Contacted saliva of a strange stray dog. Should I get a rabies vaccine?

Hello everyone

I had a certain experience with a dog after which I am considering getting a rabies vaccine. However, having read about the dangers of vaccines - their damaging effect on the immune system and the toxic substances they contain which cause disease in the long run - I am very disinclined towards getting any vaccines.

I would like to describe what happened and get some suggestions on whether a vaccine is the right thing for me or not.

The incident -

Two days ago I went to a park and was sitting there with a friend. A dog came and sat with us. After a while he started pressing a rolled up blanket I had next to me with his teeth. He was not biting aggressively, but softly and slowly, as if he wanted something to chew on to exercise his jaw. I tried to pull the blanket away but he wouldn't leave it. After a while, he tried to bite - in the same slow manner - my knee but I withdrew. He then tried to do the same on my elbow. I then stood up and tried to shoo him away but to no effect. I was wearing a kurta - a traditional Indian shirt which goes down to the knees - which he then bit a few times. It was dirty with mud and saliva. Then my friend and I walked away and left the blanket there. The dog and two other dogs then began to play with it, holding it between their teeth and pulling.

The only other thing I could have done was to hit the dog with my hands or legs or find something to hit him with - like a stone or a stick. Or I could have used pepper spray on him which I had. But I thought all these are far too violent so I just walked away and the dog did not follow me.

I took off the shirt and threw it into a dustbin. I was wearing a few layers under the shirt so it didn't make much of a difference. I cleaned my hands with sanitiser and when I got home a few hours later, I took a bath with soap and also washed all my clothes with a disinfectant.

Regarding the dog -

I doubt if this dog is infected with rabies because I have seen him in the same park for the last three or four months. Each time he tries to bite my blanket but this is the first time he touched me with his mouth. He was not barking at me but at other times I've seen him bark at strangers or at other dogs. To me he doesn't seem to be a rabies infected dog but a bored, frustrated, aggressive dog who doesn't see the difference between friendly playing and aggression very much. A few times he has quietly sat with me while I petted him. Also, his behaviour has been the same for a few months but he is still alive. I understand that he should have died by now if he has rabies.

So, there was no bite, but there was saliva on my clothes. I touched those clothes, then I cleaned them with sanitiser. A few hours later I washed my hands very thoroughly with soap and had dinner. After that I took off my clothes and washed them.

It has been two days already. I don't know if it is too late to get a vaccine. Would it still be effective if I got one tomorrow? I am supposing yes.

However, having read about the bad effects of vaccines, I am not inclined to get one. Plus, the dog doesn't seem rabid. Finally, there was no bite and the saliva is unlikely to have entered my mouth or eyes.

Is a vaccine advisable?



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