Q 12: Is simply observing the biting dog or cat for 10 days without starting treatment
justified?
No. In countries where rabies is prevalent in a large population of dogs and cats, it is compulsory to start treatment and keep the biting dog/cat under 10 days of observation. If the animal remains healthy during the observation period then post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can be converted into pre-exposure regimen, i.e. the vaccine taken will be to prevent rabies if bitten in the future.