What to do if a pet scratches or bites your child

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends washing the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes, applying antiseptic, and covering it with a sterile bandage.

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) also recommends cleansing the wound with normal saline or a dilute povidone-iodine solution, especially if there’s a risk of rabies.

However, if the wound is deep, won’t stop bleeding, or shows signs of infection, it’s best to seek medical attention right away.

“Go to the ER immediately. Otherwise, seek medical attention within eight hours to prevent infection or complications,” Dr. Amado A. Flores III of the Emergency Department of the Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed) shared in a press statement.

At the hospital, doctors will ask questions about the animal involved, its vaccination status, whether it has had its rabies shots, or has been behaving strangely. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the pet should be confined and observed for 10 days after the bite or scratch. But whether or not it develops symptoms of illness, a series of anti-rabies shots is strongly recommended for the person exposed.

Getting a rabies shot

According to Rabies Watch, a single dose of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and a series of post-exposure shots consisting of four vaccine doses should be administered starting on Day 0 (the first dose, as soon as possible after exposure), and continued on Days 3, 7, and 14, after the first vaccination. If the person has a weak or compromised immune system, a fifth dose on Day 28 may be added.

For subsequent exposures, those who have been previously vaccinated do not need HRIG and would typically receive two booster doses of the rabies vaccine on Days 0 and 3.

The Department of Health (DOH) has noted a 23% rise in rabies cases in the Philippines from January until mid-September 2024, recording 354 rabies cases nationwide, a significant increase from the previous year, according to an INQUIRER.net report.

“Rabies is a fatal disease. But it’s also very preventable,” said Flores. 

A pet with complete shots doesn’t necessarily mean your child is in the clear, Flores said — dog and cat bites and scratches can still transmit bacteria to the wound.

Capnocytophaga and Pasteurella multocida from dog bites, for example, can lead to fever, diarrhea, swollen joints, and blisters or pus on the wound.

The same symptoms have been observed in Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, and Campylobacteriosis from cat bites. The treatment for such conditions includes antibiotics or a tetanus shot.

Even if scratches and bites from our furry loved ones are inevitable, they can be minimized with responsible pet ownership and awareness, keeping pets’ vaccinations up to date, teaching children how to interact safely with animals, avoiding unfamiliar pets, and watching for signs of aggression or distress. – with reports from Bea Gatmaytan/Rappler.com

Bea Gatmaytan is a Rappler intern studying Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature at the University of the Philippines Diliman.