My dog bit a stray cat. No visible wound. Is rabies a concern?

Question

My dog bit a steay cat. But it was just a play bite. I search for any wound or scratch on the cat's body. I didn't find any. Is my dog infected by rabies or not? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | 10 months and 8 days old

Lauren Celestin, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi there! Without confirmation of rabies infection by very specific testing it is impossible to know with certainty if an animal or person has contracted the virus. With that said, rabies infection must be always be considered when an animal comes in contact with any unvaccinated/unknown or wild animal, especially if said animal is showing neurological signs. Signs of infection typically do not occur until 5 days post initial infection. Rabies is transmitted through saliva/bites, ingestion of an infected animal, urine, and through an infected mothers milk. While it does not sound like there was any penetrating wounds, I highly recommend that you contact your regular veterinarian as soon as possible to discuss how to proceed, as the laws regarding handling potential rabies cases vary from state to state. If Scarlett is up-to-date on her rabies vaccine she may need to receive another rabies vaccine and/or be quarantined for a period of time as a precaution. Remember that people can also become infected with rabies, therefore be sure that you limiting your contact with Scarlett as well as the stray cat until you speak with your regular vet and discuss a plan moving forward.

My dog bit a stray cat. No visible wound. Is rabies a concern?

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