Pasteur rabies vaccine: what to know

Rabies vaccination trains the immune system to recognise rabies virus. After a bite, scratch or saliva contact with broken skin or mucous membranes from a potentially infected animal, vaccination may form part of post-exposure care. The decision depends on the animal, the contact, local risk and your previous vaccination history. See [Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis](/treatments/acute-and-urgent-care/rabies-post-exposure-prophylaxis/) and [Rabies Vaccination](/treatments/preventive-care-and-vaccination/rabies-vaccination/).

Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water as soon as possible, then seek urgent medical assessment. Do not wait for symptoms. Tell the clinician the time and type of contact, the animal species, whether it can be observed, where the exposure occurred, and any previous rabies doses. A clinician will decide whether vaccine and other treatment are needed.

Get urgent care after any uncertain bite, scratch or saliva exposure involving a potentially rabid animal, especially if the wound is on the face, neck or hand, or is deep or contaminated. Rabies symptoms can be severe, so symptoms are not a safe point to begin deciding about prevention. Call emergency services for breathing difficulty, collapse or rapidly worsening illness.

Ask whether your contact counts as an exposure, which vaccine schedule applies, whether wound care or additional treatment is needed, and what side effects should be reported. Keep your vaccination record available.