Wash Dog Bite for 15 Minutes to Prevent Rabies, Vet Advises

A veterinary expert, Dr Mutiu Oladele-Bukola, has advised victims of dog bites to immediately wash the affected area with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes to reduce the risk of rabies.

Oladele-Bukola, of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, gave the advice in an interview in Ibadan to mark World Rabies Day, observed annually on September 28.

He said the first few minutes after a bite were critical, urging victims to first move away from the animal safely before beginning wound care.

“Then start washing immediately. Flush the wound thoroughly under running water with soap for at least 15 minutes,” he advised.

The veterinary expert warned against applying pepper, herbs, chemicals, acids or other irritants to the wound, and advised against tightly bandaging or sealing the injury.

He said victims should proceed to a health facility immediately after washing the wound, regardless of how small the injury appeared.

According to him, medical assessment should include consideration of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), rabies immunoglobulin for severe exposures, tetanus protection and treatment for possible bacterial infections.

Oladele-Bukola stressed that a dog bite did not automatically mean the victim had contracted rabies, but said urgent assessment and appropriate PEP were essential where rabies exposure was suspected.

He noted that rabies was preventable through prompt intervention but was virtually 100 per cent fatal once clinical symptoms developed.

The expert cited a 2026 report involving a stray dog in Irepodun, Ibadan, which bit five people on the same day. The animal was captured and euthanised, while tests conducted on its head at the University of Ibadan confirmed rabies.

He also recalled the case of a five-year-old boy who was bitten by a stray dog but did not receive PEP. The child later developed symptoms associated with rabies and died shortly after admission to hospital.

Oladele-Bukola said sustained mass vaccination of dogs remained central to preventing rabies transmission, with the World Health Organisation recommending vaccination coverage of at least 70 per cent of dogs in at-risk areas.

He also called for public education on responsible dog ownership, prompt reporting of bites, wider access to vaccines, One Health surveillance and humane management of dog populations.

Under the Oyo State Dog Law 2020, he said, dogs are required to be vaccinated from three months of age and annually thereafter, while owners who fail to vaccinate their dogs or allow them to roam freely may face a fine of N250,000, six months’ imprisonment or both.