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The rabies vaccine plays a crucial role in preventing rabies — a fatal zoonotic disease transmitted from animals to humans. Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal in both humans and animals. Rabies can occur in all mammals.
In Thailand, dogs remain the primary source of infection. Each year, more than one million people are bitten by dogs, and a portion of them seek medical treatment. Deciding whether to administer the rabies vaccine or rabies immunoglobulin is therefore an essential step in preventing this deadly disease.
If a person exposed to rabies does not receive proper medical treatment, the infection can be fatal.
Topics to Know Before Getting a Rabies Vaccine
- Why the Rabies Vaccine Is Important
- Rabies Vaccines for Humans vs. Animals
- Who Should Get the Rabies Vaccine
- Cost of Rabies Vaccination
- What to Do If You Are Bitten or Scratched by an Animal
- Levels of Risk for Rabies Infection
- Important Things to Know Before Getting the Rabies Vaccine
- How Many Doses of the Rabies Vaccine Are Needed
- How Long the Rabies Vaccine Provides Protection
Why the Rabies Vaccine Is Important
- Protects you from contracting rabies if exposed to the virus — as there is no cure for rabies once symptoms appear, and the disease is almost always fatal.
- Pre-exposure vaccination helps protect your children, especially in cases where they might be exposed to the virus but fail to inform their parents.
- Helps prevent and reduce the spread of the virus among both humans and animals.
- Reduces the risk of death in cases of bites, scratches, or other forms of exposure from infected animals.
Rabies Vaccines for Humans vs. Animals
Rabies Vaccination in Humans
- Helps prevent infection — both before and after exposure to the rabies virus.
- Can be administered from the age of 2 months and above.
- Pre-exposure vaccination can help reduce future medical costs, as it eliminates the need for rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) injections around the wound in cases of high-risk exposure.
- The vaccine can be administered at medical facilities, such as clinics or hospitals.
Rabies Vaccination in Animals
- Vaccination can begin when animals are 2–4 months old. It should not be given at birth, as newborns have an underdeveloped immune system. A booster dose is recommended at 3 months and 1 year of age, followed by annual vaccinations.
- The vaccine helps strengthen immunity, prevent illness after bites from potentially infected animals, and reduce the risk of transmitting rabies to humans.
- According to the Rabies Act B.E. 2535 (1992), pet owners must have their dogs vaccinated against rabies when they are 2–4 months old. Failure to comply with the law may result in a fine of up to 200 Baht.
- Vaccination should be done at veterinary facilities, such as animal clinics or hospitals.
- Pet owners should keep a vaccination certificate as proof of immunization.
Who Should Get the Rabies Vaccine
Pre-Exposure Vaccination
Receiving the rabies vaccine before exposure helps the body build sufficient immunity to prevent infection within 14 days after vaccination. It is recommended for individuals at high risk of exposure, such as:
- Pet owners and children, especially young children, who are more likely to be bitten.
- Veterinarians and veterinary assistants.
- People who work or live in environments with animals, such as zoos, temples, cat or dog cafés, electrical workers, and livestock officers.
- Postal workers, delivery staff, and riders.
- Travelers visiting areas with a high risk of rabies exposure.
Post-Exposure Vaccination
This vaccination is given after exposure, such as being bitten, scratched, or coming into contact with saliva or other infectious material from an animal carrying rabies. The vaccine should be administered appropriately according to the type of exposure and the level of risk to prevent infection.
Rabies Vaccine Prices
At IntouchMedicare Clinic, the pricing for the rabies vaccine is as follows:
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First dose: starting at 1,500 THB
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Subsequent doses: 790 THB per dose (for the following series)
Note:
1. Prices include the physician fee and clinic service charges.
2. Prices do not include wound care, wound cleaning, or tetanus vaccination.
3. These rates apply for the initial vaccination at Intouch Medicare.
What to Do If You Are Bitten or Scratched by an Animal
If you or your child are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately clean the wound and provide first aid before visiting a medical facility for rabies prevention according to a doctor’s recommendation.
If there is a nearby clinic or hospital, you can go directly for wound care and medical attention.
Basic First Aid
- Clean the wound thoroughly with clean water and soap multiple times. For deep wounds, wash all the way to the base carefully to avoid bruising.
- Disinfect the wound using antiseptics such as povidone-iodine or Hibitane. If unavailable, use iodine tincture or 70% alcohol as alternatives.
- Visit a medical facility to see a doctor for appropriate rabies prevention.
Note: For deep or high-risk wounds, seek medical attention immediately after first aid.
Seeing a Doctor
At the medical facility, the doctor will assess the wound and provide appropriate care, especially for open bleeding wounds:
- Clean the wound and prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.
- Consider a tetanus booster for some patients based on their vaccination history, to reduce the risk of infection and complications.
- Provide symptomatic treatment such as pain relief medication.
- Evaluate the need for rabies vaccination according to the level of risk, including administration of rabies immunoglobulin if necessary.
Is it okay not to get vaccinated?
A doctor will determine whether a patient needs a rabies vaccine based on two situations:
Case 1 – Non-infectious exposure:
- Contact with the animal’s skin without bites, scratches, or exposure to blood or saliva.
- In this case, vaccination is not necessary, nor is observation of the animal required.
Case 2 – Infectious exposure:
- Contact involving blood, saliva, or other secretions, or being bitten or scratched that causes a wound.
- Vaccination is recommended, even if the patient has received pre-exposure vaccination.
- The doctor will consider the timing of the last vaccine dose: If the last dose was within 6 months, give 1 booster dose. or If it has been more than 6 months, give 2 booster doses.
Is Rabies Immunoglobulin Necessary?
Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG) or rabies serum is generally necessary for individuals who have never received a rabies vaccine before. It provides immediate antibodies after administration and is usually given within 7 days after the first vaccine dose.
- If the person has already received the vaccine more than 7 days ago and has not received RIG, it is not required, because RIG can interfere with the body’s immune response to the vaccine.
- For individuals who have received at least 3 vaccine doses, RIG is not needed.
Pre-exposure vaccination is preferable because it eliminates the need for RIG at the wound site, which can be painful, cause allergic reactions in some cases, and is costly.
Levels of Risk for Rabies Infection
To determine whether a person who has been exposed, bitten, or scratched by an animal requires a rabies vaccine and/or immunoglobulin, different countries have different treatment guidelines.
This variation is due to differences in animal rabies vaccination control, the prevalence of rabid animals, and local epidemiology. In Thailand, the guidelines are as follows:
Level 1 – Non-Exposing Contact
- Occurs when feeding, giving water, or touching an animal without any open wounds or abrasions.
- Contact with saliva or blood on intact skin.
- After exposure, wash the affected area thoroughly with clean water and soap.
- Vaccination is not required for this group.
Level 2 – Potential Exposure
- Licked on a minor abrasion or scratch.
- Bitten by an animal causing a puncture wound with bleeding.
- Bitten causing bruising but no bleeding.
- Scratched causing a superficial skin abrasion without bleeding.
After exposure, wash the area thoroughly with clean water and soap, disinfect the wound, and receive rabies vaccination as soon as possible.
Level 3 – High-Risk Exposure
- Scratches causing skin laceration with bleeding.
- Bites causing deep puncture wounds with bleeding.
- Wounds contaminated with animal secretions, brain tissue, carcasses, or during the handling, skinning, or dissection of potentially rabid animals.
- Ingestion of raw products derived from animals with rabies.
After exposure, immediately wash the area thoroughly with clean water and soap, disinfect the wound, and urgently receive rabies vaccination and rabies immunoglobulin.
Notes:
*Vaccination can be stopped if the animal (specifically dogs and cats) remains healthy throughout a 10-day observation period.
** High-risk cases include bites on the face, head, neck, hands, or fingers, or deep, multiple, or severe lacerations. These cases have a shorter incubation period, so rabies immunoglobulin should be administered as soon as possible. However, if the first rabies vaccine dose was given more than 7 days ago, immunoglobulin is not required, as the patient will already have developed immunity. Proper wound washing with clean water and soap is critically important, since fatal cases typically involve bites to the face, head, or neck.
*** The level of risk should be assessed individually based on the type and severity of exposure.
Source: Risk assessment of rabies infection from animal exposure, MedThai.com
Important Things to Know Before Getting the Rabies Vaccine
When Should the Vaccine Be Administered After Exposure
- The rabies vaccine should be given as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours after being bitten or scratched by an animal, and no later than 7 days. Delaying beyond this period may reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine, as the virus could already have spread in the body.
Possible Side Effects of the Vaccine
- Generally, side effects are rare, but some reactions may occur after vaccination.
- Common side effects usually appear at the injection site, such as pain, redness, swelling, or a small hard lump.
- Allergic reactions are extremely rare and occur only in certain cases that may require medical attention.
Note: If any other unusual symptoms appear after vaccination, inform your doctor immediately.
How Many Doses of the Rabies Vaccine Are Needed
At Intouch Medicare, the rabies vaccination schedule depends on whether the person is being vaccinated before or after exposure and their vaccination history.
- Pre-exposure vaccination (before potential contact): 3 doses on days 0, 7, and 21 or 28.
- Post-exposure vaccination (for those previously vaccinated): 2 booster doses on days 0 and 3.
- For post-exposure vaccination in individuals who have never been vaccinated or have an incomplete vaccination history, a 5-dose series is administered on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28. If the biting animal shows no signs of rabies during a 10-day observation period, doses 4 and 5 can be skipped, but rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) should still be given. It is recommended to complete at least the first 3 doses to ensure adequate pre-emptive immunity.
- For individuals with weakened immunity: 6 doses are recommended on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28, with 2 doses given on day 0.
- If the vaccination series is interrupted due to an animal bite: continue the remaining doses according to the original schedule; there is no need to restart the series.
How Long the Rabies Vaccine Provides Protection?
The rabies vaccine does not have a clearly defined duration of protection, and the exact number of years it remains effective is not precisely established.
IntouchMedicare Clinics provide rabies vaccination services, both pre-exposure and post-exposure (after an animal bite).
If you’re looking for a nearby clinic to get a rabies vaccine, you can receive the service at any IntouchMedicare branch close to you.
References
- Guidelines for Rabies Clinical Practice and Frequently Asked Questions, Division of Zoonotic Diseases, Bureau of General Communicable Diseases, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand.
- Pre-exposure Rabies Vaccination, The Thai Red Cross Society.
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- Wound cleaning, wound dressing, what is wound cleaning, wound dressing steps, and wound care after dressing
For more info and make appointment
Mr.Achawin Thamsoonthorn
General Manager
Latest edit : 29/10/2025
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