I Got Bit On The Hand By A Dog In Bangkok

[6678hhg]

The wound is very small, however it did bleed a little bit. Hard to tell if the dog is rabid or not. Got it washed and disinfected immediately. I seriously estimate a 2% chance, probably not even, that I have been infected with rabies. Also Ive been taking some antiobiotics just to be on the safe side.

Does anyone know about any cases about people get bit by rabid dogs and dying in Bangkok, etc? Or any general information on the topic of rabies in Thailand.

[Captain Haddock]

Go get a rabies shot to be sure - you'll definitely live if you do, possibly die if you don't.

[6678hhg]

Go get a rabies shot to be sure - you'll definitely live if you do, possibly die if you don't.

How long do you have to get the shot after you were bit? I seriously doubt Im in danger of dying.

[Jingthing]

Of course antiobiotics won't prevent rabies. Rabies is 100 percent fatal (OK there was one known case of a cure that I know of, but hardly worth mentioning.) You didn't mention what you know about the dog? Street dog? Were you able to talk the owner? Ideally sometimes owners can show a rabies vaccination to you (I know that ideal is rare). Probably too late for that. Might want to post in the medical section but I feel you have no choice but to go for rabies shots. Good news, word is they are not very painful these days.

I feel if you value your life you should go to the hospital ASAP.

Rabies: Bangkok’s many ‘soi dogs’ are an eyesore and a nuisance, although they’re rarely aggressive towards people – or friendly for that matter, which will probably be as much of a relief when you see the state of some of them! However, a rabid dog is a different matter and dogs do get infected from time to time in Bangkok. If you’re bitten, or an open wound is licked by a dog or any other animal in Thailand (there are plenty of stray cats around too) then you should report to hospital immediately. A pre-exposure vaccination is available for this fatal disease, but if you are bitten by a suspect animal, you still need to get a series of post-exposure shots, and so the same caution should be exercised at all times, even by those who are vaccinated.

http://www.1stopbangkok.com/about_bkk/health/ Edited May 2, 2010 by Jingthing

[Mossfinn]

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[6678hhg]

Of course antiobiotics won't prevent rabies. Rabies is 100 percent fatal (OK there was one known case of a cure that I know of, but hardly worth mentioning.) You didn't mention what you know about the dog? Street dog? Were you able to talk the owner? Ideally sometimes owners can show a rabies vaccination to you (I know that ideal is rare). Probably too late for that. Might want to post in the medical section but I feel you have no choice but to go for rabies shots. Good news, word is they are not very painful these days.

I feel if you value your life you should go to the hospital ASAP.

Rabies: Bangkok’s many ‘soi dogs’ are an eyesore and a nuisance, although they’re rarely aggressive towards people – or friendly for that matter, which will probably be as much of a relief when you see the state of some of them! However, a rabid dog is a different matter and dogs do get infected from time to time in Bangkok. If you’re bitten, or an open wound is licked by a dog or any other animal in Thailand (there are plenty of stray cats around too) then you should report to hospital immediately. A pre-exposure vaccination is available for this fatal disease, but if you are bitten by a suspect animal, you still need to get a series of post-exposure shots, and so the same caution should be exercised at all times, even by those who are vaccinated.

http://www.1stopbangkok.com/about_bkk/health/

Yep it was a street dog chillin on the street, it had a collar. I saw someone today feeding it chicken bones. WHat do you think are the odds the dog has rabies and how long does someone who gets infected have to get a shot?

[smokie36]

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Yeah get the rabies shot pronto and a tetanus shot while you're at it. Also worth having your hand looked at. Dog bites have a nasty habit of getting infected. The hand alone should be inspected by a doctor.

[DP25]

I'd get the shot. Rabies is 100% fatal and an extremely unpleasant way to die. People do get infected with rabies here, so the odds are very small but they are not zero.

[beerchang]

The wound is very small, however it did bleed a little bit. Hard to tell if the dog is rabid or not. Got it washed and disinfected immediately. I seriously estimate a 2% chance, probably not even, that I have been infected with rabies. Also Ive been taking some antiobiotics just to be on the safe side.

Does anyone know about any cases about people get bit by rabid dogs and dying in Bangkok, etc? Or any general information on the topic of rabies in Thailand.

Google it sir.

I've never heard of anyone, talking about anyone, in the 7half years I've been here, who knows anyone that has had/died fom rabies.

BTW, where on earth did you get the 2% estimated chance from? Have you surveyed every dog in T'land and cross referenced it with infected/deceased people!

I think you'll be fine dude.

[Jingthing]

Some points.

Sometimes rabid animals show no symptoms.

I think you have 7 to 10 days to start the first of a SERIES of shots (over several days). The sooner the better.

Another tact, can you locate the dog again? If so, if you can manage to get the dog tested for rabies and the dog is negative you don't need the shots. I have no idea how you would go about that in Thailand.

Nobody can tell you the exact odds of a random dog without symptoms being rabid. I would say better than winning the big lotto though for sure.

Edited May 2, 2010 by Jingthing

[elcent]

human bites are dirtier.

anyway, you need too get rabies shots. Depends on the docs 4 - 5 shots. Prices differ from about 700 for 4 shots altogether (gov clinic) to 20 000 in a private hospital. The average is about 8 000. All use the same medicines though.

[Tigs]

The odds are it is not worth the odds.

I got bitten by next door neighbors dog, now I don't know what has happened to it in the last 7 days do I. I went for a jab, it was given in the upper muscle at the very top of my right arm. Small needle, just under the skin. I had to go back for three or four more. I can't remember but I think at 4 day or 5 day intervals. Total cost 700 baht. No pain at all, more importantly zero risk to me from the bite. If you want to take a 2% (your words, could be a lot higher, how many street dogs have rabies?) chance of the infection, keeping in mind if you are unlucky, then it will be good night vienna and you will have a few days to ponder that before you lose your mind, then i guess that is your choice. Go tomorrow morning is my advice.

edited to add...The advice above about Tetanus is good, and the hand could get infected. Have you seen what soi dogs eat? And I never saw one of them brushing their teeth.

Edited May 2, 2010 by Tigs

[elcent]

I've never heard of anyone, talking about anyone, in the 7half years I've been here, who knows anyone that has had/died fom rabies.

BTW, where on earth did you get the 2% estimated chance from? Have you surveyed every dog in T'land and cross referenced it with infected/deceased people!

I think you'll be fine dude.

first three months this year

City Hall has admitted efforts to prevent the spread of rabies have

failed after 2 more people died, bringing the number of rabies deaths

in Bangkok to 9 in just 3 months. Bangkok Deputy Governor Malinee

Sukavejworakit yesterday [18 Mar 2010] said the city administration's

measures to control the disease were ineffective and its pet

vaccination campaign was unsuccessful.

[Jingthing]

I am really sorry this isn't the news you want to hear. But again the good news is there is something you can do about it.

Edited May 2, 2010 by Jingthing

[elcent]

one aside

cats and rats are more vulnerable

[Tigs]

I just don't see the issue. It is an inconvenience and the Gov Hospital will only charge you 700 baht.

[elcent]

I just don't see the issue. It is an inconvenience and the Gov Hospital will only charge you 700 baht.

it takes one - five minutes each time to get the shots. When you need five shots you are asked to go to gov hospital. For 4 shots you go to gov clinic. They will tell you. According to the OP's description a 4 shot session is most likely.

Edited May 2, 2010 by elcent

[Captain Haddock]

So there you go. Go and get some jabs for rabies and tetanus. Don't have any worries and have a long and productive life, and watch out for wild animals in the future...

[beerchang]

I've never heard of anyone, talking about anyone, in the 7half years I've been here, who knows anyone that has had/died fom rabies.

BTW, where on earth did you get the 2% estimated chance from? Have you surveyed every dog in T'land and cross referenced it with infected/deceased people!

I think you'll be fine dude.

first three months this year

City Hall has admitted efforts to prevent the spread of rabies have

failed after 2 more people died, bringing the number of rabies deaths

in Bangkok to 9 in just 3 months. Bangkok Deputy Governor Malinee

Sukavejworakit yesterday [18 Mar 2010] said the city administration's

measures to control the disease were ineffective and its pet

vaccination campaign was unsuccessful.

Wow!

Worth getting the shots if you cant find the hound that bit you again OP.

[bina]

wrong--canines are more likely to be carriers, and yes, cats can also be carriers although it is less common; as a matter of fact any mammal including horses and deer can also transmit rabies; rabies is not treated by antibiotics;

as usual: after a dog bite, u must wash the bitten area with running water and soap for at least 15 mnutes and scrub, and let the blood flow.then rinse with solution of polidine mixed with water; then get treatment for rabies/tetanus/and antibiotics against infection if needed.

bite wounds are often wide inside the bite, but narrow on the exit, allowing anearobic bacteria to make themselves at home and cause nasty infections; they also hurt like hel_l and often u can have soft tissue damage in the bite wound that doesnt show in perportion to the seeming severity of the bite.

rabies is common in thailand --- although a dog eating restaraunt handouts and acting normal for a soi dog probably is not infected with rabies... the question is how /why were u bitten? was it normal dog behavior (taking food from him, petting him... ) or was it out of the blue wierd.?

either way, there is not much of a window of time for getting the shots, and the disease is horrible to die from...

am also moving to health section; tons of rabies/dog bite threads, just search...

bina

israel

moving

[yeesipha]

Man, go get a jab at the local hospital.Warning disturbing video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO_E1SO8_ioal.

[6678hhg]

I know exactly which dog it was and where it is. How do I go about having the animal tested? And why would a soi dog have a collar on?

[6678hhg]

Anybody have a number or something I could call to report the incident and have the dog tested?

[elcent]

sorry, I don't know anything about that. When you can find out the owner it would help and tell them.

Then better get the jabs and you're protected. It could be a waste of time otherwise. It's very unlikely that the dog has rabies but one never knows 100%. Maybe you take a picture from the dog and the staff in the hospital will follow up on this. I don't know.

Edited May 2, 2010 by elcent

[7seamonkey7]

Anybody have a number or something I could call to report the incident and have the dog tested?

I think the only way to check is with an autopsy to view the brain. You don't want to kill the poor fella do you????

Whoever said dog bites have a high rate of infection is an "old wive"-they opposite believer would tell you dog saliva cures acne.

My Gdad was a prisoner of war in Changi and they were allowed a dog that they used to lick their wounds to prevent infection.

I was bitten by a monkey in KL and went for the rabies jabs; like humans monkeys mouths are pretty dirty and the scar took a while to settle.

[angiud]

I know exactly which dog it was and where it is. How do I go about having the animal tested? And why would a soi dog have a collar on?

Why don't you just get the therapy??

Money?

needles phobia?

[hazz]

when someone decides to 'kind of' adopt a soi dog, by feeding it. they will often put a collar on it

get the jabs for rabies. its a vile way to die. you go though periods of madness and extreme pain as its rips you mind to shreds; in between periods of complete lucidity when you will be fully aware of what is happening to you and the hopelessness of your situation. I would not wish this on humanities worst enemy

On the other hand if you choose to play Russian rullet you will probably win, by why take the chance. I have had the jabs theres really nothing too it + the nurses are quite cute

[bubba]

I had exactly the same thing happen, and here is my experience:

I was bitten by a soi dog, unprovoked. It did break the skin, and the next morning I thought I should get it checked out by a physician.

The physician (Dr. Vattana at Bumrungrad, who has experience with rabies) told me that it is not common for soi dogs in Bangkok to bite without provocation. Any such case should be considered a potential rabies case and you should be treated as such.

Treatment if you have not previously had rabies vaccine:

- an injection at the wound site must be made with human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG). HRIG provides immediate antibody protection, whereas the vaccine requires up to a week to begin generating an adequate titer of antibodies.

- once the rabies virus reaches and penetrates a nerve, you are infected. This might take longer than a week, but if it takes less, the vaccine will be too late.

- HRIG is expensive. In my case, it cost around 12,000 baht. Dr. Vattana explained all that and told me it was my choice and then looked at me and said..."but it's your life. If you become infected before seven days, you will die". Sobering to say the least.

- You MUST see a doctor less than 24 hours after the bite for the HRIG to be totally effective.

- you will also receive a series of four or five rabies vaccine injections, spread out over a month. They are in your arm and painless.

- you can also get in touch with the Bangkok animal control office and they will catch the dog and quarantine it to see if it survives for ten days. If the dog has an owner, they have to have the owner's permission. (Amazing). They also explained to me that I could make a police report and require the owner to pay my medical expenses, but I didn't pursue that since I had cover under my insurance policy.

To summarise, even if there is a one percent chance that the dog is rabid, you MUST seek medical attention IMMEDIATELY. Go to a good hospital, since all do not have HRIG.

Here is a WHO link regarding post-exposure rabies treatment:

http://www.who.int/rabies/human/postexp/en/index.html

[dave2]

take elcent , jingthings and my advice

get the shots !

i had 5 @ 550 baht each from my doctor in chiang mai and you need two top ups in two years time

dave2

ps ... all the shots are in your arm and totaly painless

[Slip]

Get the shots. It's easy and painless and cheap. My missus got told off by her doctor for waiting 12 hours before she went to hospital for the shots. There was once, one person who survived rabies wasn't there? There was a documentary on ABC I think.