rabies shots

[puglady]

What is your opinion? I was bit on the inner wrist by a stray tomcat which I had never seen before. He was acting fine for the 30 seconds that I was trying to talk him down -- he and my barn tomcat were facing off. I petted my tom and got him to relax and back down, then squatted down to talk to the stray. He was fine for a few seconds, then my tom re-appeared and he panicked, I think, chomped on me, and tried to run. My tom, who weighs 20 pounds, beat the snot out of him, and he ran off before I could catch him. I haven't seen him anywhere around. My vet thinks I should have rabies shots, my doctor gave me a tetanus shot and shrugged it off. The only reported case of rabies in a cat is in Bloomington, about an hour away from me, but there have been cases of coons and bats. What would you do??
Lisa

[big rockpile]

Well once your mind goes and you go into a Coma,Death isn't too bad.

Cat bites and scratches are worst of all as far as just getting plain sick.

More than likely you won't get Rabies,but why take the chance.

big rockpile

[Oceanrose]

Up to you, I've been there, done that, last time with a blasted kitten who got in the yard, I picked it up to remove it from my dogs and it nailed me a good one. My feeling and research says you're 2X as likely to get struck by lightening as come across a rabid animal. This was a provoked bite, ie, the animal freaked. If you're totally worried get the shots. I'm not a big fan of vaccines but I've thought about getting pre-exposure ones myself though the last 5 years I haven't been working with stray animals at all.

So, I doubt anything will go wrong, but for your peace of mind.. Do research the side effects of the vax too though, it can be fairly severe.

Heather

Originally Posted by puglady

panicked, I think, chomped on me, and tried to run. My tom, who weighs 20 pounds, beat the snot out of him, and he ran off before I could catch him. I haven't seen him anywhere around. My vet thinks I should have rabies shots, my doctor gave me a tetanus shot and shrugged it off. The only reported case of rabies in a cat is in Bloomington, about an hour away from me, but there have been cases of coons and bats. What would you do??
Lisa

[Caitedid]

I actually just got the preventative vaccine, which was kinda expensive, but not nearly as much as treatment after you've been exposed. Really didn't have any side effects-it was a little sore, and I felt a little off the next day, but not nearly as bad as getting rabies. I know that even if you've had the preventaive, you still ahve to get more if you're bitten, but it's a much shorter series, and it doesn't become an emergency situation. I would talk to the doctor to find out what the real risk of being infected is, the shots are expensive, but they're not nearly as bad as getting sick would be.

[Spotted Crow]

I got bit by the neighbour's cat a couple of years ago. They didn't remember vaccinating it...I had to wait for a whole 10 days to see if it drooled and died. You can bite the bullet and get the shots.
You could try and trap said kitty and get it tested by animal control.
Or do nothing, drool and die. :waa: