Clean the wound well with soap and water and seek professional care after sustaining an animal bite. Try to gather as much information about the animal as possible. Contact local animal control authorities to confine suspect animals for observation and examination if rabies is suspected.

Thorough cleaning and removal of foreign objects (debridement) from the wound is needed. Animal bite wounds usually should not be sutured. A passive immunization by human rabies immune globulin as well as immunization with a vaccine may be given if there is any risk of rabies.

If immunization is given within 2 days of the bite, rabies is usually prevented. To date, no one in the U.S. has yet developed rabies when given the vaccine promptly and appropriately.

Once the symptoms appear, few people survive the disease. Death from respiratory failure usually occurs within 7 days of symptom onset.

• allergic reaction to rabies vaccine (rare)

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you are bitten by a wild or domestic animal and suspect rabies may develop.