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Rabies Titer

Posted By: Short Track

Rabies Titer - 10/07/21 03:30 PM

What's your Rabies Titer ? I got tested, waited a month for the result. 0.5 is my percent, or protection level. Not sure what that means in the grand scheme of things, but I can be careless now smile
Posted By: QuietButDeadly

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/07/21 04:10 PM

You should probably ask a veterinarian. They are far more knowledgeable about rabies, especially the pre exposure series and titer than your average primary care doctor. There are exceptions but the average primary care folks I have talked to about the pre exposure know very little about it.
Posted By: Bob Jameson

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/07/21 06:26 PM

Circulating Titer anti body levels offer a degree of protection.How much is still an unknown. However there are several other critical factors regarding your total body immunology as an individual when this figure is measured.

Most all physicians I would suspect would reccomend treatment if you have had yet another potential contact bite exposure from a potential vector species. I had pre exposure injections in the early 1980's. And two additional contact treatments since that time. The last being in 2019.

Understanding that there is no known successful treatment for rabies after symptoms appear it would be good to Er on caution and seek medical treatment if ever in doubt.
Posted By: QuietButDeadly

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/07/21 07:13 PM

My understanding......

If you have a known or potential exposure and have not had the pre-exposure series, you get the full blown rabies series including the human rabies immune globulin followed by three addition doses of vaccine spaced out over 14 days.

If you have a known or potential exposure and have had the the pre-exposure series, you should get 2 vaccine booster shots only.

The following is about as good an explanation as I have found regarding the rabies vaccine and treatments. Well worth the time to read it.

CDC Rabies Vaccine & Treatment

I have had the pre-exposure series but my titer test did not indicate immunity and my health care provider had no clue why or what the next course of action should be. The state veterinarian told me that I should get a vaccine booster shot and then have my titer rechecked 4 to 6 months after the booster. I am currently in the process of getting the booster lined up.
Posted By: Short Track

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/09/21 11:09 AM

ok, so if I have another incident, back to the ER. Which is good to know. I would have skipped it thinking I was protected.
Posted By: trapdye

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/10/21 09:11 PM

Got nailed by a Raccoon back in 2007, Went to E R for shots, Had a total of 11. Arms & Legs. Asked nurse why so many, She replied that it depends on weight. I'm 6' 1" & 260 Lbs.
She said with post shots, If you get another bite, It's back to the ER.
Posted By: Short Track

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/11/21 02:22 PM

When I 1st got scratched, remember this was just a scratch, not a bite; I went to urgent care. Complete moron of a doctor. She gave me a Tentus shot, and antibiotics. The antibiotics were so strong, they almost killed me with gastro problems. So I saw my regular doctor.
#1) Regular doctor sent me straight to the ER for a full rabies vaccination series. She said do not play with Rabies, it's a miserable death. Very miserable. Ok, straight to the ER. I did the series of 4 shots.
#2) Had to see a gastro doctor now, that I had massive gastro problems called C-Diff. The C-diff is deadly as well. Luckily the gastro fixed me up with another medication.

and I still play with coons, just a tad bit more careful now.
Posted By: BigBob

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/11/21 07:13 PM

If you are a Veteran registered in the VAMC system, you can get the Pre-exposure, Titer test, and booster shots for little or no cost. Just tell your primary care Dr, you handle wild animals and "NEED" the shot! May have to go to the Vet Rep and/or Patients Advocate and argue about it, but they will eventually take care of you.
Posted By: steeltraps

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/11/21 10:26 PM

Was biten by coyote in 2011. Went to ER got 1 Tentus shot The. Got 2 shots next week 2 the week after 2 the week after that. Total of 7 shots. All 6 shots in the arm. Except for the 1 where coyote bite me. It was most painful. It was in ankle
Posted By: AJE

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/13/21 03:32 AM

Up to 11 shots. Wow, that's a lot.
Posted By: J.Melton

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/13/21 03:51 AM

So Whats the price range of pre-exposure vaccination?
Posted By: Bob Jameson

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/13/21 12:23 PM

The last treatment initially that I had I went to the ER. The physician injected RIG globulin into the bite areas and the vaccine went into the /buttocks area. The volume cc of the RIG is given according to body weight. I had 3 follow up injections after the initial treatment.10 -14 days apart. These follow up injections were all given into the arm.

I would think costs would be determined by any insurance that you may have or if your private insurance would pay for a pre exposure vaccination. Some places pre exposure vaccines may require a Drs. script to qualify and treat you.. Post exposure is a walk in treatment. Some may require out of pocket expense.
Posted By: BigBob

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/13/21 11:34 PM

Assuming you live that long!
Posted By: silkyplainscoyot

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/14/21 03:07 PM

I accidently poked myself with a syringe needle I had been using on skunks this last spring. I wasn't worried about rabies transmission but wanted to let the physician know it happened in case of other disease possibilities. They wanted to go ahead and treat me as possible post expose just to be safe. It was a series of 4 rabies shot in the arm. Day 0, 3, 7, and 14. I have insurance but a high family deductible. The shots cost $2500.
Posted By: Indiancreek

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/15/21 12:07 AM

Pre-exposure cost me $1400 in 2020. Insurance didn’t pay a dime.
Posted By: AJE

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/16/21 04:20 AM

Can a scratch from a dead animal cause rabies?
Posted By: LAtrapper

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/16/21 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by AJE
Can a scratch from a dead animal cause rabies?


REFERENCE: https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/transmission/index.html

"People usually get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal. It is also possible, but rare, for people to get rabies from non-bite exposures, which can include scratches, abrasions, or open wounds that are exposed to saliva or other potentially infectious material from a rabid animal...."
Posted By: BigBob

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/16/21 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by AJE
Can a scratch from a dead animal cause rabies?


FWIW2Y: In St. Louis County, if a dog bites OR SCRATCHES someone, the animal must be quarantined for 10 days.
Posted By: varmintshooter

Re: Rabies Titer - 10/28/21 12:08 AM

Short Track, your number should be 6 to 12. Less than 6 you need a booster, much over 12 and you were most likely exposed.
Posted By: Short Track

Re: Rabies Titer - 11/08/21 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by AJE
Can a scratch from a dead animal cause rabies?


That's what I did. Deep Scratch from a dead frozen coon. Real deep. Basically long story short. ... better to be safe than die of rabies. So they sent me in to the ER for shots.
Posted By: Short Track

Re: Rabies Titer - 11/08/21 01:55 AM

Originally Posted by varmintshooter
Short Track, your number should be 6 to 12. Less than 6 you need a booster, much over 12 and you were most likely exposed.


I won't get boosted unless I have another incident. I'll be more careful in the future.
Posted By: Pawnee

Re: Rabies Titer - 11/08/21 11:08 PM

The Titer test cost more than my booster so my doc just has me take it every 2 years. What say you guys?
Posted By: QuietButDeadly

Re: Rabies Titer - 11/08/21 11:28 PM

Your doctor is not making that decision on science or need, merely convenience.

I know folks who have maintained acceptable titer for 30 years with no booster. If they followed your doctors logic, they would have had 15 unnecessary boosters...........
Posted By: AJE

Re: Rabies Titer - 11/12/21 03:08 AM

Originally Posted by Short Track
Originally Posted by AJE
Can a scratch from a dead animal cause rabies?


That's what I did. Deep Scratch from a dead frozen coon. Real deep. Basically long story short. ... better to be safe than die of rabies. So they sent me in to the ER for shots.

I've been trying to cut the feet off critters before freezing them.

Maybe wearing thick gloves is a solution, I don't know
Posted By: Short Track

Re: Rabies Titer - 11/15/21 05:58 AM

There was one guy on here that cut their nails with a clipper. Don't remember who, but either that, or thick gloves.
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