IIRC it’s fatal once the onset of major symptoms, but treatable at the earliest stages.
Dog bite victims that show up at the Dr. Office, urgent care, emergency rooms usually trigger a report to the city which results in a visit from an animal control officer and inspection/quarantine for 7 days and then another inspection of the dog. At least that’s what happens where I live.
After a go-round with 3 rabid coons in my yard, I had to fight to get the shots.
The SPCA said it was “unnecessary” because they believed I didn’t “have rabies” but would not let me visit the shelter animals because I had been exposed to rabies and was a threat to them. <-— o.O
I also had to bag the coons and take them to the SPCA, myself.
When the infuriated health department head got involved, they finally agreed to test the coons [all 3, positive] then I was told to go the ER.
The doctor said I could not get rabies unless I had a deep puncture wound bite.
When I said that was not true, he sat down and *Googled rabies*!
And only after reading a website that seemed to “surprise” him, he gave me the first shot *9 days after the exposure*.
By that time, thinking no one was going to bother treating me, I had made up a list of people I was going to bite.