Dog Bite in Delhi? Rabies First Aid and the Full Post-Exposure Vaccine Schedule

A dog bite is frightening, and in India — where dog-mediated rabies is still a real risk — it's genuinely a medical urgency. The good news: rabies is virtually 100% preventable when post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is started promptly. Here's exactly what to do.

This is an emergency guide, not a substitute for medical care. After any bite that breaks the skin, see a doctor the same day. If you're in Delhi NCR and need the vaccine at home, we can help — but wound care and immunoglobulin decisions should be made with a clinician.

Step 1: Wash the wound immediately

Before anything else, wash the bite thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes. This single step dramatically reduces the amount of virus and is one of the most effective things you can do. Then apply an antiseptic (povidone-iodine or alcohol).

Step 2: Know your exposure category

The WHO classifies exposures into three categories, which determine treatment:

• Category I — touching or feeding an animal, licks on intact skin. No PEP needed if skin is genuinely unbroken.
• Category II — nibbling of uncovered skin, minor scratches or abrasions without bleeding. Wound washing + rabies vaccine.
• Category III — single or multiple transdermal bites or scratches, licks on broken skin, contamination of mucous membranes, bat exposure. Wound washing + rabies vaccine + rabies immunoglobulin (RIG).

Step 3: The rabies vaccine schedule (PEP)

Modern rabies vaccines are safe, cell-culture derived, and given in the arm (intramuscular) or intradermally at a clinic. For a previously unvaccinated person, the standard intramuscular Essen schedule is:

• Day 0 — first dose (the day of the bite, or as soon as possible)
• Day 3
• Day 7
• Day 14
• Day 28 — (some regimens use a 4-dose schedule; your doctor will confirm)

Vaccines used in India include Rabivax-S and Rabishield. If you've been fully vaccinated against rabies before, you only need two booster doses (days 0 and 3) and no immunoglobulin.

Step 4: Rabies immunoglobulin (for Category III)

For severe (Category III) exposures, rabies immunoglobulin is infiltrated around the wound on day 0. It provides immediate protection while the vaccine builds your own immunity over the following weeks. This must be arranged through a clinic or hospital.

Common questions

"The dog looked healthy / it was my own pet — do I still need it?" If the animal's vaccination status is uncertain, don't take the risk. Start PEP; it can be stopped if the animal is confirmed healthy after 10 days of observation.

"It's been two days — is it too late?" Start as soon as possible, but rabies PEP can still be effective days later. Do not skip it because time has passed.

"What about cat scratches or monkey bites?" The same rules apply — cats, monkeys and bats can all transmit rabies.

Home rabies vaccination in Delhi NCR

Once your doctor confirms the schedule, our certified nurses can administer your follow-up rabies doses at home — so you don't have to travel back for every visit. We serve Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon, cold chain maintained, GST invoice included. Book a visit or call us on the numbers in the footer for urgent help.

Sources: WHO Guide for Rabies Pre- and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis; National Guidelines on Rabies Prophylaxis, MoHFW / NCDC India; National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE).