After a dog or cat bite or skin-breaking scratch, wash with soap and running water for 15 minutes and seek vaccination that day
Rabies is almost 100% fatal once symptoms begin. The source recommends immediate washing plus post-exposure care: alternate soap solution and running water for 15 minutes and seek vaccination that day. Penetrating bites or licking broken skin are category III and also need passive immunization. The source emphasizes assessing the wound rather than dismissing it because the animal is a vaccinated pet.
What it takes
Washing is free. A full rabies-vaccine course costs a few hundred RMB in China. Category III exposure also needs passive immunization with ready-made antibodies, costing hundreds to over a thousand RMB.
What you may gain
China's 2023 rabies-exposure management standard states that case fatality approaches 100%. It requires thorough alternating washing of every bite/scratch with soap solution or another mildly alkaline cleanser and pressurized running water for about 15 minutes. Nibbling uncovered skin or nonbleeding scratches are category II and require vaccination. Transdermal bites or licking broken skin are category III, requiring wound care, passive immunization and vaccination. WHO estimates about 59,000 annual rabies deaths worldwide, with dogs responsible for 99% of transmission.
Context & considerations
Do not skip assessment because the animal is a pet or vaccinated. The source bases exposure category on the wound, not the dog's origin, advises against self-bandaging, and states that ten-day observation may inform stopping vaccination rather than delaying its start. It recommends the same prompt care after wild-animal or bat bites.
Research & references
General Department of China's National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and General Office of the National Health Commission (2023). Rabies Exposure Prevention and Management Standard, 2023 edition. https://www.ndcpa.gov.cn/jbkzzx/c100014/common/content/content_1706569159854649344.html; WHO. Rabies fact sheet. https://www.who.int/zh/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rabies