Have to get rabies shots

[chickenannie]

My turkeys were attacked by a fox and badly wounded. With the help of a doctor friend, we stitched up their wounds. Well, it didn't occur to us that we might be at risk for rabies since we were working at the area of the fox bite.

Even though the risk is low, there is still a risk of us getting rabies from the fox, and rabies is fatal. Now we both have to get rabies shots this week of Christmas. I am dreading it... I've heard it's terrible to get those shots. The 2 wounded turkeys didn't make it either. This is not a good week.

 

[silkiechicken]

I heard that rabies shots of today are nothing of what they were in the past pain and discomfort wise. I've never had one myself though, just heard some older people talking of it.

 

[Wifezilla]

Apparently it isn't as painful and horrible as it used to be. They used to give you a bunch of shots in the stomach. Now you just get a few in your arm.
http://www.vaccineinformation.org/rabies/qandavax.asp

 

[Imp]

Chickenannie,
Silkiechicken is correct rabies shots are no longer 20 shots in the abdomen. More like 5-7 in the arm/ backside. Good Luck.
Imp

 

[dangerouschicken]

Sorry to hear about the rabies situation and the turkeys. All the best to you and your family this Christmas.

 

[buckeye lady]

I've given many of those injections to people. It's a series of 5 shots. They are IM injections in the arm like a Flu Shot. There is a schedule you have to follow-I can,t remember the exact schedule but its like 1 shot on day 0, 1 shot on day 3, 1 on day 7 etc. etc...Anyway they'll give you a schedule. Sometimes they will give you IV gammaglobulin on the day of the exposure-This depends on your exposure, risk of contracting and your health dept policy. It is very, very unlikely that you contracted the rabies virus from caring for your birds wounds, however an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I am sorry for the loss of your birds and for what you are going through in the aftermath.

 

[chickenannie]

Thanks buckeye lady (and others) for the detail. I had no idea about rabies before this all happened.

I don't regret trying to save my turkeys (Bourbon Reds), though the doctor friend does now.

Apparently it's hard to find the shots, so we've been advised to visit the Emergency Room, or call the Public Health department which is a 30 minute drive (hospital is a 5-minute drive). But the hospital visit will be a $300 minimum charge, I'm assuming, so I'd like to go the cheaper route.

Any opinion on this?


(edited for a misspelling).

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

That's terrible....you have a big heart....I'm sorry to hear about your Turkey's also...I'd call the Public health and see what they advise....Good Luck...let us know how it goes

 

[Imp]

A few years ago I got bit by a squirrel. I just contacted my doctor and he sent a sample of blood to the state to test for rabies. (squirrels aren't normally a vector for rabies) I had the results back in a few days. Clean bill of health. Only had to get an antibiotic shot to ward off infection. The worse part was the 30 minute lecture about messing with wild animals, so now I'm under doctor orders to not feed wild animals by hand. I still do it.
Perhaps you don't need to go through all this extra hassle.
Imp
This is not medical advice, just an experience. So please follow your healthcare providers advice. Rabies is nothing to mess around with.
And I think you are heavily in debt to your doctor friend.

And sorry for your birds.

 

[buckeye lady]

OK here's the poop--This is not Medical advice!!!! I can only tell you what I would do in your situation. I would call my Primary care Dr. In the AM and explain the situation to them-IE- "I could have been exposed to Rabies this weekend when I was caring for my Turkeys after they were attacked by a fox. I have been informed by a friend in the medical field that I now need rabies vaccines." Your Physician should know where to send you for the vaccines. Most Hospitals have an Outpatient clinic that administers these vaccines. If your Physician is not sure where to send you ask them to call the Health Dept-They will respond to The Dr. much faster than you.
If you have Health Insurance-they Should cover the cost of your Treatment.
If you call the ER or Health Dept and ask about this they will tell you to go to ER immediately-They have to cover their a$% and this is all they can tell you. Keep in mind that you have a better chance of being abducted by aliens tonight than contracting rabies.