What we get wrong about the deadly rabies: Doctor busts 13 dangerous myths
From dog bites and puppy scratches to vaccine fears and home remedies, an internal medicine specialist explains what rabies really looks like, and why delay can be deadly
 "What we get wrong about the deadly rabies: Doctor busts 13 dangerous myths")
Rabies is one of the oldest known infectious diseases, almost 100 per cent fatal, and still one of the most misunderstood. Despite being entirely preventable with timely treatment, rabies continues to kill thousands in India every year, largely because of myths that delay medical care.
1. Does rabies spread only through dog bites?
Myth: Only dog bites cause rabies.
Fact: Rabies is not limited to dogs.
“Rabies is not transmitted by dog bites alone,” says Dr Tayal. “It can be transmitted through bites or scratches from cats, bats, monkeys and other infected mammals. Any exposure must be taken seriously.”
Public awareness, early reporting, and prompt vaccination, he adds, can mean the difference between life and death.
2. If an animal looks healthy or friendly, is it safe?
Myth: A calm or friendly animal cannot have rabies.
Fact: Appearances are misleading.
“An animal may seem playful or affectionate and still be infected,” Dr Tayal explains. “The rabies virus can remain dormant for weeks before symptoms appear.”
This means even familiar pets can transmit rabies through a bite or scratch before showing any signs of illness.
3. If there is no bleeding, is there no risk?
Myth: No blood means no rabies risk.
Fact: This belief is dangerously false.
“The virus is present in the saliva,” says Dr Tayal. “Even without bleeding, saliva entering broken skin, scratches or mucous membranes can transmit rabies.”
Any such exposure requires immediate wound cleaning and medical evaluation for post-exposure prophylaxis.
4. Can puppies or kittens carry rabies?
Myth: Young animals do not carry rabies.
Fact: Rabies is not age-dependent.
“Puppies and kittens can be infected early, even through their mother,” Dr Tayal notes. “Because they look harmless, bites and scratches are often ignored.”
Ignoring exposure based on age can turn a preventable infection into a fatal one.
5. Is a lick always harmless?
Myth: Licks pose no rabies risk.
Fact: They can be dangerous.
“If saliva enters even a small cut, abrasion, or mucous membrane, the virus can enter the body,” Dr Tayal explains.
Any lick on damaged skin must be treated seriously and evaluated by a doctor.
6. Do home remedies prevent rabies?
Myth: Chilli, turmeric, lime juice, kerosene, or antiseptic creams can stop rabies.
Fact: These practices are harmful misinformation.
“Home remedies cannot prevent rabies and may further damage tissue,” Dr Tayal says. “The only correct first step is thorough washing with soap and water, followed by immediate medical care.”
7. Are rabies vaccines painful, outdated, or unsafe?
Myth: Rabies vaccines are painful injections given in the stomach.
Fact: This is outdated information.
“Modern rabies vaccines are safe, effective, and given in the arm or thigh,” says Dr Tayal. “They are far less painful and fewer in number than older regimens.”
Fear of the vaccine often causes fatal delays, he warns.
8. Does one vaccine course protect you for life?
Myth: Once vaccinated, you are protected forever.
Fact: Immunity can wane.
“Even if you’ve had a full vaccination earlier, boosters may still be needed after a new exposure,” Dr Tayal explains. Decisions depend on timing and risk, not past reassurance.
9. Can a vaccinated dog never transmit rabies?
Myth: Vaccinated dogs are completely safe.
Fact: Risk is low, but not zero.
“If doses are missed or immunity has expired, transmission is possible,” Dr Tayal says. “Bites and scratches should never be ignored, regardless of vaccination history.”
10. Can rabies be cured once symptoms appear?
Myth: Modern medicine can cure rabies after symptoms start.
Fact: This is the most dangerous myth of all.
“Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop,” Dr Tayal states. “Prevention is the only protection, which includes washing, vaccination, and immunoglobulin after exposure.”
Delay removes options. Early action saves lives.
11. Can rabies be identified by looking at the animal?
Myth: Drooling, foaming, tail position, fear of water or ‘no shadow’ confirm rabies.
Fact: Observation is unreliable.
“Many infected animals show no visible signs for days or weeks,” says Dr Tayal. “Rabies cannot be diagnosed by appearance alone.”
Exposure, not symptoms, should guide action, Dr Tayal stresses.
12. Does rabies always cause aggression and madness?
Myth: Rabies always causes violent behaviour.
Fact: Rabies has multiple forms.
“There is also paralytic or ‘silent’ rabies, marked by weakness and lethargy,” Dr Tayal explains. “Lack of aggression does not rule out infection.”
The word “madness,” he adds, is medically inaccurate and stigmatising.
13. Can people with rabies easily infect others?
Myth: Rabies spreads easily between humans.
Fact: Casual transmission does not occur.
“Rabies does not spread through touch, air, coughing, or sharing food,” Dr Tayal says. “Human-to-human transmission is extremely rare and has only been documented in organ transplant cases.”
Stigma, he emphasises, only worsens suffering.
Dr Tayal stresses that rabies is a disease of missed windows where delay means death. It is preventable when action is taken in time. Vaccinating pets and responding immediately to any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure, with thorough wound washing and timely post-exposure vaccination and rabies immunoglobulin (RIG), can stop the virus before it turns fatal.
About Fact-Check Friday
Misinformation in health can be more harmful than the illness itself. That’s why every Friday, Business Standard brings you Fact-Check Friday, a weekly series where we unpack myths, wellness trends, and separate evidence-based medical insights from popular misconceptions.
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