Rabies Question HELP!
Question: Rabies Question HELP
My cat got out a couple of months ago and when we picked him up outside he bit my boyfriend!. I took my boyfriend to the hospital just because we didn't have a doctor at the time and it looked like the bite was infected!. They gave him a shot and antibiotics and everything was fine!. I didn't think anything of it until there was an out break of rabies where I live!. At the time my cat was vaccinated but he's a couple of weeks late for it now!. Should I be worried about my boyfriend and rabies!? How effective is the vaccination and if my cat is late for his next shot would it matter!? I need help I'm freaking out!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Hello,
There are a few important things we still don't know about here, I guess!.
Was the shot the Hospital gave your boyfriend, against tetanus (Lockjaw), or was it an antibiotic by injection, or was it a rabies shot!? (less likely, - - they would have given him a course of injections, not just the one)!.
What exactly is your cat vaccinated against!? Just the usual things, (feline viruses), or has he had a specific rabies vaccination, (less likely)!?
There seem to be two problems here!. First, is your boyfriend safe!? could your cat have been rabid 2 months ago!? I am assuming that your boyfriend was not given a rabies shot, and that your cat has never been given a rabies shot, - - the 'worst case' scenario!.
Well, we can't be certain in terms of the time since your boyfriend was bitten!. The incubation period in humans of rabies, is usually 2 weeks to 3 months!. He is not out of the human incubation period yet!.
On the other hand, your cat has survived in a good state of health for 2 months!. That is very much against him being rabid when he bit your boyfriend!.
According to current UK government guidance, your cat could not have been infectious if he has survived 5 days (the longest possible pre-clinical stage) PLUS 15 days (the longest possible clinical stage, to death) = 20 days in total, (= 3 weeks)!.
So at 2 months ( = 8 weeks) , your cat is 5 weeks past that possibility, a very good interval of time!.
So I think on current guidelines, and assuming the accuracy of your history, - - your cat could not have been infectiously rabid 2 months ago, and your boyfriend is therefore safe!.
You understand I have to be very careful what I say!. This is not a trivial question!.
The second problem is, is your cat himself safe!? The answer here is that he is safe, so long as he has not been bitten by a rabid animal in the last 3 weeks!.
I hope this is of some help!. If you are in any doubt as to the accuracy of your dates, your boyfriend should consult a physician immediately, (because if he was infected 2 months ago, he should have been started on a course of treatment within 6 days, and he has not been)!.
I'm sorry that this reply is rather technical, but I can't make it any simpler without sacrificing accuracy!.
Best wishes,
Belliger (retired uk gp)Www@Answer-Health@Com
There are a few important things we still don't know about here, I guess!.
Was the shot the Hospital gave your boyfriend, against tetanus (Lockjaw), or was it an antibiotic by injection, or was it a rabies shot!? (less likely, - - they would have given him a course of injections, not just the one)!.
What exactly is your cat vaccinated against!? Just the usual things, (feline viruses), or has he had a specific rabies vaccination, (less likely)!?
There seem to be two problems here!. First, is your boyfriend safe!? could your cat have been rabid 2 months ago!? I am assuming that your boyfriend was not given a rabies shot, and that your cat has never been given a rabies shot, - - the 'worst case' scenario!.
Well, we can't be certain in terms of the time since your boyfriend was bitten!. The incubation period in humans of rabies, is usually 2 weeks to 3 months!. He is not out of the human incubation period yet!.
On the other hand, your cat has survived in a good state of health for 2 months!. That is very much against him being rabid when he bit your boyfriend!.
According to current UK government guidance, your cat could not have been infectious if he has survived 5 days (the longest possible pre-clinical stage) PLUS 15 days (the longest possible clinical stage, to death) = 20 days in total, (= 3 weeks)!.
So at 2 months ( = 8 weeks) , your cat is 5 weeks past that possibility, a very good interval of time!.
So I think on current guidelines, and assuming the accuracy of your history, - - your cat could not have been infectiously rabid 2 months ago, and your boyfriend is therefore safe!.
You understand I have to be very careful what I say!. This is not a trivial question!.
The second problem is, is your cat himself safe!? The answer here is that he is safe, so long as he has not been bitten by a rabid animal in the last 3 weeks!.
I hope this is of some help!. If you are in any doubt as to the accuracy of your dates, your boyfriend should consult a physician immediately, (because if he was infected 2 months ago, he should have been started on a course of treatment within 6 days, and he has not been)!.
I'm sorry that this reply is rather technical, but I can't make it any simpler without sacrificing accuracy!.
Best wishes,
Belliger (retired uk gp)Www@Answer-Health@Com
A few weeks late shouldn't be too determentral!. Your cat would have to have been bitten by some rabid animal while he was out, you probably would have noticed a wound on the cat!. Is your cat showing symptoms of being rabid now!? I really doubt you have any reason to be concerend, you would have noticed something out of order with the cat by now, and when you went to the hospital they weren't concerned enough to start treatment for rabies!. I think you are safe!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
If your cat had been rabid 2 mo ago when he bit your BF he would by now be either dead or showing very acute symptoms!. However you do need to update his vaccination especially so since there is rabies in the area in case he gets out again he will be protected and if he nips anyone again they will be protected!. Www@Answer-Health@Com