The 10-day observation method does have some basis

There is a saying that only dogs that develop rabies after biting will transmit the disease, so if you observe the biting dog for 10 days and it survives, then the possibility of human rabies infection can be excluded. This statement does have some reliability but is currently not recommended for use in China.

In fact, more accurately, vaccination against rabies is needed only if bitten by a dog carrying the rabies virus in its saliva. The presence of the rabies virus in saliva indicates that the dog’s rabies has already developed. Most dogs with the disease show obvious symptoms (behavioral changes, aggressive biting, dirty and messy fur) and are not difficult to identify. Of course, there are rare cases where a dog appears normal when biting but has already developed rabies. Since human rabies has a 100% fatality rate after symptom onset, China requires that regardless of the dog's behavior, anyone bitten by a dog should get vaccinated at a hospital.

Normally, the rabies vaccine requires 5 doses within 28 days and involves considerable financial and time costs. Therefore, the World Health Organization recommends a 10-day observation method—if the biting dog does not die within 10 days, it is assumed that the saliva did not contain the virus, and the bitten person can stop further vaccinations. This observation method has two benefits:

1. It can reduce vaccination by 2 doses, saving money and time

2. The dog’s saliva does not contain rabies virus, allowing the bitten person to relieve a heavy psychological burden.

For safety, if bleeding occurs from the bite, the rabies vaccine should be administered as soon as possible

The 10-day observation method has been proven effective worldwide, including in countries with far more serious rabies problems such as India and Thailand, but it is not recommended in China for reasons that may include:

1. Chinese dogs may differ physiologically from dogs in other countries, meaning they are unique "Chinese breed" dogs without comparability.

2. Chinese healthcare workers may not be able to correctly apply the 10-day observation method.

Since vaccination is necessary, some people might hesitate between imported and domestic vaccines. Actually, there is no need to worry too much about this. Domestic rabies vaccines have basically reached parity with major international vaccines and in some cases are even of better quality. For example, after the 2010 Pharmacopoeia release, a certain technical index for rabies vaccines rose significantly compared to the 2005 edition. A well-known imported rabies vaccine was temporarily barred from the Chinese market because it couldn’t meet the new standard; a domestic vaccine easily met these standards and became mainstream.

So as long as the hospital is reputable, we basically do not need to worry much about the vaccine quality. Nor should we assume domestic vaccines are inferior and thus choose imported ones. Additionally, many pet owners ask when vaccination is necessary. Generally, if only a slight scratch from the dog's teeth occurs without bleeding, self-cleaning and disinfection are sufficient without vaccination. But if bleeding happens, it is safer to get vaccinated promptly.