What is Rabies?
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system. It is spread through the bite or scratch of an infected animal. The rabies virus is present in the saliva of rabid animals and is transmitted through broken skin. According to the WHO, rabies causes approximately 59,000 human deaths annually in over 150 countries. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
According to the CDC, rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, causing disease in the brain and death. Rabies is caused by lyssaviruses including the rabies virus and Australian bat lyssavirus.
Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease is nearly always fatal. For this reason, rabies treatment is focused on providing supportive care and preventing complications while allowing the virus to run its course. Anti-rabies immunizations are highly effective in preventing rabies before and after exposure to the virus (WHO, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rabies).
How is Rabies Transmitted to Humans?
Rabies is spread through contact with saliva or neural tissue from an infected animal. According to the CDC, rabies virus is transmitted through direct contact (such as through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth) with saliva or neural tissue from a rabid animal. Rabies is most commonly transmitted through bites from infected animals.
Most cases of rabies occur from the bites of infected dogs (https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/transmission/index.html). In the United States, more than 90% of reported rabies cases in animals occur in wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. But transmission to humans from wildlife accounts for <5% of rabies cases - over 70% of rabies cases in humans are caused by dog bites worldwide (https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html).
Can You Get Rabies from Eating Food Licked by a Dog?
The answer is no, you cannot get rabies just from eating food that a dog has licked or eaten from. This is because rabies cannot be transmitted through food that has been contaminated with saliva from a rabid animal (SOURCE).
For rabies transmission to occur, the rabies virus present in the saliva of an infected animal must come into direct contact with open wounds or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) of another animal or person (SOURCE). Simply ingesting food that has been licked or eaten by a rabid animal does not pose a risk of rabies transmission.
The rabies virus is very fragile and cannot survive for long periods outside of an infected host. Once the saliva dries, the virus becomes inactive and no longer poses a threat of infection (SOURCE). Therefore, the rabies virus in dried saliva on food poses no risk of disease transmission when ingested.
In summary, while rabies is a serious viral infection, it cannot be transmitted through food that a dog has licked or eaten from. The virus must come into direct contact with mucous membranes or open wounds to cause infection, so eating food licked by a dog does not pose a risk of rabies.
What is the Risk from a Dog Licking Food?
The risk of contracting rabies from eating food licked by a dog is extremely low to nonexistent. For rabies transmission to occur, the rabies virus present in the saliva of an infected animal must come into direct contact with broken skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) of another animal or person. Licking food does not provide a sufficient route of entry for the virus.
According to the CDC, rabies transmission only occurs when infected saliva or neural tissue enters an open wound or mucous membrane. Simply having rabies virus come into contact with intact skin is not sufficient for transmission. Eating food licked by a dog would not provide enough exposure or entry points for the virus to infect someone.
While a dog’s saliva may contain small amounts of rabies virus, swallowing food licked by an infected dog would not transmit rabies. The digestive acids in the stomach would kill the virus before it could enter the body. For swallowing food to transmit rabies, the food would have to be chewed by the infected animal and mixed with sufficient infected saliva to overwhelm the stomach acid – an unlikely scenario.
In short, while rabies is a dangerous disease, the rampant saliva exposure and entry points required for transmission make it highly unlikely that eating licked food poses any risk. Simple contact between one’s intact skin and rabies infected saliva does not constitute enough exposure for rabies infection.
Has Rabies Ever Been Transmitted Through Food?
There are no documented cases of rabies being transmitted through food. According to the CDC, “Transmission of rabies by eating a rabid animal is extremely uncommon, and the virus does not survive very long outside of the infected animal, so the risk is very low from this type of exposure.”
The rabies virus is very fragile and cannot survive long outside of an infected host. It is rapidly inactivated by desiccation, ultraviolet light and other factors when exposed to the environment. This makes rabies transmission through food highly unlikely.
According to the Pennsylvania state government, “There has never been a documented case of rabies transmitted to humans from an inanimate object. Rabies in Animals. Signs and Symptoms. Rabies signs are progressive over days.”
While cases of foodborne rabies transmission have never occurred, the CDC still recommends avoiding any food or drink that an animal may have contaminated with saliva or nervous system tissue. However, the risk of rabies from these types of exposures is extremely low.
How to Enjoy Food Safely After a Dog Licks It
While the risk of contracting rabies or other illnesses from food licked by dogs is very low, there are some precautions you can take if your dog licks human food before you eat it:
– Wash the area that was licked with hot soapy water. According to one source, this helps remove traces of dirt, germs or parasites[3].
– Avoid eating food with obvious dog bite marks or wounds. An open cut or sore could potentially allow saliva to enter the bloodstream.
– If the food item is something that requires cooking, like meat or eggs, cook it thoroughly to temperatures high enough to kill bacteria.
– Discard foods that are sticky or syrupy which could contain higher levels of bacteria from the mouth.
– Clean any dishes or surfaces the dog licked with hot soapy water before further food preparation.
When to Seek Medical Care
If the dog that licked your food is showing signs of rabies, such as abnormal behavior, trouble swallowing, excessive drooling, or aggression, it’s important to seek medical care right away (CDC). The rabies virus is transmitted through saliva, so contact with a rabid dog’s saliva can potentially transmit the disease.
You should also get immediate medical attention if you have any open wounds that came into contact with a dog’s saliva, whether through a bite or the dog’s saliva on food (WHO). Thoroughly washing the wound with soap and water as soon as possible can help reduce the risk. However, it’s still vital to see a doctor to assess the need for post-exposure prophylaxis with rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin.
Post-exposure prophylaxis is highly effective if administered promptly after exposure (CDC). While the incubation period for rabies can vary, the disease is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. So seeking timely medical treatment after potential exposure is crucial.
Preventing Rabies Transmission from Dogs
An important way to prevent rabies transmission from dogs is to keep your own dogs up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations. The CDC recommends visiting your veterinarian regularly and keeping rabies shots current for all dogs, cats, and ferrets. Rabies vaccines are very effective at protecting pets and preventing transmission (CDC).
When traveling, it’s also wise to avoid contact with stray dogs. Petting or feeding strays puts you at increased risk of being bitten and exposed to rabies. Stray dogs may not be vaccinated against rabies and could potentially transmit the virus. If you are traveling to an area with high rates of rabies, take extra precaution and do not approach or touch any unknown dogs (CDC).
Keeping your own dog vaccinated and avoiding contact with potentially unvaccinated strays are two of the most effective ways to prevent rabies transmission from canines.
Rabies in the United States
Rabies has been nearly eliminated in domestic dogs in the United States thanks to widespread pet vaccination programs. According to the CDC, wild animals accounted for 92.7% of reported rabies cases in 2018.
Only about 10% of animal rabies cases in the US occur in domestic animals such as dogs and cats. Due to pet vaccination, animal control programs, surveillance, and prompt access to medical care, human deaths from rabies are now rare in the US, with only 1-3 cases reported annually.
However, according to the CDC, bats were the most frequently reported rabid wildlife species (33% of cases) in 2018, followed by raccoons (30.1%), skunks (20.3%), and foxes (7.2%). So while domestic dogs are much less of a rabies threat today, contact with wild animals should still be avoided.
The Bottom Line
While the thought of contracting rabies from food licked by a pet dog may seem concerning, the good news is this is not possible according to experts. Rabies is only transmitted through direct contact with infected saliva, usually via a bite wound. There have been no documented cases of rabies transmitted through food, even when licked extensively by a rabid animal.
That being said, it’s always a good idea to wash your hands and rinse off any human food or utensils licked by your pet as a precaution. Their saliva may contain other bacteria that could potentially cause illness. But when it comes to rabies, food licked by a dog does not pose a risk.
If you are ever bitten by an animal you suspect may be infected with rabies, seek medical care immediately. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms set in. However, modern vaccines are extremely effective at preventing the disease if administered promptly after exposure.
So go ahead and enjoy sharing tidbits with your pup. Just be sure to wash up afterwards and keep an eye out for signs of rabies in your pet. With proper precautions, there’s no need to worry about contracting the disease from food they lick.
