coriander
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Absolutely. I have no idea what the uptake of Rabies vaccination is for humans in north America but I'm aware that the pet vaccination is high. Over the years speaking to veterinary students from north America they are all vaccinated for Rabies.
In North America, vets and students are in a much much higher risk category for catching rabies as they tend to deal with the pointy sharp end of unhappy animals a lot more.
I'm as careful as can be but get bitten about once a month, usually 3 seconds after the owner tells me the dog/cat doesn't bite (I'm VERY careful not to ask the classic Inspector Closeau question " does your dog bite?").
I always remember the story related by one of my professors at Uni (a co-author of the standard large animal medicine text book and revered by his students): whilst working in Saskatchewan, he took a cohort of students out on a farm call. In Canada in winter, cattle are often housed in barns and one component of their diet is (sugar) beet. "Choke" is a not uncommon problem characterised by a cow drooling saliva and moaning piteously. The cow was gagged (ie had a mouth gag inserted to keep the jaws open) and one by one the students were told to palpate the larynx to find the offending beet, without success. Most ended up with bleeding forearms covered in saliva as the sharp edges of the cow's molar teeth cut through their rubber gloves and skin. Finally, the Prof put HIS hand down the throat and came up empty. He stood back puzzled.
It was about then that the farmer said that a few of the cattle hadn't been the same since some crazy raccoon ran amok in the barn a few weeks previously....................