How Long Can You Wait to get Medical Attention, if You're Possibly Exposed Rabies?

[pweyl36]

After shaving that spot, it's a shallow scratch not a bite. Does that make a difference?

Well you die if you get rabies, so why would you take a chance?

 

[barkley]

i have'nt read through everything on this thread but i'll share this experience-

years ago a neighbor's very well cared for house cat went to the vet to be spayed. pet carriers were not as common for people to own at the time so they just had the cat in their arms when they were transporting in to/from in their car. when they got home the cat startled and jumped out of their arms before they got into the house-ran under the house (california 'crawl space'-only a couple feet high). my father tried to help the neighbor get the cat out and the cat nipped at his hand-just what looked like a scratch. mom cleaned it, put antiseptic on it, everyone thought it wasn't a big deal b/c the cat had all it's rabies shots/clean bill of health from just being seen at the vets that day. within 23 hours my dad's hand swelled to twice the size and he ended up in the hospital on a heavy antibiotic iv and repeated checks/cleaning of his hand. doctors told him there was a chance he could lose the hand.

cat scratches and esp. any bite that breaks the skin are nothing to ignore. it's better to get put on a preventative course of meds vs. chancing all my dad went through.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

DS was attacked by a cat on his run tonight. It looks like a scratch more than a bite, but I can't be sure. Obviously, his only option for medical care this time of night is the Emergency Room. He'd rather avoid that, due to Covid 19. Would he be okay with waiting until tomorrow morning to go to the Health Dept? Can they even handle it? He doesn't have a regular doctor, so he'd be calling around trying to find someone to fit him in, if he has to see a doctor.

Though rabies in cats is rare (about 250-300 cases a year) if there is a warning in your area that a cat has had it, it should no longer be assumed rare in your area. The sooner the better as far as treatment goes. But if you just got bit yesterday you don't need to rush to the ER by ambulance or anything. Just get started in a timely manner as soon as possible. Don't wait. Also, small bites or nips can end up looking like scratches fairly quickly. About 30-60k a year in the U.S. have to undergo the post exposure prophylaxis. If the doctor says he needs it he will have to undergo several shots in a two week period but none of them are the painful gut shot. Only about 1-3 people a year in the U.S. actually get Rabies. But if it does take hold in someone, it's fatality rate is quite high.

 

[anniemae]

Any update OP?

 

[piglet1979]

My boss found an area of his house that bats were getting into his basement. I think they found one in the basement as well. My boss slept often in the basement. With bat bites he was told you would never know if you were bit because the holes close very quickly. The exterminator told to see his doctor. He had to take the 14 day series of shots just to be on the safe side.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Well you die if you get rabies, so why would you take a chance?

We weren't planning on taking a chance, by ignoring it. I was just trying for figure out, if it was okay to wait until this morning to seek medical care.

Any update OP?

Thanks for asking. He called the Health Dept the first thing this morning. They said to go to the ER. He was there about 30 minutes. They gave him a tetanus shot, but no PEP shot.

 

[gotomu212]

My brother was bit by a raccoon in Florida last year during our vacation. We were all concerned and called the health department, local hospital, and his PCP back home. All of them said the risk of rabies in the US is extremely misunderstood and incredibly low. Just for context about 1-3 people a year in the US die of rabies. PEP has likely helped cut down on that but it’s usually only needed when a clearly rabid animal has bitten you.

Just wanted to throw that out there since all three, including the local public health department said there was no need for PEP in his case.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

My brother was bit by a raccoon in Florida last year during our vacation. We were all concerned and called the health department, local hospital, and his PCP back home. All of them said the risk of rabies in the US is extremely misunderstood and incredibly low. Just for context about 1-3 people a year in the US die of rabies. PEP has likely helped cut down on that but it’s usually only needed when a clearly rabid animal has bitten you.

Just wanted to throw that out there since all three, including the local public health department said there was no need for PEP in his case.

That may depend on the health dept & if there have been an reported cases in the area. Our local health dept. told him to go to the ER.

 

[gotomu212]

That may depend on the health dept & if there have been an reported cases in the area. Our local health dept. told him to go to the ER.

Very true, but sounds like the ER ruled out a PEP shot for your son which stinks for an expensive ER visit.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Very true, but sounds like the ER ruled out a PEP shot for your son which stinks for an expensive ER visit.

They told him they never give PEP, unless there's an obvious bite. He feels better about it now, so I'm glad he went. I do agree that ERs charge way too much for stuff like this.

 

[ashley0139]

Also if I remember correctly, rabies can remain dormant in the body for years before showing symptoms, but once you show symptoms, it's too late.

I'm sure your son does not have rabies, OP, just an interesting and mildly horrifying fact.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

OP: I am glad that your son is fine, is now up to date on his tetanus booster (that's a good thing, right? Who needs tetanus added to their list of 2020's greatest hits...), and that everything worked out in the end.

 

[momz]

Look up your state health department info on rabies. You might also google incidents of rabies in your area. There hasn’t been a case of rabies in my area in over 30 years. In know this as an ER provider at a tertiary level 1 trauma center. It is a frequently asked question that our infectious disease docs field often.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks for all of the advice. He's decided he's going to wait & call the health dept as soon as they open in the morning. If they can't treat him & a doctor can't see him first thing, he'll go to the ER.

Just commenting on the bolded. Health Departments don’t treat people, they are more administrative.

https://www.encyclopedia.com/educat...s-and-maps/state-and-local-health-departments

 

[momz]

Just commenting on the bolded. Health Departments don’t treat people, they are more administrative.

https://www.encyclopedia.com/educat...s-and-maps/state-and-local-health-departments

Around here the provide a lot of services. Vaccines are a big one! And this entire post is about a vaccine series.

additionally, of particular interest to the OP, the health department can provide information. Rabies is a serious public health issue. It is a reportable infection. All instances of Rabies must be reported to the local health department. They will follow the individuals care to ensure that it is appropriate. Plus, they will report to the public (when asked) the number of local instances and any other details as appropriate (without compromising privacy)...they can tell you how many cases and in what animals. This is very valuable information for the op.

 

[Feralpeg]

I was bit by a feral cat about five years ago. I immediately went to the ER and the cat, which we managed to catch, went into a ten day quarantine. The doctor told me that I didn't need a rabies shot. Even if we hadn't caught the cat, he would not have recommended it. The majority of cats do not carry rabies. However, he said it was a different story with bats. If I had been bitten by a bat, he would have immediately recommended a rabies injection.

As for how long you can wait, once symptoms appear, it is to late. Better to address the situation as soon as possible.

By the way, the cat was fine. In fact, we adopted him. He rules the house!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Around here the provide a lot of services. Vaccines are a big one! And this entire post is about a vaccine series.

additionally, of particular interest to the OP, the health department can provide information. Rabies is a serious public health issue. It is a reportable infection. All instances of Rabies must be reported to the local health department. They will follow the individuals care to ensure that it is appropriate. Plus, they will report to the public (when asked) the number of local instances and any other details as appropriate (without compromising privacy)...they can tell you how many cases and in what animals. This is very valuable information for the op.

Yes all of that was referenced in the link I posted.

What the OP described was an acute medical situation that required evaluation by an emergency certified physician, not a public health administrator. Twice the OP questioned whether there would be a doctor there, presumably to evaluate the cat bite. I was just clarifying the answer to her questions.

Emergency rooms and urgent care centers report cases of public health concern when they see them.

 

[Keli]

Our health dept supplies the vaccine to your dr office who will administer the shots. FIL was bit by raccoon this year, animal couldn’t be located so they said he had to get the shots. Weirdly enough, my DH was bit by a raccoon a decade ago and also got the shots. Lots of raccoons in our area I guess.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

DS was attacked by a cat on his run tonight. It looks like a scratch more than a bite, but I can't be sure. Obviously, his only option for medical care this time of night is the Emergency Room. He'd rather avoid that, due to Covid 19. Would he be okay with waiting until tomorrow morning to go to the Health Dept? Can they even handle it? He doesn't have a regular doctor, so he'd be calling around trying to find someone to fit him in, if he has to see a doctor.

I haven’t read replies but I actually had a run in with a bat a couple months ago and needed rabies PEP.

The sooner the better but I was advised within 7-10 is an acceptable window. I didn’t know I needed PEP and freaked out because it had been 4 days.

The ER is the only place that he can go for the first treatment. Due to the cost and the short shelf life, ERs are the only place that carry the rabies immunoglobulin.

for the remainder of the shots, you should also be able to go to your county health department as they also carry the rabies vaccine.

It’s expensive (I maxed out my OOP for the first trip to the ER on a rack rate of $77,000 worth of medication ) and a PITA because you have to get shots on days 3,7, and 14 after the first treatment. But rabies is always fatal.

for me, it was automatic because it was a bat. It doesn’t matter how shallow the scratch is. Maybe the Drs will advise differently for a cat.

feel free to ask any questions about the process! Hope your son is ok.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

My brother was bit by a raccoon in Florida last year during our vacation. We were all concerned and called the health department, local hospital, and his PCP back home. All of them said the risk of rabies in the US is extremely misunderstood and incredibly low. Just for context about 1-3 people a year in the US die of rabies. PEP has likely helped cut down on that but it’s usually only needed when a clearly rabid animal has bitten you.

Just wanted to throw that out there since all three, including the local public health department said there was no need for PEP in his case.

I’m really surprised by this! Raccoons are the #1 vector in Florida. I was told bats and raccoons are automatic PEP if the animal cannot be tested. In my case, I’m not even 100% sure I was bitten or scratched by said bat, but because I couldn’t say that there was 0% chance PEP was recommended.

My ER said they do a lot of raccoon bites but I was the first bat in awhile lol.