What to do if you are bitten by a dog?

Rabies (hydrophobia) is an acute viral zoonotic infection characterized by symptoms of polyencephalitis. In the presence of clinical manifestations in humans, the disease ends in death. Please note that you can ask the new jersey dog ​​bite attack for help. 

If you have been bitten by a dog, or if the animal's saliva has come into contact with your skin, then you are already at risk of rabies infection!

1. It is imperative to carry out the initial treatment of the wound on your own in a short time - thoroughly wash the wound surface for at least 15 minutes with a stream of water and laundry soap and immediately contact a medical institution (trauma center), where you will be given first aid and prescribed a course of treatment preventive vaccinations, will inform you about the need for preventive vaccinations and the possible consequences if the vaccination course is violated.

Until now, the only way to help people at risk of infection is the timely administration of anti-rabies immunoglobulin and the appointment of a course of immunization.

It should be remembered: the earlier rabies immunization is started, the more likely a successful outcome in this situation. In no case should you refuse the prescribed treatment and arbitrarily interrupt it, this can lead to tragic consequences.

The concentrated purified culture-based rabies vaccine (KOCAV) used in our country is a highly effective drug that meets all WHO requirements and can stop the development of the disease in a person bitten by an infected animal.

Pregnancy and infancy under no circumstances serve as a basis for refusing specific immunization.

2. An animal with which a case of human rabies is associated is subject to isolation for 10 days or to killing (in case of aggressive behavior). Therefore, it is important to tell the health worker about the animal.

3. If it was possible to examine the animal, then with a positive result of the laboratory diagnosis of the animal examined for rabies, the started course of specific anti-rabies treatment continues, if the result is negative, the vaccination course is stopped!

If the animal has clinical manifestations suspicious of rabies, the course of anti-rabies treatment is continued, despite the negative result of laboratory diagnostics.

4. If the animal under observation did not fall ill (did not die) within 10 days from the moment of infliction of damage (saliva) to a person, then the course of anti-rabies treatment is terminated.

In order not to get sick with rabies, you must:

• purchase animals only in specialized organizations in the presence of a veterinary examination;

• avoid contact with homeless (stray) and wild animals, especially in cases where there are such signs as aggression, excessive salivation, inhibited reaction;

• do not hand-feed or stroke wild and neglected domestic animals;

• observe the rules for keeping domestic (dogs, cats) and farm animals and annually vaccinate them against rabies (vaccination in state veterinary clinics with a domestically produced vaccine is free of charge);

• not carry out independent slaughter and destruction of dead farm animals without a veterinary examination;

• children often suffer from animal bites, so it is necessary to constantly conduct explanatory work with them and try to avoid unnecessary contact with animals, especially wild and / or neglected ones;

• the child should be reminded of the need to inform adults in case of even minor injuries caused by animals.

A course of preventive immunization against rabies is carried out for persons professionally associated with the risk of rabies infection (Employees of services that trap animals (catchers, drivers, hunters, foresters and others; employees of veterinary stations for combating animal diseases who have contact with animals (veterinarians, paramedics, laboratory assistants, junior staff); employees of research institutes and diagnostic laboratories conducting research on rabies; employees of vivariums and other institutions working with animals).

A single booster immunization is recommended every 1 year and every 3 years thereafter if the individual continues to be at high risk.

At the end of the course of preventive and treatment-and-prophylactic immunization, each victim must be issued a certificate of vaccination against rabies.

Be extremely careful and attentive to your health!