A real risk in Thailand, too. Never pet un-known stray dogs or cats and never run or go jogging or cycling on streets, if you are not very very familiar with the dogs living on that street. The dogs are normally fine with you walking, but running or biking might very well trigger them to bite.
A rabies shot before the travel will give you some more time to react after getting bit/scratched. You will still need to go to a hospital for additional shots, but you won’t need as many (if not pre-vaccinated, you would be getting the shots for a month or so). Luckily the hospitals are very efficient and know what they are doing!
In Thailand street food is normally ok, as long as it is made for you and still hot when served. Wouldn’t recommend trying street food sushi or salads though!
@mars and @toml we were advised by our travel medicine doctor to carry anti-malarial meds instead of taking them. Then to take them on the first signs of a fever. That was because we were going to be in the malarial belt for so long. She said the longer you take the pills, the more likely you are to develop adverse side effects.
The rabies risk in India and Thailand is very real, NEVER pet unknown cats , and especially dogs. If you are unlucky enough to be bitten by a rabid animal, you have 48 hours to get treatment if you are not vaccinated, a bit longer if vaccinated. Rabies is always fatal without treatment.
Hi @Chrissie yes sadly in India, many years ago when I was travelling remotely around India I came across a couple of street dogs in a village in the Paralytic stage, (final stage), of rabies and they had died a few days later. For this reason I had already had my rabies shots because I knew I would be in very remote areas with great difficulty in receiving medical help.
I stayed in a village in India, and the locals told me they had shot a rabid dog the day before, as it’s such a terrible death, and, of course, very dangerous for humans as well.
@Chrissie yes absolutely, it’s very dangerous for humans as well.
For anyone reading this thread.
Rabies is a rare but serious infection that’s usually caught from a bite or scratch of an infected animal. It’s almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but vaccination and early treatment can prevent it.
You can get rabies if:
you’re bitten or scratched by an infected animal
an infected animal licks your eyes, nose or mouth, or you have a wound that’s licked by an infected animal
As I mentioned earlier we were in SE Asia for nearly 6 mo…a lot of it was rural. Some others have mentioned how (a certain Anti-malarial) pill can have the side effect of nightmares/hallucinations. I want to mention that there are other options. We did not go with this option as we had concerns about the side effects. This is why I along with many others recommend going to a travel clinic, seeing a medical professional. If you’re in the USA most health insurances have a lower co-pay if you do an e-visit with a medical professional. Talking with a Doctor or Physicians Assistant where you can discuss with them the areas you’ll be traveling to and discussing what sort of options there might be that best suit you and your body - everything else is anecdotal.
Homeoprophylaxis is an excellent alternative to vaccines. No side effects, no nasty adjuvants and toxins. It does take a bit of planning, though, and a knowledgeable homeopathy.
Not true. I’ve been using homeopathy for years and it works very well. If you think it doesn’t work, you’re listening to people who have never used it, and know nothing about it.
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