@Thomas,
Quote:The 14-week-old puppy part is irrelevant. There will be future bites.
You are suggesting that all bites one gets from one's own puppy or dog could potentially carry rabies and transmit it to the owner, and that's just not true.
Your own pet is only going to acquire rabies by being in contact with and being bitten by a rabid wild animal. In which case your puppy or dog will show evidence of at least having been bitten, even before symptoms of rabies appear.
Most dog owners get bitten at least once during the course of their pet's life,
and where there is no reason, at all, to suspect your pet has contracted rabies, it is an unnecessary expense, and an unnecessary risk of exposure to the adverse effects of the vaccine, for owners to rush to get rabies vaccinations for themselves. The risk of an adverse reaction is probably higher than the risk of contracting rabies if you have no reason to believe your pet has been bitten by rabid wildlife, or has contracted rabies in some other way.
Your thinking
does not reflect the thinking of the CDC--which
does not recommend routine rabies vaccinations for all dog and cat owners. Furthermore, the dosing and scheduling of the shots differ if they are pre-exposure and after being bitten by a rabid animal, and continuing booster shots are needed to maintain immunity--the initial shots do not confer continuing immunity.
Quote:Who should get rabies vaccine and when?
Preventive vaccination (no exposure)
•People at high risk of exposure to rabies, such as veterinarians, animal handlers, rabies laboratory workers, spelunkers, and rabies biologics production workers should be offered rabies vaccine.
• The vaccine should also be considered for: ◦People whose activities bring them into frequent contact with rabies virus or with possibly rabid animals.
◦International travelers who are likely to come in contact with animals in parts of the world where rabies is common.
The pre-exposure schedule for rabies vaccination is
3 doses, given at the following times:
•Dose 1: As appropriate
•Dose 2: 7 days after Dose 1
•Dose 3: 21 days or 28 days after Dose 1
For laboratory workers and others who may be repeatedly exposed to rabies virus, periodic testing for immunity is recommended, and booster doses should be given as needed. (Testing or booster doses are not recommended for travelers.) Ask your doctor for details.
Vaccination after an exposure
Anyone who has been bitten by an animal, or
who otherwise may have been exposed to rabies, should clean the wound and see a doctor immediately. The doctor will determine if they need to be vaccinated.
A person who is exposed and has never been vaccinated against rabies should get
4 doses of rabies vaccine - one dose right away, and additional doses on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days. They should also get another shot called Rabies Immune Globulin at the same time as the first dose.
A person who has been previously vaccinated should get 2 doses of rabies vaccine - one right away and another on the 3rd day. Rabies Immune Globulin is not needed.
What are the risks from rabies vaccine?
A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of a vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. Serious problems from rabies vaccine are very rare.
Mild problems
•soreness, redness, swelling, or itching where the shot was given (30% - 74%)
• headache, nausea, abdominal pain, muscle aches, dizziness (5% - 40%)
Moderate problems
•hives, pain in the joints, fever (about 6% of booster doses)
Other nervous system disorders, such as Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS), have been reported after rabies vaccine, but this happens so rarely that it is not known whether they are related to the vaccine.
NOTE: Several brands of rabies vaccine are available in the United States, and reactions may vary between brands. Your provider can give you more information about a particular brand.
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/rabies.html#risks
I personally know of absolutely no pet owners who have rushed to get rabies shots, after being bitten by a young puppy, where there is no indication the pup has even been exposed to rabies. I would never consider getting rabies shots for myself in that situation. I had a relative who did develop Guillain Barré syndrome following a flu shot, and I have no desire to expose myself to any unnecessary vaccination risks.
And, if you think PinkLipstick's puppy has rabies, shouldn't you suggest she take her dog to the Vet, rather than keep this rabid dog in her home? If that puppy has contracted rabies, he's going to die since, at 14 weeks, he's not yet fully inoculated from rabies.
