Rabies Vaccine Schedule in India: Every Dose, Explained
After a dog, cat or monkey bite, the rabies vaccine is not one injection — it is a short course given on fixed days. This page sets out the schedule used in India, what each dose does, what to do if you are late for one, and when rabies immunoglobulin is added. Dr. Manuj Sondhi (MRCP UK, MD, DNB), Consultant Physician with a Fellowship in Infectious Diseases & HIV, runs the animal-bite service at Nirvana Clinic, opposite Delta-1 Metro, Greater Noida.
The short version: In India the standard intramuscular course is 5 doses on days 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28 (the Essen regimen). Day 0 is the day of your first injection, not the day of the bite. Category III exposures also need rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) around the wound, ideally on day 0. If you have had a full course before, you need only 2 booster doses (day 0 and day 3) and no RIG. A late dose means you continue from where you stopped — you do not restart.
Not sure which category your bite is? Use the Animal Bite Navigator — five questions, one clear next step.
The 5-Dose Schedule Used at Nirvana Clinic
Nirvana Clinic uses the intramuscular Essen regimen recommended in India’s National Guidelines on Rabies Prophylaxis. Each dose is one full vial of a cell-culture rabies vaccine given into the deltoid muscle of the upper arm (the outer thigh in small children — never the buttock, where absorption is unreliable).
| Visit | Day | What happens | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Day 0 | Wound check and category, 15-minute wound wash if not done, first vaccine dose, tetanus protection reviewed. RIG arranged the same day for Category III. | The vaccine needs about 7–10 days to produce protective antibodies; RIG covers that gap for severe exposures. |
| 2 | Day 3 | Second dose. | Builds the early antibody response. |
| 3 | Day 7 | Third dose. Last day on which RIG can still be given if it was missed on day 0. | Protective antibody levels are usually reached from around this point. |
| 4 | Day 14 | Fourth dose. If a pet dog or cat is still healthy after 10 days of observation, the doctor may decide the course can stop here. | Consolidates immunity. |
| 5 | Day 28 | Fifth dose — course complete. Keep your vaccination card. | Gives long-lasting immune memory, which is why future exposures need only boosters. |
You receive a written schedule with the actual calendar dates at your first visit. The vaccines in use at the clinic are Rabivax-S (Serum Institute of India) and Abhayrab (Human Biologicals Institute) — both purified Vero-cell vaccines approved in India. Which one you receive depends on stock; both follow the same schedule.
Which Exposures Need the Vaccine — and Which Also Need RIG
The schedule above is for Category II and III exposures. The category depends on what the animal did to your skin, not on how the animal looked.
| Category | What happened | Vaccine? | RIG? |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Touched or fed the animal; lick on unbroken skin | No — wash the area | No |
| II | Nibbling of uncovered skin; minor scratch or graze without bleeding | Yes — full 5-dose course | No (yes, if your immunity is weakened) |
| III | Any bite or scratch that breaks the skin; lick on broken skin; saliva in eyes, nose or mouth; any bat contact | Yes — full 5-dose course | Yes — in and around the wound, ideally day 0 |
What RIG does
Rabies immunoglobulin provides ready-made antibodies at the wound while your own response builds. Nirvana Clinic does not stock RIG; for Category III exposures the first vaccine dose is given at the clinic and you are referred the same day to a nearby centre for RIG. Who needs RIG, and when.
Not sure which category?
A scratch from a cat, a graze from a monkey, a lick on a cut — these are classified more often than people expect. See cat scratches, monkey bites, or run the Animal Bite Navigator.
Rats, mice and squirrels
Rodent bites are not considered a rabies risk under Indian guidelines, so the vaccine is generally not given — but the wound still needs proper cleaning and a tetanus review. The doctor confirms this at the visit.
Missed a Dose or Running Late? Here Is What Happens
Late by a day or two
Come in as soon as you can. The dose is given, and the remaining doses are rescheduled to keep the same gaps between them. You do not restart from day 0 and you do not need extra doses.
Late by a week or more
Still come in. Under national guidance the course is continued rather than restarted; the doctor may check whether an antibody test is advisable depending on how long the gap was and the category of exposure.
Started the course elsewhere
Bring your card or prescription. The course can be completed at Nirvana Clinic, and switching between approved cell-culture vaccine brands mid-course is acceptable under national guidelines when the original brand is unavailable.
Please don’t do these
Don’t stop after two or three doses because the wound has healed — the wound healing says nothing about the virus. Don’t skip RIG for a Category III bite because the vaccine “has already been started”; they do different jobs. And don’t delay the first dose to see how the dog behaves — observation runs alongside vaccination, never instead of it.
Had a Full Rabies Course Before? You Need Only Two Boosters
Cell-culture rabies vaccines produce lasting immune memory. If you have documented proof of a complete course in the past — either after an earlier bite or as pre-exposure vaccination — a new exposure is managed with:
| Your history | Vaccine | RIG |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 5-dose course (or complete pre-exposure course) with a cell-culture vaccine, with a card or record | 2 doses: day 0 and day 3 | Not needed |
| Complete post-exposure course finished within the last 3 months | Usually no further doses — wound care only; doctor confirms | Not needed |
| Incomplete course, no record, or an old nerve-tissue vaccine (used in India before 2004) | Treated as a fresh exposure: full 5-dose course | Yes, if Category III |
This is why keeping your vaccination card matters: it turns a future five-visit course into two visits with no RIG.
Pre-exposure vaccination (before any bite)
Veterinarians, animal handlers, lab staff, people who feed strays, children in areas with many stray dogs and frequent travellers to remote areas can take a pre-exposure course of 3 doses on days 0, 7 and 21 or 28. It does not remove the need for care after a bite, but it simplifies it to the two-booster schedule above. Pre-exposure vaccination is available through our adult vaccination service.
Special Situations
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Rabies vaccine and RIG are safe in pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and the course is never delayed or shortened because of either. Rabies itself is the danger, not the vaccine.
Children and infants
Children receive the same dose and the same five-day schedule as adults. Because small children are often bitten on the face or hands and may not report a scratch, every unexplained mark after contact with an animal deserves a doctor’s look.
Weakened immunity
People on long-term steroids or chemotherapy, with HIV, or after a transplant may respond less well to the vaccine. For them a Category II exposure is managed as Category III (RIG added), the full 5-dose course is always completed, and an antibody check may be advised after the course.
Side effects
Modern cell-culture vaccines are well tolerated. Mild pain, redness or swelling at the injection site, low-grade fever, headache or tiredness for a day or two are the usual effects. Serious reactions are rare. Paracetamol can be used; the course is not interrupted for minor effects.
Bitten days or weeks ago and never vaccinated? The course still starts in full — see why it is not too late, and why today still matters.
Care Led by Dr. Manuj Sondhi
MRCP (UK), MD, DNB · Consultant Physician & Diabetologist
2-year Fellowship in Infectious Diseases & HIV, Tata Memorial Hospital · Visiting Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Fortis Greater Noida
Dr. Sondhi assesses animal bites, starts the vaccine course at the same visit, arranges RIG where it is needed, and follows the course through to completion. He also runs the clinic’s infectious disease service. Read his full profile.
📍 GF-93, Ground Floor, Sun Twilight Complex, opposite Delta-1 Metro Station, Greater Noida 201308 · Mon–Sat 9 AM–8 PM · 5.0 ★ · 350+ Google reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
How many rabies injections are given after a dog bite in India?
Five intramuscular doses on days 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28, counted from the day of the first injection. Category III exposures also receive rabies immunoglobulin around the wound. People who have previously completed a full course need only two booster doses, on day 0 and day 3.
Is day 0 the day of the bite or the day of the first injection?
Day 0 is the day you receive the first vaccine dose. If you were bitten on Monday and vaccinated on Wednesday, Wednesday is day 0 and the next doses fall on days 3, 7, 14 and 28 counted from Wednesday.
What if I miss a rabies vaccine dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as possible and continue the course with the remaining doses rescheduled to keep the same intervals. The course is continued, not restarted. For long gaps the doctor may advise an antibody test depending on the category of exposure.
Can the rabies vaccine course be stopped early?
Only on a doctor's decision, and only when the biting animal was a pet dog or cat that is alive and healthy after 10 days of observation. In every other situation, including bites by stray or unknown animals, the full course must be completed.
Do I need rabies immunoglobulin if I have started the vaccine?
For a Category III exposure, yes. The vaccine takes about a week to produce antibodies, and immunoglobulin covers that gap by neutralising virus at the wound. It should be given on day 0 and can be given up to day 7 after the first vaccine dose, but not later.
I completed the rabies vaccine course two years ago. Do I need it again after a new bite?
If you have a record of a complete cell-culture vaccine course, a new exposure needs only two booster doses on day 0 and day 3, with no immunoglobulin. Without a record, or if the earlier course was incomplete, it is treated as a fresh exposure.
Which rabies vaccine brands are used at Nirvana Clinic?
Rabivax-S (Serum Institute of India) and Abhayrab (Human Biologicals Institute), both purified Vero-cell rabies vaccines approved in India. The brand given depends on stock, and both follow the same five-dose schedule.
Is the rabies vaccine safe in pregnancy?
Yes. Rabies vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin are given in pregnancy and during breastfeeding without delay or dose reduction, because rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms begin and the vaccine is not known to harm the baby.
Start or Continue Your Rabies Vaccine Course Today
Vaccine in stock, first dose at the same visit, written schedule for the rest. Walk in near Delta-1 Metro, or message us first if you are coming from Noida Extension, Gaur City or Pari Chowk.