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Bitten By Dog On Finger, Red Mark. Dog Has Been Given Anti-rabid Vaccination. Do I Need A Vaccination?
hello, i ve been bitten by my 2-year old maltese this morning. you see, I was giving him denta stix or snacks. I thought he wouldn t eat it so i picked it up again then he suddenly got angry and bit me on my index finger . There was no blood . however, it hurts and it has a red mark. i tried squeezing it so the blood can go out but it didnt bleed , it has just a red mark and hurts. He had his anti rabid shot last month and so was i because i got bitten by my other dog. sooo.. should i still be worried?
Mon, 3 Dec 2012
Hello and welcome to HCM
The management of bites by animals eg dogs, monkeys, baboons, bats, rats or any other animal domestic, non-domestic or wild depends on following features:
1. The type of injury- abrasion with/ without bleeding, number of injury sites (single/ multiple), site (head & neck, chest & abdomen, upper or lower limbs).
2. The immediate steps to be followed after an injury are- wash the site of injury with copious amount of soap and water.
3. Get tetanus toxoid within 48 hours of the injury, earlier the better.
4. If there are multiple injuries with oozing out of the blood, immunoglobulins are recommended especially if the animal who has bitten is a street animal/ non-domestic or a wild animal. The dose of immunoglobulin is calculated according to the weight of the individual. Half the dose is given at the site of the injury and half is given in the arm (deltoid muscle). In addition anti-rabies vaccine is given on days 0, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 90 days.
5. In case the animal is domestic and has been given anti-rabies treatment only the anti-rabies injections can be given as mentioned above.
In your case, the animal involved is a domestic one, the animal has beem vaccined and the injury was an abrasion without oozong out of blood and more over you have taken anti-rabies vaccine a month ago; the only measures required are washing the wound immediately with soap and water for 10-15 minutes and a tetanus toxoid if you have not got it a month back.
You can take a painkiller for the pain.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal
The management of bites by animals eg dogs, monkeys, baboons, bats, rats or any other animal domestic, non-domestic or wild depends on following features:
1. The type of injury- abrasion with/ without bleeding, number of injury sites (single/ multiple), site (head & neck, chest & abdomen, upper or lower limbs).
2. The immediate steps to be followed after an injury are- wash the site of injury with copious amount of soap and water.
3. Get tetanus toxoid within 48 hours of the injury, earlier the better.
4. If there are multiple injuries with oozing out of the blood, immunoglobulins are recommended especially if the animal who has bitten is a street animal/ non-domestic or a wild animal. The dose of immunoglobulin is calculated according to the weight of the individual. Half the dose is given at the site of the injury and half is given in the arm (deltoid muscle). In addition anti-rabies vaccine is given on days 0, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 90 days.
5. In case the animal is domestic and has been given anti-rabies treatment only the anti-rabies injections can be given as mentioned above.
In your case, the animal involved is a domestic one, the animal has beem vaccined and the injury was an abrasion without oozong out of blood and more over you have taken anti-rabies vaccine a month ago; the only measures required are washing the wound immediately with soap and water for 10-15 minutes and a tetanus toxoid if you have not got it a month back.
You can take a painkiller for the pain.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal
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