Animal Bite Center - Polyclinic Davao

29/10/2025

Ghosts, monsters, taxes, bills, adult responsibilities are all scary… but not as scary as a dog/cat bite that could give you rabies! At least you can run from ghosts — rabies has no escape once symptoms start. This Halloween, fear what’s real: get your anti-rabies vaccine after any bite or scratch!

27/10/2025

Whether it’s a bite, scratch, or even a lick on broken skin, all are considered possible exposures to the rabies virus. Don’t wait for symptoms — once rabies starts, it’s almost always fatal. Getting vaccinated immediately is your only proven protection. The rabies vaccine trains your body to fight the virus before it reaches your nervous system, saving your life.

14/10/2025

Before proper vaccines became widely available, Filipinos resorted to all sorts of traditional remedies and local beliefs after being bitten by an asong ulol—a rabid dog. In the absence of accessible medical treatment, people turned to albularyos (folk healers), herbal concoctions, prayers, and even extreme rituals in the hope of warding off the deadly effects of rabies. Some would cauterize the wound with hot metal, drink strange brews, or avoid water entirely, fearing the symptoms of hydrophobia. Others believed that simply washing the wound or applying certain leaves would be enough.
These desperate measures were rooted in fear and limited understanding of the disease. But rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms appear—and none of these traditional practices could stop it. The only proven method of preventing death from rabies is prompt administration of a post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) vaccine, ideally within hours after the bite.
Sadly, many lives were lost due to misinformation, poverty, and lack of access to proper healthcare. Today, thanks to modern medicine and awareness campaigns, more people know that immediate vaccination after a bite is critical. But the legacy of these old beliefs still lingers in some areas, making continued education and vaccine access all the more important.
For more information about animal bite and rabies vaccination, contact us.

09/10/2025

In the past, especially up until the 1980s, rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) involved a regimen using the nerve tissue-derived vaccine. These vaccines were less purified and caused more side effects.
The regimen required:
Multiple injections (often 14 to 21) over several days.
Given deep into the abdominal wall (subcutaneously).
Frequently associated with pain, local reactions, and sometimes serious adverse effects, including neurological complications.
This method, although life-saving, was cumbersome, painful, and had a higher risk of complications.
Modern Practice: Deltoid (Arm) Injection
Today's rabies vaccines, such as the purified chick embryo cell vaccine (PCECV), are highly purified, safer, and more effective. They are administered intramuscularly or intradermaly into the deltoids in adults.
Why the Arm is Better:
Improved Patient Comfort:
The deltoid site is less painful than abdominal injections.
Fewer injections are required—usually a 3- or 5-dose series, compared to up to 21 doses historically.
Better Immune Response:
The deltoid muscle has good blood supply, which helps the vaccine generate a stronger immune response.
Abdominal fat can slow vaccine absorption and reduce effectiveness.
Reduced Side Effects:
Modern vaccines have fewer allergic and neurological complications.
No need for older nerve tissue vaccines, which carried higher risks.
Simplified Administration:
Easier for healthcare professionals to administer accurately in the deltoid.
Improves compliance due to reduced fear and discomfort.

06/10/2025

Don’t Skip Rabies Vaccination – Even If the Dog Looks Fine.

Many people think, “Just observe the dog for 10 days. If it's okay, no need for the vaccine.” This is dangerous and can be fatal.

What You Should Do After a Bite:
>Wash the wound immediately with soap and water.
>Go to a health center or to Animal Bite Center - Polyclinic Davao right away.
>Start rabies vaccination (PEP) as soon as possible.

Why Dog Observation Isn’t Enough:
>A rabid dog usually dies or shows symptoms within 10 days.
>But if you wait and the dog dies, disappears, or shows symptoms, and you didn’t get vaccinated, it may be too late — and rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms begin.

Bottom Line:
Observing the dog helps, but it’s not a substitute for treatment. Always start the vaccine immediately after a bite. And of course, always seek medical attention. Call us.

30/09/2025

Magpabakuna!
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Gikumpirma sa Davao City Health Office nga miabot na sa lima ang namatay sa syudad tungod sa rabies karong tuiga.

Gibutyag ni Dr. Yleona Ysabel T. Camelotes, Head Animal Bite & Treatment Center sa CHO-Davao nga nisaka kini itandi sa tulo ka kaso sa milabay'ng tuig.

Dugang ni Camelotes nga ang pinakaulahing namatay tungod sa rabies ang gikan sa Calinanan District nga napulo ka tuig pa ang nilabay ayha mi-epekto ang sakit.

Subli karon nanawagan ang CHO-Davao sa katawhan nga dili mukumpyansa uggaling mapaakan og iro ug iring ug muadto dayon sa mga health clinics aron magpabakuna.

19/09/2025

Foaming at the mouth sign in rabies is one of the most dramatic and feared symptoms, but it’s often misunderstood. But how does this happen?
>Paralysis of swallowing muscles-Rabies virus specifically attacks the nervous system, including the cranial nerves that control swallowing and throat movement. When these muscles become paralyzed, the patient can’t swallow saliva normally.
>Excess saliva production-Rabies also stimulates salivary glands to produce more saliva than usual. The virus wants to be in saliva, because that’s how it spreads through bites.
>Hydrophobia (fear of water)-When rabies patients try to drink, the throat muscles spasm painfully. This makes them avoid drinking fluids, which adds to the saliva buildup.
>Result: frothy foam-Since saliva can’t be swallowed, it dribbles out continuously. Combined with air movement from breathing or spasms, this gives the classic “foamy mouth” look.
For more rabies information, animal bite and rabies vaccination concerns, send us a message.

10/09/2025

BITTEN? SCRATCHED?
Don’t google “garlic cure” or “nearest TANDOK” or even ask your kapitbahay. It is because Rabies is no joke. Once symptoms show, rabies has a 100% mortality rate. But here with us, your chances of staying 100% alive are pretty great.
Since 2021, Animal Bite Center - Polyclinic has been at the frontline of rabies prevention in the city:
>Experts on duty (Family Medicine / Internal Medicine)
>Rabies defense since day one
>Less drama, more protection
So don’t wait, don’t risk it. Come to the experts.