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Can anyone who knows Croatia well help me get this risk in perspective?

10 replies

Puddleglum2 · 20/09/2015 13:00

Thinking of booking a holiday to Croatia, but was a bit alarmed to read on a Government website that Croatia is classed as "high risk" for rabies, which has been detected in both wild and domestic animals there. I am trying to get some kind of perspective on how big (or otherwise) this risk is for a family going on a standard package tour to a resort. (For example, I am thinking that there are poisonous snakes in the wild in England, so you can't say the risk of getting bitten by a poisonous snake in England is nil, but realistically it is such a minute risk that it is not worth worrying about. I am trying to get my head around whether the Croatia rabies risk is similar, or whether it is something that needs to be seriously considered.)

Would it occur to a Croatian who had been bitten/scratched by an animal to worry about rabies, or is the risk so small that it wouldn't occur? Or would people who live in Croatia be routinely vaccinated against rabies? Is it common to encounter dogs that are not on a lead/ cats that don't really belong to anyone and so approach tourists in outdoor restaurants in the hope of food? Or is it the case that we would be unlikely to come into contact with animals if we don't approach them?

TIA

OP posts:
Christelle2207 · 20/09/2015 13:03

I've been to croatia and have to say risk of rabies was not on my radar at all.
If Croatia is, then I imagine many other countries will be deemed high risk too. Just go and see a doc if you get bitten surely.

Christelle2207 · 20/09/2015 13:04

Btw I do recall seeing stray cats and dogs (like in Greece) but they were all unaggressive.

HarrietSchulenberg · 20/09/2015 13:09

Can you not get a rabies vaccination before you go, seeing as your travel advice suggests rabies is common?
If not, then you will be able to access health care via your travel insurance, should you need it.

specialsubject · 20/09/2015 14:41

having worked in Greece, quite a lot of the strays are aggressive, especially at the end of the season when the soft-hearted tourists have gone and they get hungry.

however rabies is easy to avoid; you go nowhere near any mammals, tame, wild or otherwise. You do not feed begging animals. Common sense.

it cannot be transmitted between people. Anyone who does develop it is dead in 10 days anyway.

Puddleglum2 · 22/09/2015 16:40

Thank you for the replies. I am definitely not the sort of person who approaches unknown dogs or cats, but I guess my concern is that if there are a lot of stray dogs around, they may approach me!

OP posts:
specialsubject · 23/09/2015 11:10

unlikely unless you are on a bike or waving food around.

ArchbishopOfBanterbury · 23/09/2015 11:22

We didn't see a stray dog or cat at all in Croatia. If we had been bitten, I'd have been straight to a doctor (but I think that'd be the case if I were bitten in England too)

Tyrannosaurus · 23/09/2015 11:27

As far as I am aware, the rabies jab just gives you extra time to get medical treatment, if you are somewhere without easy access to hospitals. If you did get bitten by an animal, you would have to assume it could have rabies, and go to hospital for treatment, to prevent any risk of you developing rabies, but if you keep away from any animals I can't imagine there is much risk.

lottysmum · 25/09/2015 21:36

Hi

We have been to Croatia several time;s and Rabies has never been on by radar either ....

Croatia is a wonderful place to holiday whereabouts are you considering ...we have been to Korcula - Split - Dubrovnik - Cavtat and in a few weeks we are off to Pula and Rovinj

Jane

MrsCaecilius · 09/10/2015 13:49

Tyrannosaurus is right. A rabies jab only buys you additional time to get to a hospital and is usually recommended if you are going to be right out in the sticks somewhere.

As a seasoned traveller I think you'll be fine. Follow the sensible advice of not approaching any animals - stopping kids wanting to stroke the stray dogs etc and if the worst happens and anyone gets bitten (extremely unlikely) take the precaution of visiting a doctor asap.

Goes without saying that ensuring you have adequate health insurance is a sensible step too.

Croatia is a beautiful place - have a lovely trip!

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