Human rabies shots

[snosrap5]

Need some advise.

I will try to keep it brief. My aunt tried to rescue a cat being attacked by her dog. Horrible situation but she couldn't get Jock to release the cat. As she was trying to get Jock to let go the cat attacked her bad. I won't go into details but the cat did not survive the attack by Jock.

While my aunt was at the ER, she has nerve damage and deep puncture wounds to the hand and palm. The owners of the cat came and disposed of the body now animal control says that my aunt has to have rabies shots and if she refuses they will send her what is called a "death letter".

Animal control said that because the cat's body was disposed of there is no way to test for rabies, even though the cat had a rabies shot 2 years ago. Animal control says there is no way to check now. They didn't even show up until 51 hours after the incident and the only way they even check is to keep the cat under quarantine for 10 days but since the cat is dead and buried it's not viable to test for rabies.

Now for my question... I thought if they have had their rabies shot that they don't have rabies????

She made her appointment for tomorrow to start the series of shots but does she really have to go through that?

 

[hopehacker]

It seems to me like she would have a choice as whether she wanted to get those shots or not. What exactly is a "Death Letter"?

Chances are the cat didn't have rabies, however I guess the point of animal control is that they have no way of proving it, however it seems to me that a person should have the right to refuse the shots if they want to.

 

[katl8e]

Since the cat's brain is unavailable for testing, your aunt had better be safe than sorry. I believe that there is only ONE recorded case of a human surviving rabies. The shots aren't nearly as bad, as they used to be.

 

[snosrap5]

Oh she can refuse to have the shots. That's where the death letter comes in. It basically says this letter is to inform you that you are going to die because you refuse to take the shots.

 

[snosrap5]

Originally Posted by katl8e

Since the cat's brain is unavailable for testing, your aunt had better be safe than sorry. I believe that there is only ONE recorded case of a human surviving rabies. The shots aren't nearly as bad, as they used to be.

No one in the family will tell her not to take the shots because of the "what if" possibility.

It just seems crazy that they can't retrieve the body of the cat. It was buried but they say it's been to long. 48 hours just doesn't seem to be to long.

 

[ping]

I don't mean to be graphic but I believe the brain deterates quickly once one dies. Honestly I would just get the shots. To many what ifs for me.

Why will your aunt not get the shots?

 

[isadora44]

Originally Posted by Ping

I don't mean to be graphic but I believe the brain deterates quickly once one dies.

Ping hit it on the head. Also, the most common rabies test (dFA) tests for the presence of a specific antigen, which is a protein. After death, proteins are denatured (broken apart) very very quickly because they loose their optimal environment (temperature, pH, etc). My guess is the test would have to be done on the animal within the first hour of its death.

 

[starryeyedtiger]

Originally Posted by katl8e

Since the cat's brain is unavailable for testing, your aunt had better be safe than sorry. I believe that there is only ONE recorded case of a human surviving rabies. The shots aren't nearly as bad, as they used to be.

Exactly. Better safe than sorry- she needs to get the rabies shots. I work for AC, and fortunately i've never had to get them- but we have had to hold quite a few animals on rabies watch for 10 days after people have been bit. We have also had reports of rabid bats recently and rabies is pretty much a death sentence. Better to be safe than sorry. If i were her, i'd be getting the shots. By the way, the shots are different now- instead of having to get numerous ones in her stomach they can do just a few smaller ones in arms now i believe.

Originally Posted by snosrap5

Oh she can refuse to have the shots. That's where the death letter comes in. It basically says this letter is to inform you that you are going to die because you refuse to take the shots.

That's right on the dot. When people refuse the shots- they are sent a Death letter in a way to inform them of the fact that rabies is extremly deadly and without the shots- it's pretty much a death sentence. With the shots however, she could be just fine.

Originally Posted by snosrap5

No one in the family will tell her not to take the shots because of the "what if" possibility.

It just seems crazy that they can't retrieve the body of the cat. It was buried but they say it's been to long. 48 hours just doesn't seem to be to long.

The animals brain must be immediately disected after it's dead. In most cases the animal will be kept under a 10 day rabies watch at a local shelter and then the animal will be sent to a lab where it will be euthanized and have the body immedately disected so they can check the brain. If you wait too long (as is the case here) the brain matter will start to deteriorate, not to mention the body has already been comprimised since the cat's been burried so you will not get as accurate results.

 

[catsarebetter]

Originally Posted by snosrap5

No one in the family will tell her not to take the shots because of the "what if" possibility.

It just seems crazy that they can't retrieve the body of the cat. It was buried but they say it's been to long. 48 hours just doesn't seem to be to long.

I know this is going to sound rude here, and truly I don't mean to be that way... but isn't it easier (and surely less stressful for the kitty parents) to just get the series of shots than it is have the cats body exhumed (sp). That is, if it hasn't been cremated, or is still intact enough to get a sample from.. either way you look at it there would be a cost involved.

I have to say.. having just gone through a "dog killed my cat" experience I'd have been pretty upset if I had to dig my cat up. This only sort of applies, though, given that it was my family's dog that killed my cat, and it all happened inside my house..
I do, however, recognize that your aunt tried to save the cat (and presumably if the cat hadn't been outside it wouldn't have been in less danger from this, barring my personal situation with our dog.) I just know that it would upset me to have to dig my baby up....I still haven't forgiven my family for not getting rid of the dog earlier, before my cat was killed. But that's just me.

 

[goldenkitty45]

I'm terrified of needles (I do faint). But if its a matter of life and death I would take the shots. I would just have to psych myself to accept the needles.

 

[snosrap5]

Digging up the cat isn't an option. My aunt wouldn't want it done anyway.


The shots are given over a 28 day period. The first 3 shots given the first day. They only give the shots in the Emergency Room because of the reaction people have to the shots. They told her the side effects can make her violently ill.

The first two shots are given in the butt because the serum is thick and the third shot is given in her place of choice. We aren't sure where the 4 other shots are given.

 

[clairebear]

If the cat was current on its rabies shot the probability of it having rabies is very slim. The vaccine isn't 100% effective, so there's a minute chance that it could have been carrying the disease. Odds are she'd be fine without the shots, but it's really better to be safe than sorry.

 

[gloriajh]

? do you know if the cat had rabies shots - or did I miss that in the posts?

When I was about 9, that was about 50+ years ago, a dog chewed up my face pretty good - really mostly just my mouth, missed my eye with a little "scratch", along with a gash from mid cheek to my mouth.

Of course, I, at the age of 9, began the series of rabie shots, along with all kinds of shots to my face to sew up the cuts. Today, the idea of getting a shot doesn't faze me.

I had most of my rabie shots in my hip - learned how to relax so I wouldn't be as sore. One shot was more memorable than the others, and it was given by another doctor when we went to visit my aunt - you see, you have to stay on schedule. That shot was given into my stomach, just under my breast bone ... wow, now that was a little scary!

I don't believe I had to complete the series, because the dog was all right after ? 2 weeks? I often wonder if I'm now immune to rabies?

Tell your aunt, just to go ahead, it's a lot better than the stress she'd have of the "waiting" to see if she gets the deadly disease.
g

 

[carolpetunia]

My brother went through this when he was younger -- we had to drag him to the ER and force him to take the first of the shots. But then in order to save money, my brother talked the ER people into selling him the serum and letting his own doctor give him the rest of the shots.

And there's a reason why they shouldn't allow that: because even really intelligent people like my brother can be so oblivious to medical realities that they may actually change their minds and not complete the series of shots.

And that's what he did -- he just unilaterally decided that oh heck, surely two rounds of shots were enough, this was too much trouble, forget it... and he never finished the series. If the cat that bit him had been rabid, my brother would be dead now.

YOUR AUNT'S GOTTA GET THE SHOTS!

 

[margecat]

Frankly, if it were me, I'd get the shots, just to be safe. There are only 2 known survivors of rabies; not good odds. She she get the shots ASAP, immediately, and follow the entire series of 5 shots--don't just get the 1st one. I was bitten by a dog years ago, a stranger's dog who got away, so we had to be safe, as we couldn't find the dog to quarantine. The shots are not bad nowadays--only five, usually at the site of the injury, though my lip was torn off, so I got my shots in my arms, alternating each time.

The fact that the cat had its shots 2 years ago doesn't sound safe to me--it would be due for a booster soon, if not already, so it may not be safe.

PLEASE HAVE YOUR AUNT GET THE SHOTS!!!

 

[margecat]

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

My brother went through this when he was younger -- we had to drag him to the ER and force him to take the first of the shots. But then in order to save money, my brother talked the ER people into selling him the serum and letting his own doctor give him the rest of the shots.

And there's a reason why they shouldn't allow that: because even really intelligent people like my brother can be so oblivious to medical realities that they may actually change their minds and not complete the series of shots.

And that's what he did -- he just unilaterally decided that oh heck, surely two rounds of shots were enough, this was too much trouble, forget it... and he never finished the series. If the cat that bit him had been rabid, my brother would be dead now.

YOUR AUNT'S GOTTA GET THE SHOTS!

When I got mine, the ER staff toldme I was a rarity--I actually came back for the entire series--they said many don't bother, but it is important!!!

 

[liza24]

Originally Posted by MargeCat

Frankly, if it were me, I'd get the shots, just to be safe. There are only 2 known survivors of rabies; not good odds. She she get the shots ASAP, immediately, and follow the entire series of 5 shots--don't just get the 1st one. I was bitten by a dog years ago, a stranger's dog who got away, so we had to be safe, as we couldn't find the dog to quarantine. The shots are not bad nowadays--only five, usually at the site of the injury, though my lip was torn off, so I got my shots in my arms, alternating each time.

The fact that the cat had its shots 2 years ago doesn't sound safe to me--it would be due for a booster soon, if not already, so it may not be safe.

PLEASE HAVE YOUR AUNT GET THE SHOTS!!!

I dunno, the shots my animals get are 3 year rabies shots, so 2 years would be still effective, but i would still get the shots

 

[snosrap5]

My aunt went to see the cat owners yesterday to ask again about vaccines. The husband said that they had been mistaken the cat had never been to a vet let alone had any rabies shots given.

She is now at the ER getting her first 3 shots today.

 

[okuda]

Rabies is a horrid disease. In England I used to work at a wild life rescue, and we would get bats in. We hardly have any rabies there but it has been documented that bats get it. If we wanted to deal with the bats, the rescue would give us a cert to get the rabies shots at the doctors. I never had them, but others who did said they was not bad at all.

 

[gloriajh]

Originally Posted by snosrap5

My aunt went to see the cat owners yesterday to ask again about vaccines. The husband said that they had been mistaken the cat had never been to a vet let alone had any rabies shots given.

She is now at the ER getting her first 3 shots today.

That's good news, please tell your aunt we're all thinking about her, and I hope she has a complete recovery from her wounds of sacrifice - she's a hero!

g