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Answers To Your Questions About Dog And Animal Bites

It’s another great week and we are back with answers to questions our readers asked about pets and animals.

At Trojanpost, the answers to your questions are always accurate and straight to the point because we value your time.

Since health is wealth, we will begin with this one that has something to do with health.

Question 1: 

I want to know the cost of anti rabies vaccine for humans. I got bitten by a terrier yesterday. I have already taken a tetanus shot but I was advised to get an anti rabies shot also.

Answer:

We are so sorry that you went through the pains associated with dog bites after being bitten by a Terrier. We also want to commend you for taking the steps to seek medical intervention for dog bite injury. Many victims of dog bites sometimes ignore medical intervention and seek alternative treatments. More often than not, some of them end up dying from rabies if the dog that carried out the attack was a carrier of the virus.

According to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), getting a rabies vaccination as soon as possible after an animal bite is the best way to prevent the infection.

Now to your question, although human rabies is common in Nigeria, the supply of anti-rabies vaccines for human use is grossly inadequate. Because of this, the price of anti rabies vaccine is very high in the country.

Therefore, the cost of anti rabies vaccine and the treatment is between ₦30000 to ₦35000 and will last for 30 days (days 0, 3, 7, 14, 21/28) assuming that you have been exposed to the virus.

Post exposure anti rabies immunization is composed of five shots of vaccination, for days 0, 3, 7, 14, 21/28. You must take the complete shots to ensure adequate protection. You should also start the post-exposure immunization early in order to stand a better chances of surviving the disease.

The good news is, human anti rabies vaccines are effective and well tolerated. So, you will recover after the treatment.

Question 2: 

My neighbor's dog has made several attempts to bite me. What can I do in this case to stop the dog from barking/biting me?

Answer:

It's unfortunate that your neighbour's dog has been aggressive towards you. Any dog can bite whether small, big, young, old, cute, or ugly. Most dogs bark and bite as a reaction to something. Dog bite can occur when a dog attempts to defend its territory from intruder, or when threatened, scared, startled or sick.

But you have to protect yourself from dog bites because it's dangerous and can be deadly.

The best way to prevent dog bite is through information. You have to know how and when to approach a dog and also the body language of an aggressive dog.

So, in order to stop your neighbour's dog from barking/biting, never do the following:
  • Approach or touch your neighbour's dog. Even when the dog is eating, sleeping, or caring for puppies, stay away from it.
  • Go to your neighbour's house or get closer to the dog when your neighbour is not present.
  • Put your face near your neighbour's dog.
  • Run or scream when cornered by your neighbour's dog. If you find yourself in this type of situation, try to remain still while, avoiding eye contact.
It is important for you to report this aggressive behaviour to your neighbour so that he can socialize or train the dog to be friendly.

Question 3:

Can rabies kill dogs?

Answer:

Yes, rabies can kill dogs. Dogs infected with rabies may exhibit restlessness, apprehension, and aggression at the intitial stage of infection but, as the virus progresses, the dog may become hypersensitive to sound, touch and light. This may be followed by paralysis of the throat and jaw muscles which results in foaming at the mouth.  This paralysis may cause disorientation, incordination, and staggering. The infected dog may become weak, loses its appetite, experience seizures and die suddenly.

Question 4:

Can a small bite from dog cause rabies?

Answer:

Yes, a small bite from dog can cause rabies but, the dog must be a carrier of the virus and transmit it to you through its saliva. The bite doesn't have to be big before rabies can be transmitted from dogs or animals to humans.


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