Rabies treatment after exposure is vital to surviving the disease and must be done immediately. If you are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal or one whose rabies status is uncertain, seek medical attention immediately. Once symptoms of rabies start to show up, treatment for rabies is ineffective and death is unavoidable. Consider any animal, even a friendly neighborhood dog, as potentially exposed unless you have proof of vaccination.
Diagnosing Rabies
If you have been bitten or scratched by an animal that is potentially infected with rabies, doctors may run several tests on you. Currently there is no one test that identifies rabies. Your saliva, blood, spinal fluid and hair follicles may be tested. Though the animal that bit or scratched you can be tested, it must first be dead; your neighbor may not be quite cooperative in getting her dog tested.
Rabies Treatments
There are several things that can be done to prevent rabies from infecting you if you have been bitten or scratched by a rabid animal. First of all, wash any area where skin was broken with soap and water and seek medical treatment immediately. If the animal is domesticated, bring the owner's information with you so that they can be contacted and have their pet examined. If the animal is wild, contact your local animal control with a description and location so that they can attempt to capture and examine it. Never try to catch a wild animal yourself.
If it is determined that you have been infected with rabies or your status is uncertain, your doctor will wash the area with a virus killer. Then, depending on the likelihood that you have been infected as well as whether you have previously been vaccinated against rabies, she may give you a shot of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG), which will temporarily protect your central nervous system from the rabies virus. The amount of HRIG given is determined by your weight, which must be exact. Since HRIG is injected at the site of the wound, it can be quite painful. Because of this, your doctor will most likely give you a numbing medication. If the necessary dose of HRIG doesn't fit into the tissue at the site of your wound, the remaining dose may be injected elsewhere. Finally, she may give you the first of several rabies vaccines designed to prevent rabies from attacking the central nervous system after exposure. In total you will receive 3 to 5 injections over the course of 28 days, depending on whether you have previously been vaccinated against rabies.
You may apply a warm compress to injection sites to ease any discomfort you may experience. Over-the-counter pain medication may also be taken. Stay in touch with your doctor and notify her immediately if you feel severe pain or experience any unusual reaction after rabies treatment.
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