ACIP-RECOMMENDED RABIES PRE-EXPOSURE SERIES. SCOTTSDALE, AZ

Rabies Vaccine in Arizona

Rabies is virtually always fatal once symptoms appear. Two doses before you travel protect you and simplify treatment if you are exposed abroad, where rabies immune globulin is often unavailable. Get the series, get documented, and travel with confidence. Same-day appointments often available.

Call (480) 435-2774 Book Online

Nearly 100% effective . 2 doses . 7 days apart

QUICK FACTS

Rabies is a deadly viral infection that primarily spreads through the bite of an infected animal. Immediate medical attention is crucial following any potential exposure.

  • Found on all continents (except Antarctica), Rabies is 100% fatal if untreated and can be transmitted by the bite or scratch of any mammal, often bats or dogs.
  • Being vaccinated prior to potential exposure (called prophylaxis) markedly improves the chance of survival and simplifies post exposure treatment.
  • Recent international guidelines indicate that full immunity is obtained with 2 doses of Rabies vaccine.
  • Anyone who routinely handles mammals, including veterinarians and wildlife rescue workers, should be vaccinated against rabies.

Rabies: 100% Fatal Once Symptoms Appear. 100% Preventable With Vaccination.

Rabies is a viral encephalitis caused by the rabies lyssavirus, transmitted through the saliva of infected animals via bites, scratches, or direct mucous membrane contact. Once clinical symptoms develop, the disease is virtually always fatal. There is no effective treatment at that stage. The case fatality rate among symptomatic patients approaches 100 percent, making rabies one of the deadliest infectious diseases known to medicine.

Approximately 59,000 people die from rabies each year worldwide, the majority in South and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. India alone accounts for roughly 35 percent of global deaths. Domestic dogs are responsible for 99 percent of human rabies transmission globally. Other animals of concern include bats, monkeys, raccoons, foxes, and cats. In the United States, bats are the leading source of human rabies cases, and the greatest risk is exposure that goes unrecognized.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis does not eliminate the need for post-exposure treatment if you are bitten. It simplifies that treatment in critical ways: no rabies immune globulin is required, and only two vaccine doses are needed instead of four. This distinction is life-saving in parts of the world where immune globulin is scarce, unaffordable, or entirely unavailable.

Who Should Consider the Rabies Pre-Exposure Series

The CDC and ACIP recommend rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis for travelers who meet any of the following criteria:

  • Spending four or more weeks in a rabies-endemic country, particularly in rural or semi-rural areas
  • Engaging in activities that increase animal contact: trekking, cycling, caving, wildlife work, or camping
  • Traveling to remote areas where access to rabies post-exposure treatment within 24 hours is uncertain
  • Traveling with children, who are at higher risk due to play behavior and tendency not to report animal contact
  • Working in veterinary medicine, wildlife rehabilitation, laboratory research involving lyssaviruses, or cave exploration
  • Serving as expatriates, missionaries, researchers, or long-term volunteers in endemic regions

Medically Reviewed By

Norman J. Bizon, PA-C, CTH
Medical Director, 30+ years clinical experience

Tessa E. McFall, ASN, EMT
Travel Health Clinician

Last updated April 21, 2026

TRAVELER RISK PROFILES

Who Needs the Rabies Vaccine

Rabies risk varies by trip length, activity type, destination, and traveler age. The groups below outline the key situations our clinicians evaluate at every rabies consultation. Always confirm the recommendation for your specific itinerary at your appointment.

Expats and long-stay travelers. Anyone spending four or more continuous weeks in Asia, Africa, or Latin America should strongly consider the pre-exposure series. Long-stay travelers face cumulative exposure risk. Animal contact in daily life, from neighborhood dogs to market animals, is far more frequent than on short itineraries. Rabies immune globulin is often unavailable in local healthcare systems across these regions.

Volunteers and missionaries. Community health workers, construction volunteers, and mission teams frequently work in rural settings with limited medical infrastructure. A dog bite in a remote province may mean a multi-hour or multi-day journey to reach a facility that stocks immune globulin and vaccine. Pre-exposure vaccination removes that dependency entirely.

Researchers and field scientists. Ecological researchers, anthropologists, and public health workers posted to endemic areas often have unplanned animal contact. The rabies pre-exposure series is standard preparation before any extended field deployment in a rabies-endemic country.

Travelers with a previous pre-exposure series. If you completed a prior rabies pre-exposure series and are traveling again, you generally do not need to repeat the full series. At exposure, previously vaccinated individuals need only two post-exposure vaccine doses and no immune globulin, regardless of how many years have passed since the original series.

Trekkers and backpackers. Multi-day trekking routes in Nepal, India, Thailand, Peru, and sub-Saharan Africa place travelers in contact with village dogs, monkeys, and wildlife far from urban medical care. The Annapurna and Langtang circuits pass through areas where both rabid animals and immune globulin shortages have been documented. Pre-exposure vaccination is a core part of preparation for these routes.

Cyclists and motorcyclists. Long-distance cyclists and motorcycle travelers in Asia and Africa face documented risk from dog chases and bites. Falls from animal encounters can cause contact with mucous membranes and broken skin. Cyclists touring rural Southeast Asia or sub-Saharan Africa are among the highest-risk traveler categories for rabies exposure.

Cave explorers. Bat colonies in caves on every inhabited continent carry rabies and related lyssaviruses. Bat bites are often minor enough to go unnoticed. ACIP considers spelunking an indication for rabies pre-exposure vaccination, and this applies even to Arizona residents exploring domestic caves where bat populations are present.

Wildlife watching and primate contact. Travelers to primate sanctuaries, chimpanzee trekking sites in East Africa, or destinations where monkey feeding is common face meaningful exposure risk. Monkey bites and scratches at tourist sites in Southeast Asia, including well-known temple areas, have caused rabies deaths in previously unvaccinated visitors.

Safari and rural excursion travelers. Travelers who wander beyond established camp perimeters, visit adjacent villages, or interact with animals in informal settings should discuss pre-exposure vaccination regardless of whether their primary itinerary is at an established lodge. Surfers based in Bali frequently visit villages and farms where dog bites are the leading cause of rabies exposure in foreign nationals.

Children are a high-priority group. Children are at disproportionately high risk for rabies exposure for two reasons. First, they interact more freely with animals: petting strays, approaching village dogs, playing near wildlife. Second, they are less likely to report a bite or scratch to a parent, delaying post-exposure evaluation. The wound from a small dog bite on a child’s hand may go unnoticed for hours.

Facial and head bites. Children are bitten on the face and head more often than adults. The shorter wound-to-brain distance means the virus can reach the central nervous system more quickly than in an adult with a limb wound. ACIP and the CDC both highlight children as a priority group for pre-travel rabies vaccination when the destination is endemic.

Standard dosing from infancy. The adult dose and schedule apply from infancy onward. We discuss age-appropriate wound-washing education at every pediatric travel consult and walk parents through exactly what to do if exposure occurs abroad, including how to assess whether the animal contact warrants immediate post-exposure evaluation.

Veterinarians and animal handlers. Veterinarians, vet technicians, animal control officers, livestock handlers, and zookeepers with potential for animal bites or scratches are in the highest-risk occupational category. ACIP recommends rabies pre-exposure vaccination and ongoing serologic monitoring for these individuals. Booster dosing is based on titer results, not a fixed schedule, for most occupational-risk groups.

Laboratory workers. Personnel working with live rabies virus, lyssaviruses, or infected tissue in research or diagnostic settings face continuous-risk exposure. ACIP recommends pre-exposure vaccination followed by serologic titer checks every six months, with a booster if titers fall below the protective threshold. This is a separate protocol from traveler pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Wildlife rehabilitators. Volunteers and professionals who handle injured or orphaned bats, raccoons, foxes, skunks, and other reservoir species in the United States or abroad should have documented pre-exposure vaccination. Arizona residents who volunteer with wildlife rescue organizations fall into this category regardless of international travel plans.

For all occupational groups, we perform titer draws on-site and interpret results against the ACIP protective threshold. A booster is given only when titers fall below the recommended level, avoiding unnecessary doses.

VACCINATION DOCUMENTATION

Keeping Your Rabies Vaccination Records

Rabies vaccination is not required at any international border, and there is no mandatory certificate comparable to the yellow fever ICVP. However, carrying documentation of your pre-exposure series is clinically important, not just administrative. If you are bitten abroad, local clinicians need to know whether you were pre-vaccinated, when, and with which product. That information determines whether you need two post-exposure vaccine doses or four, and whether rabies immune globulin is required on day 0 of post-exposure care.

What to carry and why it matters

  • A written record of your vaccination dates, the vaccine product received (HDCV or PCECV), and the administering clinic
  • Pre-vaccinated travelers who present documented prior pre-exposure vaccination at a post-exposure evaluation abroad need only two doses and no immune globulin. Without documentation, local providers may administer the full four-dose course plus immune globulin as a precaution
  • Keep a digital copy on your phone and a paper copy with your travel documents, separate from your checked luggage
  • We provide a written vaccination record at every appointment. Contact us if you need a duplicate copy at any time

Rabies immune globulin is derived from human plasma, expensive, frequently unavailable in low-resource settings, and sometimes counterfeit in markets where it is scarce. Your documentation is the single item that removes that dependency from your post-exposure care abroad.

SAFETY

Who Should Use Caution With the Rabies Vaccine

The rabies vaccine (HDCV and PCECV) is an inactivated cell-culture vaccine, not a live virus. Absolute contraindications for pre-exposure use are few, and it is considerably safer for immunocompromised and pregnant travelers than live-attenuated vaccines.

Contraindications and Precautions

Consult carefully before receiving pre-exposure rabies vaccination if you:

  • Have a documented history of severe allergic reaction to a prior dose of rabies vaccine or to any vaccine component, including neomycin, gelatin, or human albumin (varies by formulation)
  • Are immunocompromised due to HIV with low CD4 counts, active cancer treatment, organ transplant, or high-dose corticosteroids. The vaccine is not contraindicated, but immune response may be reduced. Serologic titer testing after the series is recommended to confirm protective antibody levels
  • Are taking chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, or mefloquine for malaria prophylaxis. These antimalarials can reduce the immune response to intradermal rabies vaccine. The intramuscular route is preferred in this situation

There are no absolute contraindications to post-exposure prophylaxis. If you have been exposed, the vaccine must be given regardless of prior reactions, because the alternative is a virtually always fatal disease.

Pregnancy and Immunocompromised Travelers

The rabies vaccine is inactivated and contains no live virus. It is considered safe during pregnancy when there is meaningful risk of exposure. Unlike the yellow fever vaccine, pregnancy does not create a presumptive contraindication. The decision is based on the risk the destination and itinerary pose, not on the vaccine itself. We review this at every consultation and can coordinate with your OB as needed.

Breastfeeding is not a contraindication to rabies vaccination at any stage.

Severely immunocompromised individuals may generate inadequate antibody titers after the standard two-dose series. ACIP recommends serologic titer testing one to two weeks after completing the series to confirm protective levels. If titers are inadequate, additional doses may be given. Bring a complete medication and diagnosis list to your consultation.

Call to Discuss Your Case

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Situations We Manage at Every Consultation

Last-Minute Travelers

The two-dose series requires a minimum of seven days between doses. If your departure is in fewer than seven days, we discuss your options: initiating the first dose before departure and arranging the second dose abroad, or evaluating whether the destination and itinerary warrant that approach. Do not skip the series entirely without this conversation.

Malaria Prophylaxis Interaction

Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine suppress the immune response to intradermal rabies vaccine. If you are taking either drug for malaria prevention, the intramuscular route must be used for all doses. We coordinate the entire travel health package at your appointment, including this interaction, so nothing is missed.

Traveling with Children

Children are one of the highest-priority groups for rabies pre-exposure vaccination. They are more likely to be bitten, less likely to report the exposure, and often bitten on the face or head where the virus reaches the brain more quickly. The standard adult dose and schedule apply from infancy onward. We discuss age-appropriate wound-washing education at every pediatric travel consult.

Exposure Abroad Without Prior Vaccination

If you were not pre-vaccinated and are bitten abroad, you need four doses of rabies vaccine (days 0, 3, 7, and 14) plus rabies immune globulin on day 0. Immune globulin is frequently unavailable or cost-prohibitive in low-income countries. Call us immediately. We help coordinate access to care from Scottsdale and can advise on evacuation decisions.

Occupational Booster Planning

Veterinarians, laboratory workers, and wildlife personnel require periodic serologic titer testing rather than a fixed booster schedule. We provide orders to perform blood draws for titer levels and interpret results against the WHO standard protective threshold. A booster is given only when titers fall below the recommended level, avoiding unnecessary doses.

Arizona Bat Exposure

Arizona has documented rabies in multiple bat species. Exposure in your own backyard is a real scenario, particularly during summer months when bats are active. If you find a bat in your room and cannot rule out contact while sleeping, post-exposure evaluation is warranted. We see Arizona residents for bat-exposure consultations in addition to travel-related pre-exposure care.

EFFECTIVENESS

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: Near-Complete Protection When Used Correctly

The rabies pre-exposure vaccine series generates a protective antibody response in essentially 100 percent of healthy, immunocompetent adults following the two-dose ACIP schedule. No confirmed human rabies deaths have occurred in anyone who received a complete, correctly administered post-exposure prophylaxis course after a documented exposure.

Pre-exposure vaccination does not replace post-exposure care. If you are bitten, you still need to act immediately: wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes, then receive two additional vaccine doses on days 0 and 3 after exposure. What pre-exposure vaccination removes is the need for rabies immune globulin, which is expensive, derived from human plasma, and often unavailable in the countries where travelers most need it.

For unvaccinated individuals who receive complete post-exposure prophylaxis promptly after a confirmed exposure, the four-dose series plus immune globulin is also virtually 100 percent effective when started without delay. Delay is the primary cause of post-exposure prophylaxis failure. Every hour between exposure and first dose matters.

~100%

Seroconversion Rate
Healthy adults after 2-dose series

2

PEP Doses Needed
If exposed after prior pre-exposure series (vs. 4 plus immune globulin)

0 confirmed deaths

In patients who received complete, correctly timed post-exposure prophylaxis after a documented exposure

COST AND INSURANCE

What to Expect at Checkout

Travel vaccines are generally not covered by commercial health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid because they are considered elective rather than medically necessary. That pattern is industry-wide and not specific to TravelBug Health.

At Your Appointment

You will be charged for:

  • Travel health consultation (itinerary-based risk assessment)
  • Each rabies vaccine dose (two doses for the pre-exposure series)
  • Any additional vaccines or prescriptions you elect
  • Titer orders and interpretation if indicated for animal workers or occupational travelers

Pricing varies based on services. Call (480) 435-2774 for current pricing. We are transparent so there are no surprises.

What to Ask Your Insurer

Before your appointment, call the member services number on your insurance card and ask:

  • Does my plan cover travel vaccines, including rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis?
  • What CPT code do I submit? Rabies vaccine intramuscular is typically 90675
  • Do I need pre-authorization?
  • Can I apply HSA or FSA funds?

For Reimbursement

After your appointment, we provide a detailed itemized receipt with:

  • CPT codes
  • Diagnosis codes
  • Clinician’s NPI
  • Itemized line items

Reimbursement outcome is between you and your insurer. We provide everything needed to file successfully.

SAFETY PROFILE

Side Effects and Safety

Both currently licensed rabies vaccines in the United States (Imovax HDCV and RabAvert PCECV) are inactivated cell-culture vaccines with well-characterized safety profiles. Neither contains live virus. Serious adverse events are uncommon.

COMMON. 43 to 74%

Injection Site and Mild Systemic Reactions

  • Pain, redness, swelling, or itching at the injection site (most common, resolves in 1 to 3 days)
  • Induration or tenderness with repeated doses
  • Headache, nausea, abdominal pain, muscle aches, or dizziness (5 to 40% of recipients)
  • Low-grade fever
  • Typically self-resolving within 24 to 48 hours

UNCOMMON. Approximately 6% with HDCV boosters

Immune Complex-Like Reaction

Seen primarily with booster doses of the HDCV formulation (Imovax), not typically with the primary series. Presents as urticaria (hives), angioedema, joint pain, and fever, usually 2 to 21 days after the booster dose. Believed to result from a reaction between beta-propiolactone-altered human albumin in the vaccine and pre-existing antibodies. Generally not life-threatening but uncomfortable. RabAvert (PCECV) may be substituted if this reaction occurs.

RARE

Serious Adverse Events

Anaphylaxis: Rare severe allergic reaction, typically within minutes to hours of vaccination. We observe all patients for 15 minutes after each dose. Epinephrine is available at our clinic.

Neurologic reactions: Extremely rare with modern cell-culture vaccines. Historical reports of neuroparalytic events were associated with older nerve-tissue vaccines, which are no longer used or approved in the United States.

The modern HDCV and PCECV vaccines represent a substantial safety improvement over older rabies vaccine formulations. The historical fear of painful abdominal injections applies to nerve-tissue vaccines no longer in use. The current intramuscular series is administered in the deltoid and is tolerated similarly to most other inactivated travel vaccines.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

After Your Rabies Vaccination Series

1

Complete Both Doses

The two-dose ACIP pre-exposure series requires the second dose on day 7. Plan to return to our clinic or arrange the second dose before departure. A partial series provides some immune priming but does not confer the full simplified post-exposure benefit. Both doses are needed.

2

Know What to Do If Bitten

Wash the wound immediately with soap and water for at least 15 minutes. This single step reduces transmission risk meaningfully. Then seek medical care the same day for post-exposure evaluation. Do not wait and observe, even if you were previously vaccinated.

3

Carry Your Documentation

Keep a written record of your vaccination dates and the vaccine formulation received. If you are bitten abroad, local clinicians need to know whether you were pre-vaccinated and with which product. This determines whether you need two doses or four, and whether immune globulin is required on day 0.

4

Other Travel Vaccines

Rabies vaccine can be administered the same day as most other inactivated travel vaccines. If you are also receiving typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, or other vaccines, we coordinate the full panel at your consultation. Live vaccines can also be co-administered on the same day.

WHY A TRAVEL CLINIC

TravelBug vs. Pharmacy

Rabies pre-exposure vaccine may be available at some retail pharmacies, but the consultation, coordination, and post-exposure support are where the difference is clearest.

TravelBug Health

  • Current ACIP 2022 two-dose pre-exposure schedule
  • Specialist-led itinerary-based risk consultation
  • Same-day or next-day appointments often available
  • Coordinates full panel of travel vaccines at the same visit
  • Post-exposure guidance and administration of post exposure prophylactic series if bitten abroad
  • Ordering and interpretation of serologic titer testing available 

Retail Pharmacy

  • May use older three-dose schedule not current with ACIP 2022
  • Limited or general consultation only
  • Variable scheduling
  • Limited stock of travel-specific vaccines
  • Rabies vaccine often not carried in stock
  • Post-exposure prophylaxis generally not available
  • Titer testing may require referral to another facility

SCHEDULE YOUR VACCINATION

TravelBug Health in Scottsdale

We are a travel medicine specialty clinic in the heart of the Phoenix metro. We see travelers, expats, outdoor professionals, and healthcare workers from across the Valley and northern Arizona. Our clinicians hold travel health certifications and stay current with ACIP, CDC, and WHO guidance on rabies and all travel-related vaccinations.

TravelBug Health Travel Clinic
8603 E Royal Palm Rd, Suite 120
Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Phone: (480) 435-2774
Email: team@travelbughealth.com
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (by appointment)

Call Now Book Online

Just minutes from across the Valley

North Scottsdale near the 101 and Shea Blvd:

No referral required. Same-day and next-day appointments are often available. Call us with your itinerary and departure date and we will find a time that works for the full two-dose series.

QUESTIONS TRAVELERS ASK

Frequently Asked Questions

Pricing varies based on your specific consultation and the services rendered. Call (480) 435-2774 for current pricing before your appointment. The pre-exposure series requires two doses, so the vaccine line item will appear twice on your receipt. We are transparent about all costs so there are no surprises. Travel vaccines are typically not covered by commercial insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid, though we provide detailed itemized receipts for HSA, FSA, or partial-reimbursement claims.

Most commercial health insurance plans, Medicare, and Medicaid do not cover travel vaccines, including the rabies pre-exposure series. Some plans may offer partial reimbursement when submitted with the appropriate CPT and diagnosis codes. HSA and FSA funds can generally be applied to travel vaccine costs. We provide all documentation required to submit a claim.

For pre-exposure prophylaxis, the current ACIP schedule (updated in 2022) requires two doses, given on day 0 and day 7. This replaced the previous three-dose schedule (days 0, 7, and 21 or 28) for most healthy, immunocompetent adults. The minimum interval between doses is seven days, so you need at least one week before departure to complete the series. Contact us as early as possible before your trip.

Being pre-vaccinated significantly simplifies your post-exposure care, but you still need to act immediately. Wash the wound with soap and water for at least 15 minutes, then seek medical care the same day. You will need two additional vaccine doses, given on days 0 and 3 after the exposure. You do not need rabies immune globulin. This is the key advantage of pre-exposure vaccination: immune globulin is frequently unavailable or unaffordable in many parts of Asia and Africa. Your two-dose post-exposure course is straightforward, widely available, and highly effective when started promptly.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis is the two-dose series given before potential exposure to prime your immune system. Post-exposure prophylaxis is treatment given after a bite, scratch, or mucous membrane contact with a potentially rabid animal. If you have prior pre-exposure vaccination and are exposed, you need 2 post-exposure doses (days 0 and 3) and no immune globulin. If you have no prior pre-exposure vaccination and are exposed, you need 4 post-exposure doses (days 0, 3, 7, and 14) plus immune globulin administered on day 0. Immune globulin is expensive, derived from human plasma, and often unavailable in the countries where travelers most need it. Pre-exposure vaccination eliminates that dependency.

No country currently requires proof of rabies vaccination as a condition of entry. There is no international certificate or documentation requirement comparable to the yellow fever ICVP. The vaccine is recommended based on destination risk, travel activities, and trip length. It is not mandated at any border.

For most travelers, no routine booster is needed after completing the pre-exposure series. The two-dose primary series provides durable immune memory. If you are exposed, the post-exposure vaccine doses will rapidly boost your existing immunity regardless of how many years have passed since the original series. Routine titer-based boosters are recommended for high-risk occupational groups, including veterinarians, laboratory workers, and wildlife rehabilitators, not for travelers. If you are in an occupational category, we can order a rabies titer at your consultation and advise accordingly.

Southeast Asia carries one of the highest rabies burdens in the world. Thailand, Indonesia (including Bali), Vietnam, the Philippines, and India together account for a substantial proportion of global human rabies deaths. Pre-exposure vaccination is strongly recommended for travelers spending more than four weeks in the region, adventure travelers, cyclists, rural visitors, and anyone traveling with children. Bali in particular has had documented rabies cases in foreign tourists, and rabid street dogs remain a documented hazard on the island. Discuss your specific itinerary with us at your consultation.

Yes. The rabies vaccine (both HDCV and PCECV) is an inactivated vaccine with no live virus. It is considered safe during pregnancy when there is meaningful risk of rabies exposure. Unlike the yellow fever vaccine, pregnancy does not create a presumptive contraindication. The decision is based on the risk the destination and itinerary pose, not on the vaccine itself. We review this with pregnant travelers at every consultation and can work with your OB if needed.

Yes. The standard adult dose and schedule apply to children of all ages, including infants. Children are among the highest-priority groups for rabies pre-exposure vaccination because they interact freely with animals, are bitten on the face and head more often than adults, and frequently do not report a bite or scratch to a parent. The wound-to-brain distance is shorter in children, meaning the virus can reach the central nervous system faster. If you are traveling to an endemic country with children, pre-exposure vaccination is a routine recommendation at our clinic.

Globally, domestic dogs are responsible for approximately 99 percent of human rabies deaths. Other reservoirs include bats (worldwide, including the United States), monkeys (particularly in Asia and Africa), raccoons, foxes, skunks (primarily in North America), and cats. In Arizona specifically, bats are the most common rabies vector. Javelinas, coyotes, bobcats, and foxes have also tested positive in Arizona in recent years. Any mammal can theoretically be infected, though rodents (mice, rats, squirrels) and rabbits are rarely found rabid.

Yes. Arizona reports rabies in bats each year, and bat-associated rabies strains are responsible for most human rabies deaths in the United States. The concern with bats is that their bites are small and may go unnoticed, particularly if contact occurs while sleeping. If you wake up and find a bat in your room, or have any possibility of contact with a bat, post-exposure evaluation is recommended even without a visible wound. Wildlife rehabilitators and cave explorers in Arizona should have documented pre-exposure vaccination regardless of international travel plans.

Act immediately. Wash the wound vigorously with soap and running water for a minimum of 15 minutes. This is the single most effective step to reduce viral load at the wound site. Then seek medical care the same day, not the next morning. If you have prior pre-exposure vaccination, you need two doses of rabies vaccine (days 0 and 3) and no immune globulin. If you have no prior pre-exposure vaccination, you need four doses (days 0, 3, 7, and 14) plus immune globulin on day 0. Immune globulin is often unavailable or counterfeit in low-resource settings. Call us from wherever you are at (480) 435-2774. If you are an established patient, we can advise on accessing appropriate care and evacuation options if needed.

Ideally, complete the two-dose series at least 14 days before departure so both doses are given and your immune response has had time to develop. The minimum is seven days before departure for the first dose, with the second given on day 7. If your departure is sooner than seven days, call us. We can discuss whether initiating the first dose before departure and completing the second dose abroad is feasible for your destination. The sooner you call, the more options we have.

  • A detailed travel itinerary including all destinations, dates, planned activities, and accommodation types (urban hotel vs. rural homestay)
  • Any prior immunization records, particularly prior rabies doses
  • A complete medication list, especially antimalarials (chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine), biologics, or immunosuppressants
  • Your insurance card if you plan to submit for reimbursement
  • Documentation of any prior severe allergic reactions to vaccines

Once a patient develops clinical rabies symptoms, the disease is virtually always fatal. The case fatality rate among symptomatic patients approaches 100 percent. There are fewer than 20 documented cases in medical literature of humans surviving clinical rabies, most with severe permanent neurological impairment. There is no effective treatment once symptoms appear. This is why prevention, either through pre-exposure vaccination or prompt post-exposure care after exposure, is the only medically reliable strategy. Rabies is one of the very few diseases where prevention is essentially the whole treatment.

Yes. TravelBug Health is a travel medicine specialty clinic in Scottsdale serving the entire Phoenix metro. We administer both currently approved rabies vaccines (HDCV and PCECV) and follow the current ACIP two-dose pre-exposure schedule. Call (480) 435-2774 to schedule. Same-day and next-day appointments are often available.

Travel Smart. Travel Protected.

Schedule Your Rabies Pre-Exposure Series

No referral required. Two doses. Seven days apart. The simplest way to make sure a dog bite abroad does not become a life-threatening emergency. Same-day and next-day appointments often available.

Call (480) 435-2774 Book Online