Domestic pets' nips on the rise

W P Dharmasena - Matara group corr

The Anti-Rabies Unit had treated 8,407 patients who had been bitten by dogs and cats last year. This is almost four percent of the patients treated by the Hospital OPD last year, said Dr D G G Dodampe of the Anti-Rabies Unit.

He said of these patients, 68 percent had been bitten by domestic pets while the balance 32 percent were bitten by stray dogs. Of these patients 75 percent were males and the balance 25 percent women.

Dr Dodampe said of the total number of patients almost 36 percent had reported to the unit two weeks after observing the animal concerned who had been properly vaccinated for two years. They were not given anti-rabies vaccines and it helped the unit to make a major saving on vaccines.