We should treat the dog that bit us like a new son-in-law who has just arrived home.

Story highlights

• What should we do with a dog that has bitten us?
• What can we do, we should kill it and throw it away is the answer that most people give.
• This is wrong.

What should we do with a dog that has bitten us? What can we do, we should kill it and throw it away is the answer that most people give. This is wrong. The dog should not be killed. It should not be killed. It should be saved. Because if the dog that bit us lives for ten days, there is no chance of us getting rabies from it. That is why we should take care of that dog. As carefully as we would take care of a new baby.

For us to get rabies, the dog that bit us must have rabies and the virus must be present in its saliva. A dog with the virus in its saliva must die within a week. No animal has ever survived more than a week with rabies. If a dog that bit us survived more than a week, it does not have rabies. And if it does not have rabies, there is no chance that it can get rabies from biting us. To make sure of that, we need to observe the dog that bit us for ten days. What to do with a dog bite wound? Wash the wound with water as soon as possible. It is better to wash it with soap if possible. Do not wash the wound superficially, but wash it deeply. Therefore, place the injured part under the tap and wash it so that the water goes into the wound. Only then will the rabies virus inside the wound be completely removed. If the tap is not available immediately after the bite, it is better to take water in a mug and wash it from a height so that it falls on the wound. Wash it at least ten times. If you can wash the wound immediately like this, then even if the dog that bit you has rabies, there is no chance of it getting to you.

There is no living creature in the world that has survived rabies. No cure has been found for this disease yet. If you get infected with this disease, you will die within a week. To prevent such a terrible disease, a great man named Louis Pasteur discovered a vaccine for dog bites in 1885. That is, even though a vaccine was found for this rabies disease 134 years ago, there is no cure for the disease. Every year, about 60 thousand people die from rabies worldwide, of which 20 thousand people die in our country. This rabies disease is not only transmitted through dog bites. It can also be transmitted through the bites of animals like foxes, cats, monkeys, and bats. In India, 98% of rabies cases are caused by dog bites.

How to get the rabies vaccine? The medical principle that existed in the past is that if a dog bites, 14 injections are given around the navel. Now the vaccination around the navel has been canceled in many countries. It has also been canceled in our country since 2004. Now the vaccine that is injected into the muscle has become available. This vaccine should be given in five doses. The first dose is immediately after the bite, the second dose is on the third day, the third dose is on the seventh day, and the fourth dose is on the 28th day. (0-3-7-14-28). The cost of these 5 doses of the vaccine is about 2000 rupees. This
The cost is difficult for the poor to bear. To reduce the cost, research has been done and a vaccine has now been developed that is injected into the skin. This vaccine needs to be administered in four doses (0-3-7-28) and its total cost is about 400 rupees.

When should this vaccine be administered? It is best to get vaccinated as soon as possible after the bite. It is difficult for us to determine whether the dog that bit us is healthy or rabid. Even if it is not possible to observe the dog that bit us after the first and second doses, the third dose, which should be administered on the seventh day, should be administered even if the dog dies. If the dog survives, there is no need to administer the remaining doses.

These precautions should be taken not only when bitten by a dog, but also when bitten by animals such as cats, monkeys, foxes, bats, donkeys, and horses.

Dr. M.V. Ramanaiah, Ramachandra Reddy Hospital, Nellore State President, Public Health Forum