Dog Bite in Vasant Kunj? What to Do in the First Hour — and Where to Get the Anti-Rabies Vaccine

If you have just been bitten — do this now

1. Wash the wound with soap under running water for a full 15 minutes. Time it. This single step removes a large proportion of virus particles and is the most effective thing you will do today.

2. Do not apply turmeric, chilli powder, oil, herbs, ash, or lime. They do not help, they trap bacteria, and they make the wound harder for a doctor to assess.

3. Do not seal the wound shut with tape or a tight bandage. Cover it loosely with a clean cloth.

4. Come in the same day for the anti-rabies vaccine. Do not wait to see whether the dog falls ill.

All Is Well Medical Centre — Central Market, Masoodpur, Vasant Kunj (opposite Vasant Square Mall). Monday to Saturday, 10 AM – 7 PM. Call 8800844793.

Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms begin — and it is almost always preventable if the vaccine is started promptly. There is no situation in which waiting is the safer choice.

Why speed matters more than severity

Rabies is a virus that travels along nerves toward the brain. Once it reaches the brain and symptoms appear, there is no effective treatment and the illness is virtually always fatal. Before that point, a vaccine course reliably prevents it.

The gap between those two states is the whole reason this page exists. The incubation period is usually one to three months, but it can be as short as a few days when the bite is on the face, neck or hands — areas rich in nerves and close to the brain. You cannot know which case you are in. Start the course today.

A wound that looks trivial is not reassuring. A scratch that barely broke the skin carries the same requirement as a deep bite if saliva reached it.

Which bites need the vaccine

The World Health Organization sorts exposures into three categories, and the category determines the treatment.

CategoryWhat happenedWhat you needITouching or feeding an animal · licks on intact skinNo vaccine needed. Wash anyway.IINibbling of uncovered skin · minor scratches or grazes without bleedingWash 15 min + full vaccine courseIIIAny bite or scratch that breaks the skin · licks on broken skin · saliva on eyes, mouth or nose · any contact with a batWash 15 min + vaccine course + rabies immunoglobulin (RIG)

Two points people routinely get wrong:

• Category II — no bleeding — still needs the full vaccine course. "It didn't even bleed" is not a reason to skip it.

• Category III needs immunoglobulin as well as the vaccine. RIG is a separate injection given into and around the wound itself. It provides immediate protection during the ten days or so before your own antibodies develop. The vaccine alone is not sufficient for a Category III wound.

It isn't only dogs

The same rules apply to cats, monkeys, mongooses, jackals and bats. Monkey bites are a genuine and under-treated exposure in parts of Delhi. Bat contact is Category III even without an obvious wound, because bat teeth can break skin without leaving a mark you would notice.

Bites from rodents — rats, mice, squirrels — and from rabbits very rarely transmit rabies, but should still be seen so the wound can be cleaned and your tetanus cover checked.

The vaccine schedule

In India, the National Rabies Control Programme follows the WHO-approved Essen regimen: intramuscular doses on Day 0, Day 3, Day 7 and Day 28, where Day 0 is the day of your first injection, not the day of the bite.

An intradermal route (IDRV) using smaller doses at the same visit schedule is also approved and is used in many government centres.

Your doctor will confirm which regimen and route applies to you. It depends on the exposure category, the vaccine in use, and your history.

If you have been vaccinated against rabies before

If you have previously completed a full pre-exposure or post-exposure course, you need only two booster doses, on Day 0 and Day 3 — and you do not need immunoglobulin. Tell your doctor about any prior rabies vaccination, including courses started and abandoned.

Finish the course

The most common failure we see is someone taking the first one or two doses, feeling fine, and stopping. The wound healing tells you nothing about whether the virus was neutralised. Complete every dose on schedule. Put the dates in your phone before you leave the clinic.

If you miss a dose date, do not restart from the beginning — come in as soon as you can and the schedule will be adjusted.

What else the doctor will check

Tetanus. Any wound that breaks the skin carries tetanus risk. If your last tetanus booster was more than five years ago, you will likely need one.

Infection. Dog and especially cat bites seed bacteria deep into tissue. Bites to the hand, deep puncture wounds, and wounds in people with diabetes or reduced immunity often need antibiotics.

Wound closure. Bite wounds are generally not stitched immediately, because closing bacteria inside causes worse infection. If a wound needs closing for cosmetic reasons — on the face, for example — that decision is made carefully and usually after immunoglobulin has been infiltrated.

Common questions we hear at the clinic

"The dog looked healthy." A dog can transmit rabies in the days before it appears unwell. Appearance at the moment of the bite tells you very little.

"It was our own pet, and it's vaccinated." Lower risk, and worth telling your doctor — but pet vaccination records are often incomplete or lapsed, and the consequence of being wrong is fatal. The usual advice is to start the course and reassess.

"Can I wait and watch the dog for 10 days?" Observing a domestic dog for ten days is a recognised part of assessment — but it runs alongside starting the vaccine, never instead of it. If the dog is still healthy after ten days, your doctor may stop the remaining doses. If you waited instead and the dog turns out to be rabid, you have lost the time that mattered.

"It happened three days ago. Is it too late?" No. Start now. Post-exposure prophylaxis is given whenever the person presents, even weeks later, as long as symptoms have not begun. Later is worse than today, but far better than never.

"Is the vaccine painful? I heard it's fourteen injections in the stomach." That regimen was discontinued decades ago. The modern vaccine is a small injection in the upper arm — deltoid muscle for adults and older children, outer thigh for infants. Most people describe it as comparable to a flu shot.

"Can I get it free?" Yes — anti-rabies vaccine is provided free of cost at government hospitals, district hospitals, CHCs and PHCs under the National Rabies Control Programme. If cost is a barrier, go to a government facility today rather than delaying. Getting vaccinated somewhere matters far more than getting vaccinated with us.

Dog bites and children

Children are bitten more often than adults, are more often bitten on the face and head, and are more likely to hide a bite for fear of being told off. Ask directly and look. Any facial bite in a child is Category III and needs immunoglobulin as well as vaccine, urgently.

Our paediatrician, Dr. Mannat Verma (MBBS, MD Paediatrics), sees children at the clinic, and our nursing team is experienced with anxious young patients.

Getting treated at All Is Well Medical Centre

We provide the full post-exposure course — wound assessment and cleaning, anti-rabies vaccination, tetanus cover, antibiotics where needed, and dressing.

• Anti-rabies vaccination: [₹700 per dose]

• Consultation: ₹1,000

• Tetanus injection: [₹300]

• Wound dressing: [₹400]

We also offer home nursing — injections and dressing at home — which helps for follow-up doses if the patient is elderly or has limited mobility. The first visit should always be in person so the wound can be examined.

All Is Well Medical Centre Shop No. 1, Central Market, Masoodpur, Sector-B, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070 (Opposite Vasant Square Mall) 📞 8800844793 🕐 Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Book an appointment

If we are closed and you have been bitten, do not wait for us to open. Wash the wound for 15 minutes and go to the nearest hospital emergency department or government health facility. Time matters more than where you are treated.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do immediately after a dog bite? Wash the wound with soap under running water for 15 minutes, apply nothing else to it, cover it loosely, and see a doctor the same day for the anti-rabies vaccine.

How many anti-rabies injections are needed? The standard Indian schedule is four intramuscular doses on Day 0, 3, 7 and 28. If you have been fully vaccinated against rabies before, only two doses are needed, on Day 0 and Day 3.

Do I need the vaccine if the bite didn't bleed? Yes. A minor scratch or graze without bleeding is a Category II exposure and requires the full vaccine course.

What is rabies immunoglobulin and do I need it? RIG is an injection given into and around the wound that provides immediate protection while the vaccine takes effect. It is required for Category III exposures — any bite or scratch that breaks the skin, licks on broken skin, saliva contact with eyes, mouth or nose, or any bat contact.

Is it too late to get vaccinated days after a bite? No. The vaccine is given whenever you present, as long as symptoms have not started. Start immediately.

Do I need a vaccine for a monkey bite or cat scratch? Yes. Monkeys, cats, mongooses, jackals and bats all transmit rabies, and the same categories and schedule apply.

Is the anti-rabies vaccine free in India? Yes, it is available free at government hospitals, district hospitals, CHCs and PHCs under the National Rabies Control Programme.

Where can I get an anti-rabies vaccine in Vasant Kunj? All Is Well Medical Centre, Shop No. 1, Central Market, Masoodpur, Sector-B, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070 — opposite Vasant Square Mall. Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 7 PM. Call 8800844793.

Medically reviewed by All Is Well Medical Centre, Vasant Kunj. Last updated [16 August, 2026].

This article is general health information and does not replace examination by a qualified doctor. After any animal bite, seek medical care the same day.

Sources: World Health Organization, Rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins: WHO position paper, and WHO guidance on rabies vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis; National Rabies Control Programme, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.

Contact

Call 8800844793. Home visits 6 am to midnight.

Phone

8800844793

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Shop no. 1, Central Market, Sector B Rd, opposite Vasant Square Mall, Masoodpur, Sector B, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, Delhi 110070

ADDRESS

All is well medical centre

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