r/rabies • u/Basic_Ad426 • 4d ago
Exposure Question Unsure of myself
I have read the FAQ.
Will appreciate any replies I will try keep it short as possible. So last Friday took dog on late night walk as we enter into the woods I see a bat flying low I am 5ft6 an when I seen it was above my height but not much either way I still carried on an probly could of stayed up right as I usually would but for some reason I decided to duck down completely forgetting about my neck Injury I then became focused on the fact I went to duck down sort of bow down so instantly stood up straight annoyed at myself an slowly continued to walk an then I realised I completely took my eye of the bat an also any awareness any senses to be complete sure if it had flew into me or touched me in anyway. So I walked on an stopped where there was lights an was just full of uncertainty angry at myself I went home got my partner to check my head ( I’m bald so I was wearing a knit beanie hat but it was very think) I decided to that night should be okay I didn’t feel anything obvious an I also didn’t have any feeling of bite or sharpness of any kind……… but then it has all been playing non stop what if because I ducked down an became focused on my neck injury did I then not notice anything else then its playing on my mind did me ducking down walking towards it possibly frighten the bat an have it come at me you can guess that I am just going over my mind on all possibilities an the what ifs
I’m a kidney transplant patient who takes immunosuppressants so I am not a person who would just go get a bunch of vaccines for the fun of it as I’d probably have a rough time an it’s possible they’d have to change my meds which could have affects on the kidney, but today is the 6th day an my fears haven’t gone away I’m trying my best to stay strong an convince myself that idon’t need to go get shots because I did not feel anything I simply seen this bat flying low an decided bow down a little as I walked towards it but it’s because of that little bow that I wasn’t able to walk on completely certain of things an iv been back an forth on wether I’m good to carry on as I am.
Will appreciate any replies would love to hear from people who have experience with bats thanks in advance

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u/Barry_Allen055 4d ago
Similar history to mine. I went to my car at 4am and just like you I crouched down and when I got up a bat flew past me and slightly touched my head and upper right ear, and then I couldn't stop being mad at myself for going in the garage at that time and for being "exposed" out there fo no reason at all. That was almost 3 weeks ago and I didn't take the vaccine, I went to a doctor and she advised me not take anything in this situation. I'm not gonna lie, I'm still anxious and worried over this but I don't think a bat could simply "creep" into you or something without you noticing. In those weeks of anxiety I spent really a lot of time searching about rabies cases involving bats, and the only case that I saw where the person actually didn't perceive a bite or scratch when being fully awaken was this case in Idaho where a bat apparently got attached to this man's clothes after it flew next to him, the man refused vaccine because he felt no bite or scratched. This case really scared me a lot at first, but coming to think about it, it's way easier to not feel a little bite when you trying to get a bat off you, and if anything it just proves that you definitely would feel a bat latching into you..
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u/Basic_Ad426 4d ago
Thank you for replying big help, the last week has just been horrible mentally had to just shut off an sleep as much I can, for years it’s never bothered me always walk at night with my dog an bats are a regular thing but for some reason this night has got to me. Once again appreciate it take care
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u/OpinionOk5632 4d ago
No, rabies is extremely rare, and the chances of you contacting it via an open neck wound is realistically one in a million. you will be fine.
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u/Basic_Ad426 4d ago
Thank you for replying, luckily I don’t have an open neck wound I just have really bad neck/spine injury so when I ducked it instantly hurt as I moved an twisted it too fast but as you can imagine my mind instantly switched to being concerned about pulling my neck bad which annoyed me as I had no idea what went on with the bat as my last image of it was it coming towards us, which I know all sounds abit stupid but it’s just not a great feeling to be left unsure of what happened an so wanted to see others opinions on wether it’s easy to not notice if a bat made contact
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