Rabies vaccines for humans anyone?

    • Gold Top Dog

    Rabies vaccines for humans anyone?

    So, Friday I'm out of the car and Petsmart getting some stuff out of my back seat, back turned to everyone, just minding my own business.  I had seen a rottie.....med blue flat collar, 3 or 4 shiney tags, slightly overweight, a bit of graying on the muzzle, wearing a prong collar hooked to a flexi......but, he had his person with him....a middle aged, non-descript woman wearing a drab colored trench type coat.  I don't believe I   even saw her face, or at least registered it.

    So, I'm leaning into the car and all of a sudden I get BITTEN in the back of the leg.  I have one gash in the back bend of the knee, one in the fatty part at the inside.  Both are deep and pretty good sized.  My immediate reaction was to call out "holy sh*t!!!! That dam* dog bit me!" at which point the woman took off running with the dog, and LEFT.  I, of course, was shocked....I don't get bit.  The last bit was 26 or 27 years ago.  Dogs love me, and I approach them correctly.  Random dogs do not just walk up to me in a parking lot and decide to take a chunk out of me!  Just doesn't happen.

    The best part, since the woman LEFT and didn't give me any info is that I'm having to have the series of rabies injections.  Yeehaw!

    EVEN if this dog had a bite record, I would not have turned the dog in.  I most certainly would have talked to the woman about the wisdom of using a flexi with an agressive dog, but this dog bit the RIGHT person not to get into trouble.  I wouldn't have even cared about getting a name, IF she'd let me see the darned rabies tag.  Not terribly smart, I know, but this could have all been handled between just us.

    I got treated at the local hospital on Friday night.....got the tetnus update, got the antibiotics, etc.  Yesterday morning had to go to the big hospital in town for the first in the series of injections......for the followups I can go back to the local one.  Of course they had to undress the wounds, scrub them out, yet again....which feels a bit like course sandpaper being applied with a power sander.....and the injections are just a hoot!

    One goes into each butt check, one into my right arm, since I had the tetnus booster in the left, and the really fun part was HAVING THE NEEDLE STUCK INTO THE ACTUAL BITES!!  OMG, I thought the back one was going to reduce me to tears.  All these years later, the lamaze panting and blowing still comes in handy!  The back of the knee is an incredibly tender spot.  I felt a bit like a pin cushion by the time they were finished and was careful not to drink too much water yesterday, lest I start leaking out the numerous holes!

    The good news is that the remaining five injections are done in the arm.  I can stop dropping my drawers and having docs poke around in the darned holes in my knee.  It's still seeping really good.  I'm going through several dressing changes per day...which is supposed to be good in that it allows the gunk to drain, but in reality means I have to be really on my toes to catch it before my clothing gets all bloody.

    The knee does not bend beyond a certain angle.  The knee is not ever comfortable, and sleeping is fine until I move and accidently bump it.  Then DH has to get out of bed and peel me off the ceiling.  Did I mention I'm NOT having fun yet??

    Owie! 

     

     

     

     

    • Gold Top Dog

     Oh wow, that doesn't sound fun at all!  Dang woman should have stuck around and faced the music.  Sending fast healing vibes to you!

    • Gold Top Dog

    HOLY COW, Glenda. Did you break a mirror or something? Walk under a ladder? Tongue Tied Your luck is stinking!! I'm sending you good-luck vibes as well as feeling-better vibes.

    LOL, when I had to get needles, my mom would bribe me to be good by promising me Dairy Queen afterwards. You should try it on DH. Wink

    • Gold Top Dog

    Thanks Marty.  The worst is wondering IF the dog had rabies.  Rabies does happen up here.  And, even with current vaccines, AC still quarentines a biter.  But, I'm reasonably certain that the dog WAS current, just that little room for doubt.  But, at least the WORST of the /injections are over.  That was pretty bad.

    The pain, I could honestly do without. S/he could have bitten me someplace that doesn't get so much work!  

    • Gold Top Dog

    Oh gosh, Glenda, that's awful. I'm glad you're going to be okay though, despite the horrid injections. By the sounds of it, and the quick "escape", I would almost wonder if this wasn't a new behaviour, but that the lady was almost quite used to it by now. I don't think most people whose dog has just bitten would, as a first response, be a "hit and run"!.

    • Gold Top Dog

    I agree with Kim!

    Glenda, you poor thing! That just sucks! There you are, minding your own business, and BAM. Maybe you should file a police report so local law enforcement can be on the lookout for this pair? It definitely sounds like you weren't the first victim, and sadly you probably won't be the last... is insurance covering the expenses, at least (dare I ask)? 

    • Gold Top Dog

    That's horrible.  And I too thought that this sounds like a repeat offence.  And that sort of behavior (on the human's part) would have made me angrier than the actual bite.

     

    Didi you think about going into the store and asking them if they remember her and had a sales recept? 

    • Gold Top Dog

    I would report the incident to the police.  Next time it might be a child.  The woman is horribly irresponsible unless she is mentally deficient.  Either way it is dangerous to the public. I would try to find out if anyone else had seen her.  I hope you heal quickly.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Rabies shots aren't so bad, tetanus hurts much worse.  What is truly painful about rabies shots is the price.  Each of those puppies (total of 5) are about $400-$500.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Eeeeeieiiii! Glenda!  I'm sitting here rubbing the back of my knee cringing with sympathy pains for you.  How awful!  My first thought was, gee, its too bad she didn't have Thor, and Sheba, and Tyler and.....well you get it.  But then I wouldn't really want to see the dog hurt for stupidity on the part of the owner either.  Honestly, what was she thinking? 

    I'm with the others, ask around and see if anyone has seen this lady.  Likely she walks somewhat regularly if she has deduced in her miniscule brain that a prong works on her dog.  Then again, maybe not.  Maybe post something somewhere about an irresponsible woman walking a rottie on a flexi with a prong that bit you and ran away? At least then, maybe others will now to stay away from her? 

    • Gold Top Dog

    How scary and painful. What an awful thing to happen! Makes me think of my little dog torn up by a Rottie and how that must have hurt her so badly.She was in shock and almost died.

    I am so sorry you have gone through so much! I hope you feel better soon!

    • Gold Top Dog

    Unbelievable!  What is wrong with that woman?!?  You must have the patience of an angel not to have wanted to go after her.  Well....I know the shock and pain of the whole experience gave her time to escape. 

    In the very least, the woman needs some "education" on how to handle a strong breed.  Having it on a flexi is just insane, number one.  You were minding your own business, number two; and assaulted, number three. 

    Perhaps she frequents that Petsmart.  Maybe you will see her again...would you approach her (with a witness, like the store manager).  I'm not usually a mean or vengeful person...but IMO she shouldn't get away scott free with that.

    I'm so mad for you.  Super Angry

    • Gold Top Dog

    Aw Glenda I'm so sorry -- NOT easy.  Ice?  That would be the only thing that would keep ME sane. 

    • Gold Top Dog

     Ouchies! I hope you heal up soon. I can't believe that woman just took off! I agree with the other posts- I would report it, it does sound like this isn't the first time her dog has done that.

    • Gold Top Dog
    I've had to go through the series of rabies vaccines as well.  (long story)  I wasn't actually bitten, but yeah... no fun at all.  I really feel for you.

    Imo, rabies vaccinations are a LOT more painful than tetanus.  Of course the idiots performing our rabies shots were using the wrong needles.  (read about twice as long/thick as they should have been)  

    Gah that was a horrible experience.  I was fairly young and I remember getting rabies shots late at night on Christmas eve.  :(

     The hospital messed everything up and the vet messed up the rabies test on the dog in question.  (They sent it to the wrong lab and thus ruined the tissue test for rabies).  Was almost certain the pup didn't have rabies but didn't want to take the chance.  The vet/everyone had to go through the shots.

    Don't worry, lol.  We ended up suing.