How to avoid dog bites

By Cymbeline R. Villamin
Editor, Infoscience

My sixteen-year old son Jun Paolo, suffered multiple or third degree dog bites a few months ago.  It was a most excruciating experience for him and me. I want to spare readers the gory details and just tell you some valuable lessons.  Prevention is always better than cure.  So, the first important thing is —avoid being bitten by a dog.  But if bitten despite precautions, don't panic.  If you do, you cannot think clearly and make the right decisions.

Tips to Avoid Dog Bites

1. Never assume a dog won't bite.
2. Don't run past a dog.  The dog's natural instinct is to chase and catch prey.
3. If a dog threatens you, don't scream.  Avoid eye contact.  Try to remain motionless until the dog leaves.   Back away slowly until the dog is out of sight.
4. Don't approach a strange dog, especially one that is tied up or confined.
5. Always let a dog see and sniff you before you pet the animal.
6. Always walk your dog on a leash.  Keep dogs indoors, where they are safe from traffic and other animals.
7. When you are not walking, keep the dog indoors or in a fenced yard.  Spend time playing with and caring for your dog.
8. Don't pet or approach a dog (or cat) while it is eating, sleeping, or guarding something. Pets guard their food, babies, and toys.
9. Dogs also protect their owners and properties that belong to owners such as home, yard or car.
10. Don't try to pull a toy, stick, food, or any other item from a dog's mouth.  Avoid playing tug-of-war with dogs.   Playing roughly with dogs may teach them to bite, jump, or become aggressive.
11. Don't run away from a dog that chases you.  A dog's natural instinct is to chase and catch someone running away.  If you stand still, the dog will most likely stop, sniff, and leave you alone when it realizes you are not a threat.  Don't chase or tease dogs or cats, and avoid petting or trying to pick up strange pets.
12. Don't approach a dog (or any other animal) that is injured.  Instead, help the animal by calling a veterinarian or animal control authority.

What to do when bitten by a dog

Health authorities give the following advice on what to do when bitten by a dog:
1. Force the wound to bleed.
2. Wash wound with soap and water to remove microorganisms and reduce chances of infection.
3. After washing the wound, apply alcohol or iodine tincture.

4. Go immediately to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa City or to San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.

If for any reason, anyone you know suffers from a dog bite, bring him or her immediately to the RITM or to the SLH.  These government hospitals charge only minimum amount for service.  But be prepared to pay for the anti-rabies vaccines that can be very expensive. This proved a nightmare for me as a parent when I was asked to pay some P 20,000 for an HRIG (human rabies immunoglobulin) shot during the second day of my son's treatment.  I survived the financial shock with the help of a social worker who pleaded our case with the hospital's social service unit and wrote a letter requesting financial assistance from the Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office. 

Jun Paolo was writhing in pain when injection was done directly to the fresh wounds in his leg.

Meanwhile, the dog owner proved hostile and seemed unwilling to give anymore help aside from the initial P 1000 he shelled out angrily.  My son and his friends sought the help of the homeowners association president, also a mother, who made instructions to take Jun Paolo immediately to the San Lazaro Hospital for treatment. 

The first dose of anti-rabies vaccine was dispensed at 12:00 midnight.  I learned this from my daughter's text message.  My son arrived home at 3:00 in the morning accompanied by friends.  I couldn't talk to Jun Paolo because he was too exhausted and scared.

Why are anti-rabies vaccines very expensive?

ERIG (equine rabies immunoglobulin) from horses and HRIG from human cells are extremely expensive because these are in short supply worldwide.

Production of HRIG depends on the availability of human donors who had been immunized against rabies and requires an expensive screening and production process.

ERIG production requires constant supply of serum from horses that had been immunized against rabies.  Large multinational manufacturers are reluctant to maintain such facilities because of pressures from animal rights groups, increasing production costs, and complex directives from national regulatory authorities. Three major European manufacturers such as Boehring, Sclavo and Berna discontinued production of ERIG during the past two decades. Adventis-Pasteur is the remaining manufacturer.

Among Asian nations, only Thailand produces a moderate quantity of HRIG from unpaid volunteer donors at the Thai Red Cross National Blood Center in Bangkok.

What can the government do?

Local governments must strictly require dog owners to have pets vaccinated with anti-rabies every year.  In Muntinlupa City, anti-rabies vaccines are given to dogs for free. Dog owners are encouraged to have their pets vaccinated through massive information campaign, including the installation of giant billboards along prominent public locations. We hope all the other local governments will follow to spare possible dog bite victims of the horrible pain and medical expense.

Dogs that bite even without provocation should be slain in the most merciful way possible.

Owners of dogs that bit people must extend financial help.  Irresponsible dog owners must be penalized.

Ideally, every dog owner should hire a professional trainer to optimize the animal's worth and ensure safe behavior towards everyone.  A responsible owner can really make a dog man's best friend.

It is also very helpful if every barangay can maintain an animal bite clinic to serve the emergency needs of victims.  Animal rabies — whether from dog, cat, horse, rat, bat, or snake — can be fatal or result in death if not treated properly and immediately.