Woman Dies of Rabies After Ignoring Tiny Dog Scratch on Vacation

A British woman who was scratched by a stray dog while on vacation in Morocco later died from rabies — months after the seemingly minor incident.

Yvonne Ford, 59, became infected with the deadly virus after what was described as a very small scratch from a puppy during her trip in February 2025. At the time, she believed the injury was minor and did not seek medical treatment.

Four months later, her health suddenly took a terrifying turn.

Ford began feeling sick and developed severe symptoms before dying in June, according to details revealed during an inquest.

Her daughter, Robyn Thomson, previously shared the heartbreaking timeline in a Facebook post, explaining how quickly the illness progressed.

“Two weeks ago she became ill, starting with a headache and resulting in her losing her ability to walk, talk, sleep, swallow,” Thomson wrote. “Resulting in her passing.”

During the inquest hearing on March 3, it was revealed that Ford initially sought medical care after experiencing hallucinations and confusion in late May. Doctors at Barnsley Hospital referred her to a mental health team after the unusual symptoms appeared.

Psychiatrist Dr. Alexander Burns later spoke with Ford about her recent travel history while investigating possible causes for her condition, including Lyme disease.

That conversation revealed a crucial detail.

Ford told him she had been scratched by a stray dog during her vacation in Morocco — something medical staff had not previously known.

Burns said he later learned from Ford’s husband that the incident occurred on February 10 while the couple was visiting a beach in Morocco.

The scratch had broken her skin, but Ford had not thought it was serious enough to seek treatment at the time.

After the new information came to light, Burns diagnosed rabies — the first case he had ever personally encountered.

Ford was quickly transferred to the infectious disease unit at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. She died there on June 11.

Rabies is a rare but deadly virus that spreads to humans through contact with infected animals, most often through bites or scratches. According to medical experts, once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal.

Health officials stress that anyone who has contact with a potentially infected animal should seek immediate medical care and receive rabies vaccinations as a precaution.

During the inquest, infectious disease specialist Dr. Katharine Cartwright told the court that by the time Ford began showing symptoms, there was nothing doctors could do to save her.

“There was nothing that could have been done… that would have saved her,” Cartwright said.

Rabies cases in the United Kingdom are extremely rare. Experts say there have been only 26 reported cases in the country since 1946.