What should I do if someone is bitten by a rabid animal?

If you have been bitten/scratched by a potentially rabid animal, including pets, you should seek medical attention and call your local health department promptly. Watch public health specialist Peter DeLucia, MPA, explain some key steps to follow.

Transcript

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The best thing you could do is, if it's a domestic animal, a dog or a cat, get the owner's information.

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[MUSIC PLAYING]

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If you are bitten or scratched by a potentially rabid animal-- and that could really even be your neighbor's cat

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or your neighbor's dog-- you want to make sure first and foremost you clean the wound with soap and water, and then seek medical attention.

00:30

You also want to call your health department because your health department will follow up on the history of even a domestic animal

00:37

to make sure they've had their rabies shots and that you're not going to need to go for rabies treatment. If you witness someone being bitten

00:45

by a potential rabid animal, you want to make sure that you advise them to seek medical attention. If you want to help them, you can

00:52

help them clean the wound with soap and water, simple as that. The best thing you could do is if it's

00:58

a domestic animal, a dog or a cat, get the owner's information, because as long as that domestic animal, a dog or a cat, is alive

01:07

and well after 10 days since it bit your friend or the person that you witnessed getting bitten,

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that person will not have to go for rabies shots, because it's only when that animal is about to die from rabies, when it's

01:21

in the last stages, when it's in the saliva, because it has to be in the brain tissue and in the saliva to actually transmit rabies.

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And we know in domestic animals, if they're alive and well 10 days after the bite, you or your friend

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is not going to have to go for rabies treatment. [AUDIO LOGO]