I unknowingly ate food that was licked by a stray dog .later I came to know about it. Should I get rabies vaccine?

Question

In my personal opinion, there are two possibilities more out of assumption. 1. Since there is no way of confirmation about the particular dog had rabies or otherwise. We take it as a dog afflicted with rabies. 2. If by chance this dog possibly with rabies had contaminated the food with its saliva and you have any crack or ulcer over soft membrane in mouth cavity exposing a blood vessel. Thus contaminated saliva of dog coming into contact with an exposed blood of your mouth giving an access to rabies germs in your body. All these are wild imaginations. At the same time there is no possibility of confirmation by any test one way or the other, as dog cannot be traced for observation. There is no cure whatsoever once the germs have entered inside. It is safer and sure shot step to take full course of 5 injections of anti rabies vaccine in consultation with local physician or a surgeon. This will work well and overcome rare possibility. There should be no harm or disadvantage for taking vaccine even in absence of rabies infection. This is my personal opinion by which you may have some medical expenses but absolutely certain protection. The opinion might differ.

Subhash Divekar · Accepted Answer

In my personal opinion, there are two possibilities more out of assumption. 1. Since there is no way of confirmation about the particular dog had rabies or otherwise. We take it as a dog afflicted with rabies. 2. If by chance this dog possibly with rabies had contaminated the food with its saliva and you have any crack or ulcer over soft membrane in mouth cavity exposing a blood vessel. Thus contaminated saliva of dog coming into contact with an exposed blood of your mouth giving an access to rabies germs in your body. All these are wild imaginations. At the same time there is no possibility of confirmation by any test one way or the other, as dog cannot be traced for observation. There is no cure whatsoever once the germs have entered inside. It is safer and sure shot step to take full course of 5 injections of anti rabies vaccine in consultation with local physician or a surgeon. This will work well and overcome rare possibility. There should be no harm or disadvantage for taking vaccine even in absence of rabies infection. This is my personal opinion by which you may have some medical expenses but absolutely certain protection. The opinion might differ.