[xkqd]

After a potential exposure myself the state’s protocol was to capture and monitor the animal. If it displayed symptoms or died, it was assumed positive for my vaccination purposes and would then be tested to confirm.

If it didn’t display any symptoms or die, immunization would be held off. Apparently this depends on the animal you were exposed to and rabies incidence rates in the vector in the geographic area.

In my case, the animal died 2 days later and caused quite a headache.

[nytesky]

They recommend getting immunoglobulin within 24 hours. Waiting 5 days seems to add risk the vaccine won’t be effective?

[xkqd]

That was my previous understanding too, but this was the protocol of a large healthcare system.

Their logic was that only symptomatic animals can spread rabies, and once symptomatic they tend to die within a week and display obvious symptoms even earlier.

I guess the risk of delaying 5 days is extremely low, or perhaps nonexistent. At least with immediately recognized contact?