Compatibility of alcohol and rabies vaccinations

What are the consequences of a dog bite for a person?

Regardless of whether a domestic dog has bitten a person or a stray one, you need to know what the consequences of a bite to a person are. The following are dangerous symptoms that indicate that a person has become infected with rabies.

• There is dry mouth and aggressive behavior;
• Seizures and convulsions;
• Hallucinations;
• Increases sensitivity;
• Fear of sharp sounds, light and water;
• Paresis, muscle spasm of the throat and impaired consciousness;
• Death from paralysis of the respiratory tract.

After a dog bite, you need to agree to the vaccination recommended by doctors without delay.

How does infection occur?

How does infection occur after an attack by a sick animal:

• Bite of an infected animal;
• Saliva from a sick dog gets on the mucous membrane or on a damaged area of ​​the human body.

The saliva of an infected animal is contagious even 8–10 days before the first manifestation of the disease!

When and to whom are rabies vaccinations given?

Vaccine

Rabies can be transmitted by any species of mammal, and infection occurs directly through contact with the saliva of an infected animal. A necessary condition is the broken integrity of the skin, but you can get sick if saliva gets on an abrasion or wound. The vaccine is the only effective method of protecting and preventing the disease.

You must be vaccinated:

• veterinarians at risk;
• people involved in catching or keeping stray animals;
• laboratory specialists who encounter infectious agents during their work;
• slaughterhouse workers;
• as a preventive measure, vaccination is indicated for hunters, foresters and taxidermists;
• emergency vaccinations against dog bites in the event of an attack by any other infected or suspicious animal;
• It is recommended that people planning a vacation or business trip to places with an increased risk of infection take this issue into account.

Vaccination is included in the national calendar of preventive vaccinations for epidemic reasons due to the need for only a limited category of the population or at the time of an emergency.

Symptoms of rabies in dogs

The first symptoms of rabies in dogs appear as follows:

• Behavior becomes aggressive;
• The dog actively eats: pieces of wood, rags, earth. Which is very uncharacteristic of healthy animals;
• Drooling profusely;
• Increased response to sounds, touch and much more;
• There is paralysis of the limbs.

Attention: in a sick dog, the first signs do not always appear immediately; the virus may be in the incubation period, but the infection has already occurred.

In all cases does a person develop rabies from the bite of a sick animal?

The main thing is that the development of the disease depends only on the location of the bite. For example, if a dog bites the neck or face, the disease occurs in 90% of victims. When the dog bit the hand – 60%; injuries received in the hip or shoulder area – 23%.

In all cases, whether a person develops rabies from the bite of a sick animal or not should be judged only after consultation with a specialist. Rabies is a disease with which it is better to play it safe, without hoping for a miracle.

First aid algorithm

1. Wash the bite site with soapy water or 3% peroxide;
2. Thoroughly treat the skin around the bite site with a 5% iodine solution;
3. Attach a bactericidal film or patch to the wound and wrap it with a sterile bandage;
4. Seek help from a doctor immediately.

Attention: if the bleeding from the wound is minor, it should not be stopped; the blood leaves and carries away saliva, which may contain harmful microorganisms.

There is no need to ignore the first aid algorithm; specialists specifically inform about it for the purpose of human safety.

Rabies vaccination immunization scheme for humans after a bite:

• First immunization – 3 injections on days 0–7 and on day 30;
• The first revaccination exactly one year later - 1 injection;
• Repeated revaccination exactly after 5 years - 1 injection.

Immunization of rabies vaccination for a person after a bite of a sick animal is presented in accordance with all the rules and standards of medical institutions.

Dog bite: symptoms of manifestation

When bitten by a dog, the best results are minor bruising from a sharp jaw clenching. In this case, no damage to the skin or soft tissue occurs. But even a small bite will cause severe pain and discomfort in this area.

Penetrating wounds are divided into puncture and laceration wounds.

Puncture wounds

Some bleeding is easy to stop. Once the bleeding has stopped, the wound may ooze again. There may also be swelling around the wound, redness, small spots, itching, and some numbness or numbness. These symptoms indicate that the wound is inflamed and much deeper than it seems at first glance. A purulent wound is characterized by increased pain, swelling and discharge from the wound with an unpleasant odor. They can also occur within a few hours of the wound being formed. Swollen lymph nodes, dizziness, weakness, headache and fever are also possible.

Lacerations

They are characterized by excessive bleeding, pain, weakness, malaise and traumatic shock. This increases the likelihood of infection.

If the dog that caused the injury becomes infected with rabies, the first signs of illness may appear within days or even hours. The opening time depends on the size of the wound, the location of the bite, etc. The closer it is to the head, the faster they appear.

The first period is short and ranges from 1 to 3 days. This is accompanied by signs:

• pain at the site of the bite;
• increased body temperature;
• General weakness;
• severe headache;
• loss of appetite;
• irritability, depression, unreasonable fear, etc.

Fever is one of the possible symptoms of a dog bite.

With further development of the disease, damage to the brain and nervous system occurs, which leads to death.

Tetanus also has unpleasant symptoms. Initially, a dull pain appears in the bite area, the muscles are tense and twitching. The patient may also complain of headache, general weakness, profuse sweating, and loss of appetite.

Tetanus has characteristic symptoms:

• Contraction of the facial muscles, causing the so-called sardonic smile;
• difficulty swallowing;
• tension in the muscles of the back of the head.

Skeletal muscles contract, leading to rupture, spinal compression fractures, suffocation and cardiac arrest.

Contraindications for preventive vaccination

The rabies vaccine, like any other medical drug, is not always prescribed by specialists. Contraindications for vaccination are:

• Pregnant women;
• Allergic reactions to a previously administered drug;
• Allergic reactions to antibiotics;
• Exacerbation of chronic diseases and acute diseases. In this case, vaccination is prescribed exactly 1 month after complete recovery.

When contacting a specialist, you must be informed about all possible contraindications and consequences of rabies vaccination.

What to do to make the wound heal quickly

What should be done so that the wound heals quickly and no longer bothers the victim? In order to quickly get rid of unpleasant and painful sensations, try to have less contact with water. Wet the bite site as little as possible, protect it from blows, try not to scratch and exclude any irritant to the wounded surface.

It is strictly not recommended to wipe the affected area with undiluted alcohol or cologne. If you notice slight redness or purulent and bloody discharge, you should immediately contact a medical facility for help.

After vaccination against rabies, you must be extremely careful and follow all recommendations of specialists.

How to cope with pathology

Today, more progressive methods are used to treat rabies than twenty years ago. For example, the vaccine has become smaller in scale. “For rabies, the CoCAV vaccine is administered. It is administered if there was salivation or a bite from an unknown animal, as well as if a person was bitten by a known animal, which then died within 10 days. If the animal that bitten is vaccinated, then, in principle, you can simply observe it and the person does not need to be vaccinated. This vaccine is given on the first, third, seventh, fourteenth, thirtieth and ninetieth days,” says Sofia Rusanova, an infectious disease doctor at Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital No. 1.

Article on the topic

Dogs can be biters. How to insure yourself against rabies

Modern rabies vaccination is considered an effective remedy; it is presented in the form of powder for injection. The drug is administered intramuscularly. This vaccination should be given to those who often come into contact with wild animals, and also work with sick four-legged animals, for example, veterinarians. In some cases, such a vaccine is given when a person has scratches or bites made by a sick animal, when the animal’s saliva comes into contact directly with the human mucosa, if the animal that bit the person died after a few days, if the wounds were caused by a wild animal. Particular attention should be paid to this issue.

If the vaccination is done for preventive purposes, and the person has completed all treatment regimens, then the effect will last 3 years. After vaccination, a number of certain rules must be followed. So, you should not drink alcohol in any form or quantity, otherwise nervous attacks, epilepsy, and increased sensitivity to external stimuli are possible. Also, during the first day you should not come into contact with water and care should be taken to ensure that there is no overheating or hypothermia. You should also avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

When dealing with animals, especially unfamiliar ones, you should understand which bites are the most dangerous. “The most dangerous bites are on the hands, face, neck, and stomach. Everything that is close to the solar plexus. But there is no such thing as “dangerous” or “safe.” All this is very dangerous, since rabies cannot be treated, it can only be prevented. In some cases, rabies immunoglobulin is also administered in addition to the vaccine. Especially if these are dangerous bites,” says Sofia Rusanova.

How do you know if your cat or dog has rabies? More details

If bitten by a stray dog

When a victim has serious injuries after being bitten by a stray animal, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. And if the damage is minor, you can first provide first aid to the child before contacting a doctor.

What is needed for this:

• Rinse the wound with water and detergents for 10 minutes in order to wash out the animal’s saliva from the wound;
• After thorough washing, be sure to treat the wound with hydrogen peroxide. Bandage the disinfected damaged area of ​​skin and do not put pressure on the bite site;
• Immediately after assistance is provided to the child, a medical institution will contact you.

If you are bitten by a stray dog, you do not need to rely on luck, this disease is merciless and it does not spare either children or adults.

Important: the prescribed course of vaccination will only help if it is started no later than 12 days after the bite. The sooner you contact a specialist and start vaccination, the less likely you are to avoid further consequences.

First aid

The owner of the animal must be contacted. You need to take his details, phone number and address immediately if the attacked dog was walking with the owner. Otherwise, try to ask others: perhaps the animal is being walked on its own, and someone knows the address and name of the owner.

Before clarifying the relationship with the owner of the animal, first aid should be provided to the victim. If the blood flows heavily, it must be stopped with a tourniquet. It is applied above the wound.

Before treating the wound with an antiseptic, your hand or foot should be washed with soap and water. It is best to take laundry soap that contains more alkali; it will prevent bacteria from entering the wound. Even if there are only shallow scratches at the site of the bite, they can serve as a gateway for infection to enter the body.

Hydrogen peroxide can be used as an antiseptic - but not vodka or alcohol! You can't use brilliant green either - all of the listed substances only burn the tissue, thereby slowing down the healing of the wound.

After treatment, you need to apply a gauze bandage to the wound and go to the emergency room.

Important!

A visit to the emergency room is mandatory! First, a qualified professional will examine the wound and determine its severity. Secondly, sterile instruments and dressings are used there; thirdly, a request for help will be recorded, which may be necessary if a conflict with the owner of the animal has to be resolved in court.

How to deal with a dog

What to do with a dog that has bitten? You need to try to catch it, and if it doesn’t work, then be sure to remember and pass the information on to the veterinary service. Veterinarians are involved in catching a dog after a bite, so they prevent the spread of infectious disease throughout the city.

All caught animals must be submitted for testing to identify signs of rabies. If your dog is not diagnosed with the disease after testing, your child will not need to undergo the full course of rabies treatment.

If a dog bites a child

First of all, the child should be reassured. In addition to the pain that worries the baby, most children have a fear of communicating with doctors. Another point is that especially sensitive children may develop a phobia for the rest of their lives - fear of dogs, and in some cases, of animals in general. Therefore, doctors often recommend consultations with a child psychologist.

A child's body is more susceptible to infections, so ignoring medical recommendations for treatment is strictly prohibited. If a dog bites an arm or leg until it bleeds, or the wound is lacerated, stitches will be required. A carefully placed suture will not leave marks on the body after healing.

Taking antibiotics, vaccinations - all these medical procedures are prescribed for children in the same way as for adults.

Domestic dog

Precautions remain the same, as does expert advice for injuries and for pets. You need to do the following:

• If the injury was caused by someone else's pet, try to find out the owner and find out whether the dog is vaccinated against rabies or not;
• Find out exactly when the animal was vaccinated and what vaccine was used, because the timing is different for different drugs with an interval of 1–2 years;
• If the owner does not provide the necessary information, inform the doctor that the dog is not vaccinated, so as not to risk the life of your child once again and not waste precious time;
• If your child was bitten by his own dog, you need to pay attention to the date of vaccination and remember whether the vaccination period has passed.

Only if your child was bitten by a pet dog and she was not vaccinated will she be sent to a veterinary clinic for quarantine. These precautions will help determine whether your dog is infected with rabies or not and will save your family from the unpleasant consequences of a bite.

If rabies is not confirmed, the dog will return home after 10 days, and the baby will not need to undergo the full course of treatment.

Important: if the dog was vaccinated with rabies before the bite occurred, the chances of infection are minimal.

How dangerous is a dog bite?

A dog bite causes traumatic damage to the skin, muscles, soft tissues, etc. The degree of danger depends on several factors:

1. Bleeding. The more severe the disease, the higher the likelihood of damage to a large artery or vein. In case of deep injuries and bites, internal bleeding may occur.
2. Soft tissue injury. If the bite is superficial, it is usually not associated with any threats or complications. Heals and heals quickly. Deeper wounds, cuts, damage to joints, bones and muscles will require surgery.
3. Infection. Various bacteria, microbes, dirt, saliva of the animal itself, etc. can get into the wound. As a result, a person becomes infected through the bloodstream. Also, the wound itself, if it is open, is a favorable environment for the development and reproduction of pathogenic microflora. Tetanus is especially common. In this case, vaccination against this disease is carried out.
4. Psychological shock. A dog attack often leaves the victim in a stupor, which subsequently leads to psychological trauma and fear of the animal. For people with chronic cardiovascular disease, this can have negative consequences. High blood pressure due to stress causes heart failure and requires immediate medical attention.
5. Rabies. Stray and unvaccinated dogs often carry rabies. Up to 60% of rabies cases in humans are caused by human infections.

Vaccination of a child after an incident, when necessary

Is a child vaccinated after an incident, when is it necessary and what do you need to know? There are mandatory conditions for prescribing and conducting a full course of rabies vaccinations in cases where:

• The injury was caused by a stray dog, even if there were no first signs of illness;
• Injury from a domestic dog that was not vaccinated and could not be transported to a veterinary clinic for examination;
• The wound is deep and extensive.

Don't be afraid of vaccination. Long gone are the days when doctors prescribed 40 injections in the stomach. Currently, people receive an injection into the shoulder, the vaccine is completely painless and requires a total of 6 injections.

Important: even if the child received vaccination less than 1 year before the scheduled repeated course of vaccinations, the course of receiving injections is repeated, but only 3 injections are given.

If a child is injured, it is important to know whether he was vaccinated against tetanus in childhood, and if it was not, the doctor will definitely prescribe it.

When vaccination is not necessary

Many people are interested in when vaccination is not mandatory? There are very, very few cases when a course of medical treatment is not prescribed. Let's look at them:

• The dog that bit the child was vaccinated and this is confirmed by facts;
• When the injury was caused, the bite did not cause serious damage and drool did not seep through the dense tissue.

Don't skip visiting your doctor. Even when the wounds are minor, you need to contact a specialist in order to be safe from unpredictable consequences in the future. It’s better to spend 30 minutes immediately visiting a doctor than to regret the rest of your life!