Chloe Kelly most likely owes her life to her two dogs, Zeus and Bronson. When she returned from vacation, it was they (and their very unusual behavior) who told this 44-year-old woman that something was wrong. And that the wound brought back from Türkiye, this bite that she thought was benign, was perhaps not so benign.
Bitten by a cat on the last day of her vacation
For 10 days, Chloe Kelly indeed spent a cloudless vacation in Türkiye with her daughter. But on the last evening, during dinner at a restaurant, a stray cat bites her on the heel, under the table as she moves her chair back. “It was really painful, I was screaming in pain, there was blood everywhere, but no staff came to check on me.” she tells New York Post. But no time to look for a doctor. It’s late and Chloe has to catch her plane in a few hours. She prefers to take care of it back in England.
The next morning, as soon as she walks through the door of her home, her two companions do not behave as expected. No reunion “parties.” Simply a focused interest in the injury inflicted by the cat.
Her dogs’ behavior pushes her to see a doctor
“The dogs heard me, got up and began to constantly sniff the wound where I had been bitten, she explains. They wouldn’t let go of me, they were sniffing constantly and were really upset. Looking back, I feel like they were clearly trying to tell me something.” Intrigued, Chloe calls the equivalent of 15 in England. Which sends him straight to the emergency room.
On site, doctors discovered an already necrotic wound. And her blood tests reveal the unthinkable: Chloe has rabies. We are then 26 hours after the bite, while emergency treatment generally needs to be given within 24 hours to stop the infection. Fortunately, the treatment still works. But without the dogs, Chloe might have waited until the next day. “They saved my life 100%” she admits today.
Yes, rabies can still rage abroad
Beware of animal encounters when traveling. The rabies virus is found in the saliva of infected animals. It is transmitted during direct contact between this saliva and another animal or a human being, in particular through a bite, scratch or lick of the skin.
“In Europe, rabies is largely eradicated, thanks to the vaccination of wild and domestic animals”indicates Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical. “There are still a few sporadic cases, but they are generally linked to animals contaminated abroad.” The main vectors are canines (including dogs), cats and bats, specifies the doctor.
How is rabies transmitted?
“Rabies is transmitted primarily through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite or scratch that causes saliva to enter the body.”confirms Dr. Gérald Kierzek. Like with this stray cat.
The most common modes of transmission are:
- The bite of a rabid animal, when the skin is perforated;
- A scratch from a contaminated animal, if infected saliva is present;
- Contact of saliva with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) or an open wound.
On the other hand, the medical director of True Medical recalls that rabies “is not transmitted through the blood, urine or feces of an infected animal. It is also not transmitted by simple contact with the hair or fur of a rabid animal.”
It is also necessary to remember that an apparently healthy animal can carry the virus: “The virus can be present in the animal’s saliva several days before symptoms appear, making transmission possible.”
What to do if bitten?
In the event of a bite by an animal potentially carrying rabies, Dr. Gérald Kierzek recommends following these steps:
- Immediately clean the wound with plenty of water and soap;
- Seek immediate medical attention and contact a rabies center. The professional will check the tetanus vaccination status and, if necessary, prescribe antibiotic treatment.
“If the risk of rabies is proven, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) will be implemented, including anti-rabies vaccination and sometimes the administration of immunoglobulins”he explains. When possible, it is also recommended to supervise the animal.
Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal due to lack of effective treatment. Every year, it causes around 59,000 deaths worldwide, mainly in Asia and Africa, most often after a bite from an infected dog.