Dog, Cat and Ferret: Animal Is NOT Available for Testing/Observation
Return to Rabies prevention flowchart introduction
Considering searching for animal. (1,2)
If animal cannot be found, post-exposure prophylaxis is generally indicated. (3)
However, if the animal was not exhibiting signs of rabies at the time of the attack, appeared to be an owned animal (not feral), was behaving normally, the bite was provoked, and the wound promptly cleansed with soap and water, the risk of rabies transmission is low. If known, the animal's rabies vaccination status should also be considered. Consultation with public health officials is advised. Even if all the above low-risk criteria are met, the clinician and the patient should realize that the risk is not absolutely zero, because the animal could not be observed or tested for rabies.
(1) Confirm that bite victim will be able to definitely identify the biting animal before initiating search.
(2) The question of how long prophylaxis can be delayed while searching for the animal is a judgment call. There is no unequivocally "safe" period to wait. In general, if the animal showed no clinical signs of rabies, and the bite was provoked and did not involve wounds to the head/neck or to highly innervated areas, and if the wound was washed promptly and thoroughly with soap and water, it is usually reasonable to delay prophylaxis for 48-72 hours after the bite incident if there is a realistic chance of capturing the biting animal.