Hello Doctor,
I feed a street dog and touched some leftover food that might have had the dog's saliva on it. After that, I washed my hands with soap and water before eating my meal. Is there any chance I could get rabies from this? Should I get a rabies vaccine?
Hello,
Thank you for reaching out to Dr. Galen. Please find the below response to your query.
If you do not have any cuts, scratches, or open wounds on your hand, washing your hands thoroughly with soap and clean water is usually sufficient. The risk of contracting rabies in this situation is extremely low. Rabies is typically transmitted through bites or deep scratches that break the skin. Since you have washed your hands and do not have any open wounds, there is a negligible chance of getting rabies from this incident.
Thanks
