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Can a dog pass rabies infection by putting his tongue in some food?

Prof Anthony Redmond
Professor of Emergency Medicine,
Keele University, Staffordshire,
UK

Q: I want to know if rabies can be caused if a stray dog puts its tongue in some eatable which is later eaten by a child?

A:No. Any infection in the saliva will be destroyed by the gut. Rabies infection needs the infection to be introduced directly into the flesh by a bite.