Animal bites and Rabies
Animal Bites and Rabies
Rabies is responsible for thousands of human deaths annually and although not present in UK is present in most of the other countries worldwide. It is caught from a bite or scratch of an animal, most often from a dog. It is highly infectious and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, however getting vaccinated against the disease is very effective and will save lives. More information can be found on the Travel Health Pro Rabies website.
Customers should also be advised to avoid bats whenever possible but if a customer is expected to come into contact with bats Public Health England Bat Contact and Rabies has a useful downloadable resource with information for health professionals and customers alike.
Prevention advice to customers
- Get vaccinated.
- Don't approach, pick up or offer food to animals.
- Avoid littering.
- Be aware that certain activities may attract dogs (e.g., running, cycling).
- If scratched or bitten clean, (with soap and water), disinfect (with a product like Iodine), and dress the wound. Then seek medical help immediately.
- Prevention is better than cure so avoid all animal bites as much as possible.
