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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Suggest Treatment For Dog Bite

hi doctor good morning. I was bitten by well-vaccinated dog yesterday morning.I was wearing jeans at that time.The bite left the area swollen and sore and left a tooth mark (a break in the skin but no bleeding) This morning there is a bruise in a ring shape around the tooth mark. Should I be worried. Do i need to have any vaccination
Thu, 7 May 2015
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hello,

Welcome to Health Care Magic.

Thanks for writing.

I am Dr.Saddiq ul Abidin. I have read your question completely, I understand your concern and will try to help you in best way possible.

The post Exposure Prophylaxis of rabies depend upon the degree of exposure, and the prophylactic measures may vary from simple antirabies vaccines to the use of passive immunity, in the form of anti-rabies serum or immunoglobulins, but since rabies is a potentially fatal disease and its post exposure vaccination have shown to be having almost 99.9% efficacy, so normally doctors don't recommend taking chances, so even for trivial scratches the vaccinations are suggested quite often.

But in your case, since dog is well vaccinated, and since you know the vaccination status of the dog, then it must be, a pet dog likely. So it would be still encouraging if you reconfirm the exact booster dosages and whether the vaccines schedule was followed, as per protocol. If dog is available, it can be examined by a vet to reconfirm whether it has any signs and symptoms of rabies?

Also the history that, whether it was a provoked bite or spontaneously unprovoked incidence is very important, in case of stray dogs mostly. The kind of wound you inflicted is a category 2 wound, which needs rabies vaccination normally, without any need of antirabies serum. but since dog is well vaccinated as you have described,t hen need of vaccination declines.

I would still suggest you, that even if there is a little of ambiguity, regarding the dogs status, you can start anti rabies vaccination according to regular schedule of day 0,3,7 and 21. And meanwhile god can be kept under monitoring. If the dog doesn't show any kind of symptoms in 10 days, then the vaccination can be stopped.

I hope this answered your question.If you have more queries I am happy to answer.Otherwise rate and close the discussion

Regrads.

Dr.Saddiq ul Abidin
M.B.B.S (Licensed Family Physician)
Resident Medicine.
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Suggest Treatment For Dog Bite

Hello, Welcome to Health Care Magic. Thanks for writing. I am Dr.Saddiq ul Abidin. I have read your question completely, I understand your concern and will try to help you in best way possible. The post Exposure Prophylaxis of rabies depend upon the degree of exposure, and the prophylactic measures may vary from simple antirabies vaccines to the use of passive immunity, in the form of anti-rabies serum or immunoglobulins, but since rabies is a potentially fatal disease and its post exposure vaccination have shown to be having almost 99.9% efficacy, so normally doctors don t recommend taking chances, so even for trivial scratches the vaccinations are suggested quite often. But in your case, since dog is well vaccinated, and since you know the vaccination status of the dog, then it must be, a pet dog likely. So it would be still encouraging if you reconfirm the exact booster dosages and whether the vaccines schedule was followed, as per protocol. If dog is available, it can be examined by a vet to reconfirm whether it has any signs and symptoms of rabies? Also the history that, whether it was a provoked bite or spontaneously unprovoked incidence is very important, in case of stray dogs mostly. The kind of wound you inflicted is a category 2 wound, which needs rabies vaccination normally, without any need of antirabies serum. but since dog is well vaccinated as you have described,t hen need of vaccination declines. I would still suggest you, that even if there is a little of ambiguity, regarding the dogs status, you can start anti rabies vaccination according to regular schedule of day 0,3,7 and 21. And meanwhile god can be kept under monitoring. If the dog doesn t show any kind of symptoms in 10 days, then the vaccination can be stopped. I hope this answered your question.If you have more queries I am happy to answer.Otherwise rate and close the discussion Regrads. Dr.Saddiq ul Abidin M.B.B.S (Licensed Family Physician) Resident Medicine.