Question 1

indoor cat that was not vaccinated escaped for 2 days. gave rabies vax immediately but how long do we have to worry about not touching his saliva? says that incubation can be a year but that vax reaches full effect in a month so when are we safe?

Accepted Answer

: Your cat is vaccinated and protected from developing rabies even if your cat was bitten by a rabid animal.  You are not at risk to develop rabies by toughing the saliva of your cat or by being bitten by it.

Question 2

my son about getting rabies from stepping in a puddle of saliva on the ground and touching his shoe with a cut on his finger/touching his mouth afterwards. i know his fears are unfounded, but he wants to talk to a doctor. thanks?

Accepted Answer

: Rabies virus is found in saliva of certain animals. An open wound in contact with saliva is a mode of transmission. Since you don't know where the saliva came from, contact your local health department for signs and symptoms, and possible treatment.

Question 3

hi, i just stepped on a roadkill beaver bone and was wondering if i could get rabies from touching my shoes and touching my mouth after. i was in westchester. thanks?

Accepted Answer

: I would check with Local Conservation folks and see if beavers ever get rabies. Usually takes a bite with a break in the skin. Virus needs to get into nerves as I recall. Saliva is the transmission fluid.  Not likely  bone. But as it is 100% fatal get opinion locally.  Best to find beaver remains esp brain and take to authorities.

Question 4

my son is concerned he could have got rabies from when we drove over a dead animal on the rode. he is worried he got it from walking where our tires drove than touching his shoes with his hands which have a cut, or from touching his mouth. thanks?

Accepted Answer

: Rabies is only transmitted via the direct contact of saliva or bodily fluids of the infected animal through an open wound such as a bite, scratch or other broken skin. Because this virus dies almost immediately in contact with air, there is no risk of catching rabies from a surface such as you have described.

Question 5

walking around at a park, unsure if dog contact happened by passing through touching, sniffing, or nose touching arm with open mouth. daughter has tiny bug bite scab on arm. is this type of contact a risk for rabies? dog was on a leash, unknown owner?

Accepted Answer

: Rabies transmission is not possible in above circumstances. Check cdc.gov which has reliable information regarding rabies transmission. Talk to your doc about your fears as health related anxiety is likely.

Question 6

will the saliva of a dog cause rabies?

Accepted Answer

Can if rabid: Rabies can be passed via the virus bearing saliva of an infected dog if that saliva gets into a break in the skin or is driven in with a bite.

Question 7

yesterday a stray dog shake itself in front of me (very near). can rabies transmit to me via dog's saliva, through air?

Accepted Answer

Rabies transmission: Per the Centers for Disease Control:  The most common mode of rabies virus transmission is through the bite and virus-containing saliva of an infected host. Though transmission has been rarely documented via other routes such as contamination of mucous membranes (i.e., eyes, nose, mouth), aerosol transmission, and corneal transplants.

Question 8

the first 4 days after being bitten by an unvaccinated dog, could my saliva be infective of rabies to people or animals?

Accepted Answer

Probably not: The chance that the dog had rabies is low, and for you to have a viral load high enough (even if the dog were rabid) to infect someone within 4 days is very very very low.

Question 9

while saliva came out dog barking through air causes rabies virus?

Accepted Answer

Rabies transmission: Per the Centers for Disease Control:  The most common mode of rabies virus transmission is through the bite and virus-containing saliva of an infected host. Though transmission has been rarely documented via other routes such as contamination of mucous membranes (i.e., eyes, nose, mouth), aerosol transmission, and corneal transplants.

Question 10

how long can a rabies virus remain active in saliva which is outside the host animal?

Accepted Answer

Short time: According to the north dakota department of health  "the rabies virus is a very fragile virus.  As soon as the saliva dries the virus is no longer infectious.  The virus is easily killed by soaps, detergents, bleach, alcohol and ultraviolet light"  for more information gotohttp://www.Ndhealth.Gov/disease/rabies/qanda.Htm.

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Doctor answers about:

Touching saliva rabies

A member asked:

Indoor cat that was not vaccinated escaped for 2 days. gave rabies vax immediately but how long do we have to worry about not touching his saliva? says that incubation can be a year but that vax reaches full effect in a month so when are we safe?

A member asked:

My son about getting rabies from stepping in a puddle of saliva on the ground and touching his shoe with a cut on his finger/touching his mouth afterwards. i know his fears are unfounded, but he wants to talk to a doctor. thanks?

A member asked:

Hi, i just stepped on a roadkill beaver bone and was wondering if i could get rabies from touching my shoes and touching my mouth after. i was in westchester. thanks?

A member asked:

My son is concerned he could have got rabies from when we drove over a dead animal on the rode. he is worried he got it from walking where our tires drove than touching his shoes with his hands which have a cut, or from touching his mouth. thanks?

A member asked:

Walking around at a park, unsure if dog contact happened by passing through touching, sniffing, or nose touching arm with open mouth. daughter has tiny bug bite scab on arm. is this type of contact a risk for rabies? dog was on a leash, unknown owner?

A member asked:

Will the saliva of a dog cause rabies?

A member asked:

Yesterday a stray dog shake itself in front of me (very near). can rabies transmit to me via dog's saliva, through air?

A member asked:

The first 4 days after being bitten by an unvaccinated dog, could my saliva be infective of rabies to people or animals?

A member asked:

While saliva came out dog barking through air causes rabies virus?

A member asked:

How long can a rabies virus remain active in saliva which is outside the host animal?

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