DOH cautions pet owners vs. rabies
THE Department of Health Center for Health Development Ilocos Region (DOH-CHD-1) is reminding pet owners in the region to treat their pets with tender loving care by protecting them against rabies after it recorded 92,631 animal bites in 2021.
DOH-CHD-1 medical officer Dr. Rheuel Bobis said the immunization against rabies disease for pet dogs and cats should be done annually.
He said most of the recorded animal bites in the entire Ilocos Region in 2021 were by dogs.
Nine rabies cases were logged in 2021 (five in Pangasinan, three in Ilocos Sur, and one in La Union. Ilocos Norte recorded zero rabies cases.
Meanwhile, Bobis said DOH-CHD-1 advocates post-exposure prophylaxis injection for those bitten by animals to prevent transmission of rabies.
He advised the victims to wash the wound area with soap and running water, cover it, and immediately proceed to the animal bite treatment center in their locality.
However, he warned the public of other methods of alleged treatment of the bitten area, such as pagtatandok (sucking the venom out of the wound) and applying garlic. These are not safe from infection and may cause spread of rabies even more.
He said the incubation period of rabies is three to four years without any symptoms. However, once the medical symptoms appear, it is already too late for the victim.
“Rabies is deadly but it is preventable,” he added.
March is rabies awareness month. (Jerick Pasiliao)
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