Dog Bite, Post Exposure Vaccine

[mactbkk]

Post-exposure shots update.

Got bitten by a dog here in the mooban this morning, five "light" puncture wounds, no slash or open wound. Dog is controlled, might have had the appropriate shots.

But, just to be sure, I hatted off to the local handy Thanyaburi district hospital with my bandaged and no longer bleeding lower arm. Announced that I'd had a dog bite, went to get registered, then to the ER.

Two jabs, one in each shoulder and told to come back for follow up shots on the 5th, 8th, and 29th of May.

Vaccine it: PCEC ID

Google it: www.cdc.gov/rabies/medical_care

Off to the cashier, baht 280, which included 20 caps of Amoxicillin. About $8.25.

Fairly crowded today, 1130 hrs when I got there, but out by 1230 hrs, pretty fast for a government hospital.

Mac

 

[Lone Rider]

Yikes - but indeed better to be on the safe side and get the jabs.

 

[rdrokit]

The dog owner should have a book from the vet if it had shots. My dog and cats all have books with all their shots logged in it so if either of them bite somebody they wont need shots. My vicious dog.

 

[mactbkk]

Best to be sure, me thinks, especially if the owner of the dog isn't sure just when their dog had its shots, or how many, or what for.... At least these shots are pretty painless, not like the old anti hepatitus 5cc GG shot in the bum.

Does raise a Q, tho. How about getting a dog bite in upcountry Laos? Are any of the current anti rabies vaccines available at provincial hospitals?

Mac

 

[Lone Rider]

Did some time ago a bit of a search:

This is very dated info (Yr. 2000) from the World Health Organization on rabies in Laos: Both PVRV and PCECV are available in Vientiane, Laos. Three thousand patients are treated annually at the rabies vaccination section of the National Center for Infectious Disease Control and the provincial rabies vaccination units. Less than five deaths are reported annually, and this figure certainly reflects under reporting. The main causes of human rabies fatalities include: delay of treatment, negligence of rabies vaccination, and incomplete regimen of vaccination. The high cost of rabies vaccine and incomplete vaccination treatment are the main obstacles for the Lao people to receive adequate vaccination. In Laos the intra-muscular (im) route of administration is used for all categories of rabies vaccination and ERIG/HRIG are rarely used due to their high cost.

Vientiane: The French Embassy Clinic (French : 021-214 150 (emergency 020-5655 4794) and the Australian Embassy Clinic (Australian : 021-353 840) have stocks of rabies vaccine. So does Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane for that matter. Another option is the Alliance International Medical Centre ("Thai Clinic") which, in case they don't have the vaccine, can get it from Nongkhai Wattana Hospital as the AIMC is operated by the Wattana Hospital Group of Thailand.

Luang Prabang - Chinese Hospital had one sort and then a private clinic I was taken to had Verorab, the type I was after. It is a very common vaccine and everyone was familiar with it.

Savannakhet - Savannakhet Hospital has treatment. I had the 3rd shot of 5 there in 2009. Another friend recently had it there as well.

Other cities in Laos - no info so in doubt hightail it to Vientiane or probably better to Thailand as the first jab needs to be given within 24 hours of the bite

 

[Pounce]

Are you guys living over there vaccinated?

To be honest, it has never crossed my mind to have this done, even though I only do one trip a year is it worth it because I try to go to the remote areas?

 

[schrauberklaus]

Just to let you know , in Thailand you can get many different vaccination at the bigger Imigration offices.
And they have shots even the Hospitals don't .

Need a few years ago a shot for Yellow fever for a Trip to Africa depent the last one was more then 10 years and the most African Countrys check that even befor the Imigration desk , the only Place on Phuket where i could get it was the Imigration Office in Phuket Town .
And they fill out and stamp my little yellow book correct . Doc there was surprised how many different vaccination i have .