BENGALURU: Cuddling a dog brings joy, and while being licked by one can make people feel loved and help them unwind. However, experts have a word of caution: Even a one-day-old puppy could harbour rabies virus, making precautions essential for dog owners and dog lovers.“Licks on broken skin and splash of dog saliva into eyes are considered category 3 or serious exposures,” Dr Reeta Mani, professor and head of neurovirology, Nimhans, told TOI. “Rabies virus is shed in the saliva of a rabid dog. It can enter through mucous membranes of mouth, eyes and through broken skin,” said Dr Mani, adding that the virus, however, cannot enter through intact skin.Meanwhile, taking chances after exposure could prove fatal. A 46-year-old man from Challakere recently died of rabies after a stray dog licked his face. Kishore (name changed) was sleeping in a field at night when a drooling stray dog sat on his chest. Startled, he pushed it away and tried to chase it with a stick, accidentally scratching his finger, said Dr Anil Kumar Banagar, a surgeon at Epidemic Disease Control Hospital (EDH) in Indiranagar.The patient, who reported no dog bite or scratch and had not received an anti-rabies vaccination, developed rabies symptoms on Sept 8 and was taken to Chitradurga Medical Institute.As his symptoms worsened, he was brought to EDH on Sept 11. By then, he had developed hydrophobia and aerophobia, and he died on Sept 12, said Dr Banagar.“There is no cure for rabies in modern medicine,” says Dr Banagar, adding the disease is almost invariably fatal after symptoms appear.
