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Rabis Vaccin Related
“I took my last booster doses on May 10th and 13th. Then on June 1st, I accidentally stepped on a puppy’s paw, and it scratched me. There was no bleeding. I did not take any vaccine after that and instead kept observing the puppy. I saw it behaving normally until June 7th, but after that it went missing. So do I still need a vaccine now?
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Take anti rabies vaccination today ie Day 0 and then on Day 3. If today is 13th June then Day 3 is 16th June. This vaccine you need because 1. The dog is missing. The dog can develop rabies even after 7 days of no symptom. 2. Scratch is a Category II bite and requires treatment. 3. Rabies is a dangerous life threatening illness with 100% fatality. 4. Even if you are not infected with Rabies, the vaccine will not harm you.
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Yes, you do still need vaccine doses. Even though you had booster doses on May 10th and 13th, the scratch on June 1st constitutes a Category II rabies exposure (scratch without bleeding from an animal of unknown status), which requires 2 post-exposure booster doses for a previously vaccinated person. Since the puppy has gone missing after June 7th and cannot be confirmed as alive and healthy, the standard safety recommendation is to complete the post-exposure boosters without further delay â rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms begin, so erring on the side of caution is essential.
Next Steps
Please go to a doctor or vaccination center TODAY to take the first booster dose (Day 0) and one more on Day 3. No immunoglobulin (RIG) injection is needed since you have prior vaccination. Do not delay further. Please consult me directly on Practo for a detailed evaluation.
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Since there was only a superficial scratch with no bleeding and you had already taken rabies booster doses recently (May 10 & 13), the risk is very low. However, as the puppy cannot now be observed for the full 10 days and has gone missing, it would be safer to consult a nearby doctor/anti-rabies clinic. Depending on your previous vaccination history, they may advise booster doses as per current rabies prophylaxis guidelines.
Next Steps
Visit an anti-rabies clinic or physician as soon as possible with details of your previous vaccination record for assessment and advice regarding booster vaccination.
Health Tips
Rabies is almost always preventable if managed appropriately after exposure. Whenever the biting/scratching animal cannot be observed for 10 days, medical evaluation is recommended rather than waiting further.
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