Rabies: Almost 100% Fatal — and Almost 100% Preventable
Two numbers that sit strangely together: once symptoms start it's almost always fatal, and almost every case is preventable. What to do in the window between.
The shortest dose in the set, and one of the most actionable. The whole episode lives in the gap between an exposure and an infection. Every quote below plays the exact moment from the recording — just tap it.
🔵 Dr. Rob Gillio · Host
Two numbers
World Rabies Day, September 28th, 100% fatal, almost. Very few survivors who truly have the disease, but also almost 100% preventable.
Dr. Rob Gillio · Host & Chief Health Officer, The Force for Health Network🛡️ Global Advisor🏛️ Chamber Member
Animal vaccination did most of the population-level work — vaccinating the animals we domesticated cut the load in our communities. Post-exposure care does the rest, one person at a time.
What to do after a bite
When you have an animal bite, it's not good enough to just go diagnose it on Google.
Dr. Rob Gillio · Host & Chief Health Officer, The Force for Health Network🛡️ Global Advisor🏛️ Chamber Member
Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Then get medical and public-health guidance, and bring the details that change the risk assessment: what animal, where it happened, what you were doing, whether the attack was provoked, and whether the animal was photographed, captured or is deceased. He names raccoons and bats specifically — in some regions, an unprovoked encounter with either is a real rabies question.
The rule
Don't get bit, don't provoke, and don't self-diagnose.
Dr. Rob Gillio · Host & Chief Health Officer, The Force for Health Network🛡️ Global Advisor🏛️ Chamber Member
And the one piece that is entirely in your hands and costs the least: if you have a pet, spend the money and get the shots.
🩺 The Daily Dose🦇 Rabies💉 Vaccination🐾 One Health
✏️ Editor’s note: Correction on wound care — follow CDC rather than the recording: immediate, thorough cleansing with plain soap and water is what's recommended; antibacterial, deodorant or harsh soap is not required. Post-exposure prophylaxis depends on a risk assessment and vaccination history; it is not automatic.
📄 Source: The Daily Dose with Dr. Rob — Dose 10, September 28, 2026, 2:28, The Force for Health® Network. Watch on Vimeo. Quotes are verbatim from the recording's caption file, and every timestamp was resolved against it at build time. Educational content; not a substitute for personalized medical advice.