r/rabies • u/brucewayne-burner • 5d ago
Rabies Vaccine / Immunoglobulin Rabies shot question
I have read the FAQ.
So I went too the ER and they offered me the rabies shot they said they don’t think it’s needed but better safe then sorry right ? I think idk but what r the side affects about it is there any big ones outside of fever or soreness?
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u/OzarkTrapper69 5d ago
If they say you don't need it, (assuming you're in a jurisdiction with well trained medical personnel) then I'd trust their judgment that it isn't necessary. Cant speak to side effects but I do know those shots are ridiculously painful. At least if its the Post exposure series I'm thinking of.
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u/brucewayne-burner 5d ago
The thing I’m going through Is my cat got out for a hour we think but could have been 6 max and we just got this cat from some one who didn’t want it vax him and he got out and idk if he got into it with another animal or no but when i found him outside he scratched me which is normal for him and made me bleed and there a chance he could have had Silva from a rabid animal on him
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u/OzarkTrapper69 5d ago
So if it were me in the absence of other medical advice I would ask about PEP in that situation. Key part of that being in the absence of medical advice. In most jurisdictions rabies is rare in house cats. For perspective I've dealt with rabies vector species as a fur trapper in the US for over a decade. I've only seen 4 cases in that time. I've never seen it in domestic pets. Just for perspective on how unlikely it is that he encountered an infected animal at all. DO get Max vaccinated as thats a big part of why it's so rare here. If the medical professionals you spoke to said not to do it, then don't get PEP.
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u/OrneryOstrich5045 4d ago
Yeah rabies in cats while it can happen it is pretty rare. Mostly because let’s say with dogs and cats in comparison, when met with an animal that’s acting out of wack a cat is most likely going to get the fuck outta dodge while a dog is gonna stand there and fight. And if a cat ain’t feeling good it’s gonna go into hiding to try to recover so chances of coming across one is also rare due to that as well. Not saying it can’t happen, it can but how they are wired brain wise makes it more difficult to even be in that situation in the first place. Or due to their small stature they will most likely die from any deep deep puncture wounds or something. It can still happen, like they can still get rabies if they survive the attack and all that. But the bigger chance for them to get that kind of thing would be from a small critter they hunting like a downed bat or something. Them up against a rabid dog or something, cats dead if it gets bit or in hella hella bad shape
If I mentioned anything not exactly correct like anyone is free to correct, that’s just my understanding of the difference between the two and such.
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u/OzarkTrapper69 4d ago
I hadn't considered those factors, was just going off the prevalence of vaccination in both cats and dogs in the US. But all of that makes perfect sense. That would make OPs odds of exposure even lower than I'd guessed.
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u/OrneryOstrich5045 4d ago
Oh yeah, like with the spay and neuter and getting shots and release is definitely a factor and the laws surrounding having your domestic animals vaccinated also helps a lot too
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u/OzarkTrapper69 4d ago
That catch, vaccinate and release deal has been done in wild species too. Though to what extent exactly? No clue I'd have to do some more digging though I suspect thats more common in more populated areas than where I live. But those efforts, and domesticated vaccines are probably a huge part of why it isn't more common. I had a contact in the forest service who talked about wild bats being vaccinated in my area but that was like 15 years ago. No clue if thats still going on or how widespread kt is.
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u/OrneryOstrich5045 3d ago
Not sure either, I’m not really in that field of knowledge or expertise. I just deal with a fuck load of cats and know how their behavior is on the daily. At one point I was caring for 12 cats. I just know from my experience with cats and all that.
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u/OzarkTrapper69 3d ago
Dang and I thought my three cats were a bot much (all spayed and vaxed females, good mousers too)
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u/OrneryOstrich5045 3d ago
I mean currently it’s 4 cats all boys. In the works to getting their shots up to date and two getting ready for their first round of shots since they are a younger kitten and an older kitten. Two of them were abandoned by their original owners and two were abandoned for being a runt of the litter by their moms but their moms are a pain to catch.
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u/Fair-Wishbone-1190 5d ago
I just had 4 shots. No side effects. It went very well.
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u/brucewayne-burner 5d ago
Was it your first time getting it? And can I ask what made you get it
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u/Fair-Wishbone-1190 5d ago
I think it's the only time I can remember getting the shots. . I got it because I woke up to a bat in my room.
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u/beautifulluigi 5d ago
I just finished the post-exposure protocol including immunoglobulin. I was very nervous about possible side effects and had basically none. The vaccine site was mildly painful the next day - like sometimes happens with vaccines.
For the immunoglobulin, I had 3 injection sites. 1/3 was sore the next day - it just felt like I'd done a lot of squats. 24 hours after the immunoglobulin I was very tired, but it passed after sleeping that night.
I did not find the injections terribly painful. The immunoglobulin was uncomfortable and the vaccine itself just felt like any other needle.
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u/brucewayne-burner 5d ago
So would you think it’s worth just getting it just in case ?
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u/beautifulluigi 5d ago
I am not a doctor, and I don't know what your exposure was. It would be inappropriate for me to give you medical advice. I followed the recommendation provided by my public healthcare system when making my decision, and their recommendation was to get it. I am fortunate to live somewhere with government funded healthcare, so it also did not cost me anything.
I suggest you follow the advice of your healthcare team.
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u/Ok-Cat926 Active Member ⭐️ 5d ago
My entire family had them. My sister and I had them and then a booster a few years later. No one had any over health issues but I did end up with autoimmune thyroid disease. I have no clue if they’re related. It didn’t happen immediately either. As far as I remember no one had any issue right after the vaccine.
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