What should you know about getting rabies?

Rabies is caused by a virus that can enter the body through a bite, scratch or saliva contacting broken skin or the eyes, mouth or nose. Dogs, bats and other mammals can carry it; the risk depends on the animal, the contact and local disease patterns. Early symptoms may be vague, but once neurological illness develops, rabies is exceptionally dangerous. Do not wait for symptoms or assume an animal is safe because it appears calm.

Wash and flush a bite or scratch with soap and running water straight away, then use an antiseptic if available. Do not close the wound yourself or delay care while trying to identify the animal. Obtain urgent assessment for [Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis](/treatments/acute-and-urgent-care/rabies-post-exposure-prophylaxis/). If possible, record the animal’s description and location without approaching it; never handle a bat or unfamiliar mammal.

Seek urgent medical care after any unprovoked bite or scratch from a mammal, contact with saliva on damaged skin, or direct bat contact, especially if the animal is stray, unavailable for assessment or behaving unusually. Go immediately for fever, tingling or pain at the wound, difficulty swallowing, confusion, agitation or weakness, while understanding that treatment should begin before these symptoms.

Ask whether the contact counts as an exposure, which wound care and vaccines you need, whether rabies immunoglobulin is indicated, and how follow-up doses will be scheduled.