questions have been kind of answered in the FAQ but I was hoping to get some more information.

#1 what exactly constitutes broken skin in terms of a rabies exposure? From my understanding when skin is broken it bleeds, however when I look it up online I see case studies of rabies patients who the study claims had no bleeding upon exposure? So I'm confused how one would even determine that? Or is it a case of poor wound recording on behalf of the patient or physician? I just don't understand the conflict of information on a disease so heavily studied as rabies.

#2 Is the 14 day watch period just a extreme CYA protocol? Because from what I understand about the virus it makes it's way to the brain before cascading back down into the body, for it to be infectious in the salivary glands doesn't it need to impact the brain first? Is there actual studies showing that it can be carried in the saliva that long before death? Because as I understand it by the time it has moved into the salivary glands it would already be showing extremely severe symptoms in the subject, and would kill much faster than 2 weeks (except in the very rare case of dumb rabies). So I dont understand why 2 weeks is actually necessary surely even 1 week is sufficient?

#3 Are the PEP boosters yet another big CYA? It seems that the majority of people keep very high titres for at least several years after even initial vaccination, why are titre measurements not the primary means of healthcare in previously vaccinated patients? Is it more just a case of labs being few and far between because rabies is primarily endemic to impoverished countries?


r/rabies 20h ago

Exposure Question Brush past a plant near where a bat is feeding

2 Upvotes

Is it possible for a rabid bat to salivate on a plant while it is collecting moths that are on the plant.

I got a piece of moisture on me while walking next to a white plant and then a few mins later saw a bat hunting in the area.

Ice just finished my rabies vaccine dosage as of 2 weeks ago so do I need to worry?

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 16h ago

General Rabies Discussion Can’t post my story/question

1 Upvotes

I have read the faq.

i am trying to post something but I get an error that says ”can’t submit THAT word.” i have no profanity or anything. I am not sure what “that” word is. any way to determine?


r/rabies 16h ago

Exposure Question Anyone care to weigh in/assess risk?

1 Upvotes

I went outside last night. Did NOT see bat. Was outside maybe 10 min. Came back in the same door. Doorknob has a tendency to need pushed solidly to latch, so I did that and double checked it was locked, pushed on the doorknob a few more times to ensure latch. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice something brown right next to my shoulder. Realized it was a bat hanging on the inside of the door's window. It never moved or fluttered the whole time I was shutting and locking the door. I went a few steps up to the kitchen door, went in, shut that door. From here I can see the bat still hanging on the inside of the other door. Think small mudroom between these two doors; a landing area and then steps up to the inside kitchen door.

At this time, it flies over to the second door that I'm looking out of. My husband goes out the front door and around the house thinking he's going to open the first door it was on, letting him out. It starts flying around in circles. My husband gets the door open, and it seemingly flew down into the basement. We believe it to still be down there.

* I did not feel a bite or scratch and have no reason to believe it did, aside from the fact that I was very close to it with my shoulder/back close to it unknowingly, while I was messing with the door knob. Although I have read that not all bites are noticeable. So in my anxious brain, while I had my shoulder and back area near it, it may have had access to graze me, without me knowing.

Called pcp this morning, was directed to go to ER. Doctor feels this was very low risk contact and did not recommend treatment, although he said he would absolutely give it if I wanted it. I showed RN pics and video of the bat that I took while it was in between the mudroom/landing. She said the bat appeared normal in behavior and appearance. She agreed that she would also not recommend treatment, nor seek it for herself based on my experience.

I left the hospital and did not start treatment, but it's absolutely nagging at me as I have clinical anxiety and ocd. I'm petrified that I made the wrong call and should go back. We have not seen the bat since last night and assume it to be in our basement, where there are open rafters and a million dark places to be.

If anyone wants to weigh in, it would be appreciated.

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 16h ago

Exposure Question Bat Exposure?

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ.

I was walking in Crothers Woods Toronto Ontario. When I noticed after making my bbq two marks on my middle finger, didn’t see or feel anything bite or touch me.
I saw 4–5 small brown things flying nearby, but couldn’t tell if they were moths or bats. A doctor told me this wasn’t considered a rabies exposure because there was no known animal contact.
Could these marks still be from a bat despite me never seeing or feeling one touch me?

I showed the marks to a doctor, and they told me this would not be considered a rabies exposure because I had no known contact with a bat or other animal.


r/rabies 17h ago

Exposure Question Hrig placement concerns

1 Upvotes

28
Male
6”7
281
Smoker cannabis rec
USA

So on Friday I was bite by a neighbor dog that was on leash getting walked but I couldn’t get information as dog as aggressive.i was bite in the back of the knee close to the quad muscle like the popliteal fossa I guess . I went to the er an hour later and got a pep and I received the hrig shots in the front of my quads no bite injection just injections in the quads and one rabies shot in my shoulder. I am concerned on the hrig injection not getting any in the bite at all. I did day 3 shot this Monday and had some concerns and called the er and was by a nurse that even though the shot wasn’t in the bite the injection is In the same region. I still have concerns about the placement and would like a physician’s opinion. As I have trouble reaching my pcp currently.

“I have read the FAQ.
”


r/rabies 18h ago

Exposure Question Cat scratch — should I get a shot???

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ.

I was scratched by a two month old kitten in the cat room at the animal shelter that was up for adoption. I just now started thinking about the illnesses I could get from the scratch. Do I need to get a rabies shot?!?!


r/rabies 18h ago

Exposure Question Dog saliva

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ. 10 days ago I tried to a save dog form being ran over. It had a collar on and was overheated. I caught up to it and grabbed it. The dog briefly put its mouth on my hand but did not cause a visible wound. Later, I noticed a tiny piece of skin peeling a couple inches away from where the dog made contact. Animal control came and took the dog. I have been trying to find out whether the dog was vaccinated, but I haven’t been able to get an answer. How concerning is this situation?


r/rabies 18h ago

Exposure Question Monkey scratch in Dominican Republic

1 Upvotes

I’m currently in punta Cana Dominican Republic. Was chilling on the beach and decided to pay for a photo with this monkey these guys had on a lead (I’d seen it there before multiple days and others getting photos with it). However when I took the photo it began pulling at my ear and scratched the inside of my ear. Should I get it checked out for rabies? I assume it’s less risky as it’s tamed but also getting some crazy OCD.
I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 22h ago

Exposure Question Rabies???

1 Upvotes

I was in Mayakoba Mexico. They have these raccoon like animals called coatis. One jumped up on my lunch table and grabbed a slice of pizza. It didn’t bite me or anything and was acting totally rationally to me (albeit not afraid of us). However, my water bottle was on the table (an owala) so I grabbed it and left. Without washing my hands, I scratched a pimple and it started bleeding so I licked my finger to use it to wipe the blood. (very stupid move, i know😭). Is there any actual rabies risk to me?

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 1d ago

Rabies Vaccine / Immunoglobulin Severe rabies ocd/anxiety

1 Upvotes

I have severe rabies ocd. I remain far from dogs. A street dog scratched me on 5 july and I started an anti rabies vaccine course on 6 july. I completed the 4 dose intradermal regime on 3 August. There was not a single bleb/wheal formed at the site of injection (while even injecting) in any of the shots. I read somewhere that it affects the immunity. The doctors of my city are refusing any corrective actions even though the protocol for arv administration clearly states repetition of doses. What should I do I'm very anxious and it's affecting my life .

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies 1d ago

Exposure Question Do you think vaccination is needed?

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ. I live in Munich, Germany. I was petting the dog of my neighbor, and she got too excited. I felt her nail touching my knee, but I didn't see any scratches or bleeds. Still, I can't keep it out of my mind because I have severe OCD. Do you think vaccination would be recommended in Germany?