How bad are rabies shots? (for people)

2675 Views 17 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Terriermon, Mar 11, 2016

Terriermon

Discussion Starter · Mar 7, 2016

So I posted on the weekend about my puppy swallowing a meadow vole. Well, what I didnt mention, cause I didn't think it bared mentioning, was in the process of prying her mouth open to try and get the stupid thing (I was panicked and now I know I had no reason to be

) I cut my hand fairly deep on her canine.
I was just worried if it needed a stitch and possibly something cause of rodent blood or germs. I made the apparent mistake of telling the urgent care nurse I cut myself on my puppies tooth.
Sunday morning I got a call from the health unit. BOTH dogs now are under 10 day in-home rabies quarantine. They have both been vaccinated. Unna the puppy has barely been anywhere, and never out of my sight outdoors since she left her mom at 7.5 weeks. So I'm quite confused and upset as to why now both dogs have to be quarantined for rabies.

Someone was supposed to come today for me to sign the paperwork. I have been so anxious all day. Nobody showed, so I called the health unit several times and finally someone called back and I explained. He apologized for nobody showing up. I asked if I just got the rabies shots myself, if the dogs would still have to do the quarantine. He said no they would not, surprised, but its very painful blah blah. I don't care. I do not want to keep my dogs house-bound for ten days, she is at an important age for socialization. Guy on the phone said I should definitely wait and ask and said that someone will come tomorrow. So we will see....

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PoppyKenna

· #2 · Mar 7, 2016 (Edited)

As in unhealthy? Probably not too bad. I think my vet said she gets vaccinated for rabies due to the nature of her work, but don't quote me on that.

I do think they are incredibly painful though.

Are your dogs quarantined in your home? It's strange they'd let them go out on the street if they suspected they had rabies. Seems like overkill too, to call the health department for a puppy "bite" from a vaccinated dog. My father works for the local HD and I know they have fairly strict policies regarding rabies (they had several landlords with a bat problem and people were being bitten in their sleep) but this seems like a bit much.

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traciek88

· #3 · Mar 7, 2016

Rabies shots are painful, but I don't think you need one if your dogs are vaccinated.

I used to work for a shelter that handled rabies hold animals. This is serious, and not necessarily because of rabies. The fact that your health department called, means your dogs now have a bite history. This can cause severe problems for insurance and if you want to move into certain areas that ban dangerous dogs. I do not know why they felt it necessary to quarantine both dogs, as it was just one that "bit" you. I would definitely ask about that. This can cause some big problems and I think you need to look into the legal aspect of this because putting a dog that didn't bite anyone one a rabies hold, and giving a puppy (how old?) a bite history is disastrous for the dogs and the owner. I really hope you can sort this out.

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ColliesRock

· #4 · Mar 7, 2016

As far as I know, it's extremely rare for small ground dwelling mammals/rodents to have rabies in the USA and it's very rare for vaccinated dogs to get rabies.

Terriermon

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 7, 2016

it wasn't even a bite. I hope when they come we can sort this out, now i'm really freaking out

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TiggerBounce

· #6 · Mar 7, 2016

You might have to end up waiting the 10 days anyway. Rabies shot for people isn't just one, it's a series of 3. You'll get the first, the second a week later, and the third 21-28 days after the first.

It honestly doesn't make sense to me why they would release them from the quarantine early if you started the series. The whole point of quarantine is in case THEY are infected, to keep them AWAY from other people/animals. If the dogs were to actually be a rabies risk, they should still be quarantined because they want to prevent them from possibly biting another person or animal and spreading the disease. Whether you get the vaccine or not doesn't make a difference to that.

Nevermind it makes no sense why they're being quarantined in the first place if they are vaccinated.

Maybe call back and demand more information?

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Terriermon

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 7, 2016

no it makes no sense at all. I hope we can get it cleared up but it's clear I have to speak to someone in person, people on the phone are sympathetic but say "i'm just the operator". I am bugging them a lot I better call it quits for tonight. I just want to talk to whoevers in charge

. This is horrible.

I had no idea this would happen. I reached into her mouth to pull something out and snagged myself on her sharp puppy tooth that's all, I was just concerned cause of the dead thing.

neither dog have ever been anywhere near anything that they could get rabies from, ever. puppy is just 4 months.

TiggerBounce

· #8 · Mar 7, 2016

Terriermon said:
no it makes no sense at all. I hope we can get it cleared up but it's clear I have to speak to someone in person, people on the phone are sympathetic but say "i'm just the operator". I am bugging them a lot I better call it quits for tonight. I just want to talk to whoevers in charge . This is horrible.

I had no idea this would happen. I reached into her mouth to pull something out and snagged myself on her sharp puppy tooth that's all, I was just concerned cause of the dead thing.

neither dog have ever been anywhere near anything that they could get rabies from, ever. puppy is just 4 months.

Yeah I've honestly never heard of that happening :\ Are you in the US?

I worked at a vet clinic for over a year, we got bitten by dogs and cats....It was never reported like that and nobody was ever quarantined. The only time quarantine was relevant is if we actually had reason to believe there was a rabies concern. We sent a kitten we ended up euthanizing in for testing once because it was exhibiting symptoms and had bitten more than one person, which was scary. But it was negative.

I also know of somebody online who's cats had to be quarantined because she found a bat in the house that was acting weird or sick. She called it in, authorities came and got it, and it was positive for rabies. They came back and put her animals under quarantine, even though they hadn't touched the bat.

Did you mention the rodent she swallowed? Could that have had anything to do with it?

I'm just confused. I'm sorry you're having to go through this

animalover56

· #9 · Mar 8, 2016

I have heard that rabies vaccinations are very painful, sorry

I understand the quarantine though, you want to play it safe.

ColliesRock

· #10 · Mar 8, 2016

@Terriermon Which state are you in? You could google your state's health department/wildlife department.

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KayWilson

· #11 · Mar 8, 2016

There not painful, but they are uncomfortable. Basically what they do is inject the vaccine below the skin (intramuscular) and it slowly seeps into your system. I did bruise a bit, but it was no more painful then an average vaccine - And believe me I'm a wimp at getting needles, I usually faint at just the poke lol.

You do need 3 boosters though and usually a titre done afterward to prove immune response. Getting the tetanus vaccine is much worse, that one stings like a mother.

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Terriermon

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 8, 2016

I'm in Ontario canada

Terriermon

Discussion Starter · #13 · Mar 8, 2016

I really regret posting this here as now i'm just more freaked out.

why are people saying you understand the quarantine? I don't. A dog can't spontaneously develop rabies. I don't understand why they think they could have it. There were not animals involved that carry rabies. Voles do not, I checked. They have never been near animals that carry rabies and I got both directly from their mothers at their breeders.

PoppyKenna

· #14 · Mar 8, 2016

Have you been able to get ahold of someone in charge at the health department? It may be worth a Google search to see if you can find the name of someone in charge instead of just chatting to operators that don't seem able to help.

I think the nurse you originally spoke to either misunderstood or inflated the situation. Hopefully you can explain that to someone competent.

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KayWilson

· #15 · Mar 8, 2016

Terriermon said:
I really regret posting this here as now i'm just more freaked out.

why are people saying you understand the quarantine? I don't. A dog can't spontaneously develop rabies. I don't understand why they think they could have it. There were not animals involved that carry rabies. Voles do not, I checked. They have never been near animals that carry rabies and I got both directly from their mothers at their breeders.

Does your dog have an up to date rabies vaccination? the hospital would have to report the incident to the centre for disease control in your area, therefore they notified the health department, which in turn notifies you. Believe me, the 10 day quarantine is much better than the mute-month quarantine, away from the home, that would need to occur if your dog killed say a bat. We had a dog her that killed a rabies positive bat and had to be in kennelled quarantine for 6 months. In a cage, no contact other that food and water. It was awful for the owners and the dog.

Terriermon

Discussion Starter · #16 · Mar 8, 2016

ok so we kinda cleared it up. They are both under home quarantine til Tuesday. Whatever I don't care about that. I made them promise, underline, and emphasize in their files that this was NOT A BITE. Who knows if that will do any good. What a nightmare. We absolutely cannot risk our home insurance going up or not being able to travel. If that may happen we will have to rehome the dog.

traciek88

· #17 · Mar 8, 2016

I'm sorry if we upset you more we were just really concerned. Keep us updated.

Terriermon

Discussion Starter · #18 · Mar 11, 2016 (Edited)

I sincerely apologize, I panicked a bit and lost it. Sometimes my fingers get ahead of my brain! My pup is not going anywhere! no matter what.

So, apparently this is a new protocol in Ontario to help combat the spread of raccoon rabies. Any animal, even if vaccinated, that bites or scratches a person who seeks medial treatment, must then undergo the ten day home quarantine. I think I convinced them to label this as scratch not bite. Well, she said so on the phone, I dunno I still don't quite trust. They assured me, as did the vet, my dogs will not be taken or "anything bad happen" but of course I still worry. I'm sure as heck not going to call my insurance company to inquire! That may be playing with fire.

We are just playing it safe and staying home. They are both going crazy but I am breaking out the flirt pole indoors and doing my best to entertain. Of course this had to happen when the temperatures finally warm up.

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