Tips for Preventing Rabies

• Keep your pets under control. Don't let them run free, especially at night.
• Be a responsible pet owner. Vaccinate your dogs when they reach three (3) months old.
• Make sure your pet is up to date on its rabies vaccination.
• Don't touch or play with animals you don't know.
• Don't touch animals that look sick even if you may want to help them.

For more information or inquiries about Rabies Vaccination and Control, please contact DA-Livestock Division at (082) 227-1962 or 221 – 5559 or Davao City Veterinary Office at (082) 225-0511

Where to submit the Specimen?

Department of Agriculture
Livestock Division
Fr. Selga St., Davao City
Tel no. (082) 227-1962

Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Bago Oshiro, Mintal, Davao City
Tel. no. (082) 293-1605

Davao City Veterinary Office
Pichon St., Davao City
Tel no. (082) 225-0511

How to Handle Bite Cases

If the suspect animal has had contact with a human, do the following as soon as possible:

1. Treat wound. Stimulate bleeding and wash with soap over running water.
2. Apply disinfectant either alcohol or tincture of iodine.
3. Seek medical advice at your nearest Animal Bite Treatment center (ABTC)
4. Obtain information about the animal if available.

How to handle the animal

1. Confine the animal and observe for 10-14 days. Continue feeding the animal.
2. If the animal is alive, it is free from Rabies.
3. If found dead, rush the head of the animal to a Diagnostic Laboratory.

How to Prepare the Specimen

1. Cut the dog’ head with use of a sharp knife. Be sure you are wearing a protective body covering (mask/gloves).
2. Put the specimen in a clean plastic bag. Place ice inside the container.
3. Seal in a leak-proof container (ice box).
4. Write name of dog owner, date of death and history.
5. Label specimen with “CAUTION: RABIES SUSPECT”
6. Never add any preservative such as alcohol, formalin, etc., to avoid alteration of laboratory result.

How to Recognize a Rabid Animal

There are three phases in the course of Rabies. Death occurs three to seven days after symptoms appear.

1. Prodromal Stage (2-3 days) - Behavioral changes (a friendly animal may become shy and hide in a corner, a shy animal may become snappy, uncertain or unusually friendly), fever, slow eye reflexes and chewing at the bite site.

2. Furious Stage (2-4 days) - Erratic behavior which includes irritability, restlessness, barking aggression, vicious attacks on inanimate objects and unexplained roaming; disorientation and seizures may develop. It may bite indiscriminately - its chain, other animals, people, its owner, itself, etc.

3. Paralytic Stage (2-4 days) - Signs of paralysis develop, usually beginning at the bite site; paralysis of the throat and face causing strange utterances and hoarse howls. (At this time one may mistakenly think that the dog or cat has something in its throat and infect themselves while attempting to look in the animal’s mouth), drooling of saliva with typical foaming at the mouth 9hydrophobia) and a dropped jaw; followed by depression, coma and death from respiratory paralysis (inability to breathe)

If you know or suspect that an animal has rabies, keep humans and other animals away from the suspect animal. Keep track of the animal's location and contact Davao City Veterinary Office at (082) 255-0511.