Emergency: Dog bite and first aid

• Wash the wound thoroughly with a lot of soap and water
• If possible apply tincture of iodine or betadine
• If an animal has been bitten, the caretaker should wear rubber gloves or two strong non-leaking plastic bags to prevent saliva from the rabid animal entering any wounds on their hands when cleaning the bite wound.
• Measures should be taken immediately to prevent tetanus whether the bite was rabid or not.
• Get anti-rabies injections immediately at the Auroville Health Centre or from a private clinic.
• The old course of post-exposure vaccination through painful injections in the stomach of patients exposed to rabies was recently discontinued at the General Hospital, Pondy. They are now giving a course of Rabipur instead. Rabipur is a good vaccine that costs about Rs. 325 for each shot in a private clinic. At the General Hospital they are giving Rabipur free.

If a rabid animal bites a cow, goat, dog or cat, injections should be started as soon as possible in order to prevent the animal from getting rabies. Even if the animal has been vaccinated, it is best to contact your vet.

Call a vet and ask him to give the necessary course of anti-rabies injections or

• Take it to Rajiv Gandhi Veterinary Hospital in Mettupalayam. They will give the first two injections free. The following 3 or 4 injections will cost Rs. 75 each.
• Take it to Dayakara, they give 5 or 6 injections after a rabid bite for free.

If none of these options is possible, contact Animal Care, 2622629 or leave a letter in the box at Azhugul Fruit Shop, Main Road , Kuilapalayam.

As fear of rabies can provoke cruelty to dogs, please note the following statement by Mother: