Message Number: YG3934 | New FHL Archives Search
From: katharine
Date: 2001-05-23 19:01:00 UTC
Subject: Re: rabies vaccinations for people

Jacqueline wrote:
<I'd recommend rabies vaccinations for anyone who
frequently deals with
strays and other animals of unknown background.
(Especially since I don't
see many ferret shelter folks refusing to help
another type of animal, if
they saw an injured one!)<

I agree wholeheartedly. One thing that hasn't
been pointed out is that the rabies vaccinations
are no big deal anymore. We all have memories of
the "shots in the stomach", with accompanying
severe nausea, and extreme weight loss. They have
been completely changed. The pre-exposure is the
same shot as the post-exposure (just not as
many). For the pre-exposure, you get shots on Day
1, Day 7, and Day 21. The shots are in the arm,
just like any other vaccination. I had no
side-effects or soreness from them. Actually, I
think one arm was a little tender after one of the
shots. In fact, when I got my last one, I had
them go ahead and give me flu and pneumonia shots
at the same time. I figured if I didn't drop dead
that day, I would live forever. The rabies
vaccinations are expensive, at least they were for
me but well worth the price if you are around
questionable animals.

Katharine