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Health officials clarify difference on bites, rabies
By Michael O. Ligalig
Published on Sept. 3, 2003 - Bohol Chronicle

Health officials have clarified that the reported 321 animal bites treated at the Gallares Hospital could not mean these are all positive of rabies.

But the veterinary officials were quick to add that indeed an alarming increase of animal bites has swept all over the province.

The Chronicle story prompted on Monday the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to consider a resolution mandating for a massive dog vaccination.

According to Elena Hongayo of the Animal Bite Treatment Center at Gallares Hospital, animal bites inflicted by dogs or cats cannot yet be considered as rabies cases.

She said it is difficult to identify which of the patients who underwent vaccination at the center have carried the rabid virus as victims would no longer return to the hospital for further medical checkup.

“Dogs are usually killed after a biting incident (which should not be done),” said provincial veterinarian office head Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz yesterday. “Not all dogs are rabies-positive.”

A dog, if it is sick of rabies, will die within 2-7 days. A canine that bites even if not provoked is most likely rabies-carrier.

Man’s best friend, if after it had bitten a person, should be kept for observation for 14 days. It stays alive if it is not rabid.

For his part, Dr. Aurora Tagaan, veterinary quarantine officer, explained there has been massive vaccination campaign done in the province.

“…rabies cases went down on dogs because of active vaccination program,” Tagaan said in a statement.

Meantime, the city veterinarian office has so far vaccinated more than 600 dogs this year. The PVO has yet to consolidate municipal reports on number of dogs already vaccinated.

Lapiz said vaccination cannot totally eliminate problem on rabies, but “responsible pet ownership.”

Dog owners themselves should provide good food and proper hygiene to their pets, Lapiz said. They should ensure their dogs could not harm others, she added.

The PVO head lamented that there are only few towns in the province that are sincerely enforcing laws on regulating stray dogs and mandatory vaccination.

Most of the municipal rabies councils have also been inactive, Lapiz noted.

Saying that there are only three veterinary officials at PVO, Lapiz said her office has started the campaign on vaccination as early as 1999.

“Towns should lead the vaccination effort,” she said.

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