In ancient times, elders often warned that a person bitten by a rabid dog should not attend funerals if they wanted to avoid developing rabies. But why is there a connection between attending a funeral and the onset of rabies? What is the truth behind this belief?
According to Dr. Duy Anh from E Hospital in Hanoi, although there is no scientific basis or medical literature on the matter, folklore and spiritual beliefs suggest that individuals bitten by rabid dogs may quickly exhibit signs of rabies when they attend funerals.
Locking the Dog Inside to Avoid Funeral Drumming Sounds
Upon hearing that her daughter-in-law’s husband had passed away, Mrs. Le Ngoc Anh from Cau Giay, Hanoi, immediately warned her daughter-in-law not to attend the funeral since she had been bitten by a dog less than 100 days prior. Previously, when a neighbor had a funeral, Mrs. Ngoc Anh insisted her daughter-in-law stay locked in the air-conditioned room to avoid the sounds from the funeral drums. During mealtimes, she would bring food directly to her daughter-in-law to prevent her from going outside where she might hear the funeral drums and “develop rabies.” Understanding her mother-in-law’s excessive caution, the daughter-in-law considered protesting, but her mother-in-law interrupted, saying, “We don’t know how rabid dogs behave; better to be safe than sorry.”
In Quoc Oai, Hanoi, there is a tale about Nguyen Thi Luu, a woman who sold pork at the village market and died in 2010. One day, she chased away a dog that was trying to take a piece of pork and was bitten on the arm. Her husband believed the dog was acting aggressively and killed it, but Luu thought it was just their pet and did not get a rabies shot. When Luu attended a funeral in the village, she collapsed at the gate upon hearing the sounds of drums and horns, foaming at the mouth and thrashing about, which terrified everyone present. Looking back, it was noted that Luu had been bitten by the dog over two months prior, and both she and her family had forgotten about the incident.
Rabies significantly affects the human nervous system, so after first aid, victims should be taken to the nearest medical center for consultation and vaccination. (Illustrative image).
In Hai Duong, people also share the story of a farmer named Vong, who was bitten on the arm by a dog that had just given birth after it ran out to greet a neighbor during Tet. In a panic, he killed the dog with a stick and then cooked it for meat. Vong assumed it was just a pet dog and that it was normal for it to bite back when attacked, so he did not get vaccinated like his neighbor. More than a month later, while passing by a funeral, he exhibited rabies symptoms and died in agony.
Funerals Carry a Heavy Spiritual Atmosphere
Dr. Duy Anh states that dogs are intelligent and loyal pets, yet they can harbor the dangerous rabies virus. The rabies virus primarily spreads through bites or open wounds exposed to saliva from an infected dog. While there is no scientific basis for this belief, folklore and spiritual perspectives suggest that individuals bitten by rabid dogs may develop rabies symptoms more quickly when attending a funeral. Some doctors have observed that sick individuals, those experiencing swelling, or infections tend to see their conditions worsen after attending funerals, which is referred to as “spiritual contamination.”
From a spiritual perspective, Mr. Do Trong Khue, the head of the Eastern Culture Department at the Institute for Human Potential Development, explains that people bitten by rabid dogs are similar to those who are ill. During this time, their immunity is weakened (yang energy diminished), and attending a funeral can exacerbate their condition due to the impact of the spiritual atmosphere, especially at funerals marked by overlapping deaths. In some cases, a person bitten by a rabid dog may only need to hear the funeral drums to show symptoms. Spiritually, the deceased exude a type of energy that science has yet to measure with existing instruments, but it negatively impacts those who are already weak or sick. It may be that individuals bitten by rabid dogs, by failing to receive vaccination, have the rabies toxin deeply embedded in their systems, and when they are exposed to the funeral’s spiritual atmosphere, the virus can become active.
Mr. Do Trong Khue advises that people who have been bitten by dogs, those who are ill, the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and those recovering from illness or suffering from chronic diseases should avoid attending funerals and places with heavy spiritual atmospheres (such as cemeteries or funeral homes). The environment at these locations is often filled with negative energy, which can lead to fatigue and a further decline in health, making existing conditions worse. The “cold” of the funeral environment signifies a contaminated space due to the release of cadaveric energy, which is a subtle feeling each person perceives differently, not merely a drop in temperature. Certain spiritual experiences cannot be explained by science. The connection between attending a funeral after being bitten by a rabid dog and developing symptoms has yet to be verified and remains a part of folk wisdom.
In reality, the atmosphere at funerals is different from that at death anniversaries or celebrations, leading to polluted air from the release of death energy, which science cannot fully explain. If someone has an open wound (from a dog or other animal bite, or an accident) and attends a funeral, they are at a higher risk of infection, which may worsen their condition.
Rabies primarily spreads through bites or open wounds exposed to dog saliva.
Don’t Worry Excessively
Dr. Ha Thi Lanh, a consultant at the Center for Scientific and Technical Services – Preventive Health of the Central Institute of Epidemiology, recounted a case where someone was overly worried. A man who had sold dog meat in Hanoi for many years fell ill and was sent home from the hospital. Many relatives and friends visited him, shaking hands, patting his shoulder, and hugging him sympathetically. Just hours before he died, he exhibited rabies symptoms, foaming at the mouth and biting everything within reach. Those who had cared for him felt shocked, abandoning the deceased to hire a car to take everyone to the Institute of Epidemiology for rabies vaccinations. Although doctors advised that rabies is very difficult to transmit from human to human, everyone insisted on getting the rabies serum and vaccine before agreeing to proceed with the funeral.
According to doctors, the rabies virus responds differently in each individual, with an incubation period and onset of symptoms typically ranging from 14 days, though some cases can be longer. Individuals bitten by dogs should receive rabies vaccinations as soon as possible. Doctors will provide guidance on whether to administer the vaccine based on assessments. Both the person bitten and those providing first aid should remain calm and provide careful first aid to prevent worsening the situation.
Dog owners should be vigilant in monitoring their pets and should not kill the dog immediately; instead, they should confine it for observation to aid in the treatment of the victim. If the dog appears lethargic or refuses to eat, the owner should inform a veterinarian for further treatment. Monitoring the dog for 10-15 days is crucial; if the dog remains normal, there is no cause for concern. However, if the dog refuses to eat, dies, goes missing, or is sold for meat, the bitten individual should seek rabies vaccination immediately. Rabies severely affects the nervous system and can lead to death if not promptly treated and vaccinated.
Preventive Measures When Attending Funerals
- Families holding a funeral should place a pot of burning grapefruit peels and fruit at the entrance to ward off negative energy.
- People attending funerals should chew raw ginger, drink garlic wine, or consume leaves from the sour plum tree, as these have medicinal properties that boost yang energy and enhance the body’s resistance. Traditionally, people also carry garlic or green bananas in their pockets to absorb negative energy, which they then throw into water (rivers, streams, ponds) to ward off evil spirits.
Why Do Rabid Dogs Die After Biting People?
Scientists have studied and explained why rabid dogs die after biting people. Domestic dogs are usually well-trained and cared for, so they rarely bite without provocation. However, when infected with the rabies virus, they become agitated and fearful, leading to aggressive behavior. Typically, rabid dogs will have an incubation period (meaning the virus is present in their saliva without showing symptoms) lasting from 3 to 15 days, after which they will exhibit signs of illness.
When a victim is bitten by a rabid dog, the virus has already been present in the dog’s saliva, contributing to the development of rabies in the human victim. However, the dog may not show symptoms until after it has bitten a person, at which point it will begin to exhibit symptoms and eventually die. Therefore, the phenomenon of rabid dogs dying after biting humans is not strange but can be fully explained scientifically.
If a dog dies after biting a person, the victim should receive rabies vaccination as soon as possible. Additionally, if the dog goes missing, is sold, or killed for meat and its condition cannot be monitored, the bitten individual should seek medical attention to receive rabies vaccination immediately.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rabies is a viral disease that almost always results in death once clinical symptoms appear. Approximately 99% of rabies cases are transmitted to humans by domestic dogs. Currently, there is no effective treatment for rabies once clinical symptoms appear. However, the disease can be prevented by administering the rabies vaccine before or immediately after exposure. Rabies is responsible for approximately 70 deaths in Vietnam each year, with the majority of rabies cases in the country resulting from bites by rabid dogs. The cause of rabies is a type of virus called Rhabdovirus found in the saliva of infected animals. Infected animals can transmit rabies to other animals or humans through bites. In some cases, rabies can also be transmitted through contact with saliva on open wounds or mucous membranes, such as the eyes or nose. For instance, if a rabid animal in the incubation stage licks an open wound on your skin, you could become infected. |
