Rabies vaccination - is it worth it?

bewis

Is it worth getting the rabies vaccination? My doctor told me that it doesn't actually stop you getting the disease, just gives you 12 mores hours or so to get to a hospital once you've been bitten. This combined with the fact that it costs about £100initially made me not want to get it, but then a friend told me how he'd been surrounded by a pack of snarling dogs in Cambodia, which made me rethink. What does everyone else think?

joe23

Alot of people say you don't need the vaccination if you're not going 2 rural areas.

However, the vaccination gives you 48 hours to get treatment as opposed to 24, and also means you need less post exposure shots.

If you are going anywhere remotely worth it then it might be worth it for peace of mind, and extra confidence when walking past mangy street dogs.

But apparently you can get the vaccine in India, where it costs 350 rupees! You need to have it in 3 seperate shots as i'm sure you're aware. I'm going to India in March as well, and I intend to have the vaccine there. I'll make an appointment with a good indian doctor, check with him for advice, and have the vaccine.

The brand name you need is Rabipur. Apparently available in most Indian chemists. bear in mind it's important that Rabipur is kept refrigerated.

PM me if you have any questions.

PeakXV

It's a valid question. It's never even been suggested by our Doctor's at the Travel Clinic in Canada. I really think the decision/suggestion may be influenced by what Country you are from. I've been in a number of precarious situations both at home and abroad with dogs - but have never been bitten in my life .... a friend of mine has been bitten as least half a dozen times.

I think some people have an extra sense to avoid those close canine encounters while others seem to walk right into them .... at any rate your "dog sense" is probably something a Doctor would be hesitant and/or unqualified to screen you on and should be factored into your decision.

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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

seventies'hippy

I say no,,,,,,, but only because I've been bitten a couple of times and was ok. The shots don't stop you being bit & even if you are the chances of the dog being rabid are very slim,the locals soon kill dodgy dogs at the first signs of it being affected
jogging and street dogs

I don't know how long you're covered for after the shots, but I doubt after the first visit & experiencing India travellers bother to renew their shots,,,,,,,,,,,

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GoanCanuck

If you are going to Goa, then I would recommend that you take the vaccination. There is a serious problem right now in Goa with stray dogs.

wafc

What sort of problems do you mean?, when we were there in december the dog population looked smaller than ever.

julesa

i had a long conversation with the travel doctor on this topic. the answer is statistically, the risk is low, but you're a goner if you get bit by the wrong animal and can't access medical help quick enough.

i don't understand the advice about heightened risk in rural areas. there are plenty of dog packs in the city as well.

edwardseco

Julesa has it well described. The only reason for having it for rural travel is the time it takes to get a city. In some of the villages that I visited that would have been a couple of days. However, the dog risk there was minor indeed.Was much worse in Hyderabad as it is a considerable problem where I stay and when they have litters... Still, I never had a problem nor have I had the shots. Its easier if you have had it and get bit but you still have to get treatment. Another nearby researcher did get bit and had to do the routine so some people are unlucky. Has to be a personal choice..

PeakXV

I think there all in the beach restaurants - sleeping ontop of the bar. At least it seems that way. I remember putting my empty bottle down on one's tail once ... who was sleeping so peacefully on the hallowed board that I didn't even notice him - he wasn't too happy about it though ... but since I was the only one foaming (beer) at the mouth - all turned out fine!

abfab

As others have said, the main advantage of having been pre-vaccinated is that you have more time to start the post-exposure treatment if you get bitten. You need to start treatment within hours if you haven't been vaccinated, whereas you can push it to a couple of days if you have.

The other big difference is that if you have NOT been pre-vaccinated and get bitten, as well as needing more injections of vaccine, you also need to be injected with Rabies Globulin as urgently as possible.

This is potentially quite unpleasant as it needs to be injected directly into, and around the site of the bite wound in multiple
locations. This step isn't needed for people who have been pre-vaccinated.

Also, it is the often lack of availability of 'Rabies Globulin' that sometimes makes finding treatment very difficult to find away from major centres of population.

The advice I was given by Trailfinders Travel clinic in London, was that they recommend Rabies vaccine for people spending more than 28 days in India.

ironman

I was in north Goa last Nov/Dec & didn't see many stray dogs, but did get bitten one night!
I hadn't had the rabies jabs & didn't bother afterwards, guess I was just lucky (still hoping on that one, presume the symptoms would have shown up by now???) but I am currently planning my second & longer trip back & will definitely get them, just in case...
I know the jabs are expensive but compared to the treatment afterwards if the worst does happen, I presume it will be well worth it.

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edwardseco

Most likely no problem. However, it can take months to develop. When did you say you were bit??

ironman

S**t, you are scaring me now...got bitten in December.
Watched an ER show since (the one with bats & rabies), tv i know but still scared the hell out of me, glad i didn't see it before I was bitten...

Nick-H

Anybody know how long the [relative] 'protection' afforded by the rabies vaccine lasts? Years? or months?

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julesa

i discussed this with my doctor before i left and it's definitely not permanent like some vaccinations can be (in effect). i can't remember the length but from memory it was a couple of years or something, but don't quote me. of course it doesn't just stop working, so it's hard to define a specific length of time.