My sixteen-year old son Jun Paolo, suffered multiple or third degree dogbites a few months months ago and it was a most excruciating experience for him and me. I want to spare the readers the gory details but just tell you some valuable lessons learned. Prevention is always better than cure. So, the first important thing is-- avoid being bitten by a dog. But if bitten despite precautions, don't panic because if you do, you cannot think clearly and make right decisions.

1. Never assume a dog won't bite.

2. Don't run past a dog. The dog's natural instinct is to chase and catch prey.

3. If a dog threatens you, don't scream. Avoid eye contact, try to remain motionless until the dog leaves, then back away slowly until the dog is out of sight.

4. Don't approach a strange dog, especially one that is tied up or confined.

5. Always let a dog see and sniff you before you pet the animal.

6. Always walk your dog on a leash. Keep your cats indoors, where they are safe from traffic and other animals.

7. When you are not walking your dog, keep him indoors with you - or in a fenced yard. Spend time playing with and caring for your dog.8. Don't pet or approach a dog (or cat) while he is eating, sleeping, or guarding something. Pets guard their food, their babies, and their toys.

9. Dogs also protect their owners, as well as property that belongs to their owners such as an owner's home, yard or car.

10. Don't try to pull a toy, a stick, food, or any other item from a dog's mouth. Also avoid playing tug-of-war with dogs. Playing roughly with dogs may teach them to bite, jump, or become aggressive.

11. Don't run away from a dog who is chasing you. A dog's natural instinct is to chase and catch someone who is running away. If you stand still, the dog will most likely stop, sniff you, and leave you alone when he realizes you are not a threat. Also, don't chase or tease dogs or cats, and avoid petting or trying to pick up strange pets.

12. Don't approach a dog (or any other animal) who is injured. Instead, safely help the animal by calling a veterinarian or animal control authority.

Health authorities give the following advice on what to do when bitten by a dog:

1. Force the wound to bleed.
2. Wash wound with soap and water to remove microorganisms and reduce chances of infection.
3. After washing the wound, apply alcohol or tincture of iodine.
4. Go to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Muntinlupa City or San Lazaro Hospital in Manila immediately.

If for any reason, anyone you know suffers from a dogbite, bring him or her immediately to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Muntinlupa City or at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. These are government hospitals and charge only minimum amount for service, but be prepared to pay for the anti-rabies vaccines which can be very expensive. This was what proved a nightmare for me as a parent when I was required to pay some P20,000 for an HRIG (human rabies immunoglobulin) shot during the second day of my son's treatment. I was able to survive this with the help of a social worker who pleaded our case with the hospital social service and write a letter requesting financial assistance from the Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office (PCSO). My son was writhing in pain when he was injected directly on his fresh wounds on the leg.

The dogowner proved antagonistic and looked he would not give anymore help aside from the initial P 1000 he shelled out angrily as my son and his friends sought the help of the homeowners association president, also a mother, who instructed that he must be treated immediately at the San Lazaro Hospital. It was 12:00 midnight when he was given the first dose of anti-rabies vaccine. I learned this from my daughter's text message. My son was accompanied home by his friends. They arrived at 3:00 in the morning and I couldn't talk to him, because he was too exhausted and scared.

ERIG (equine rabies immunoglobulin) from horses and HRIG from human cells are extremely expensive because they are in short supply worldwide.

Production of HRIG depends on the availability of human donors who have been immunized against rabies and requires an expensive screening and production process.

Production of ERIG requires a constant supply of serum from horses that have been immunized against rabies. Large multinational manufacturers have been reluctant to maintain such facilities because of pressures from animal rights groups, increasing production costs, and complex directives from national regulatory authorities. Three major European manufacturers namely Behring, Sclavo and Berna have discontinued production of ERIG during the past two decades. Adventis-Pasteur is the last remaining manufacturer.

Among Asian nations, only Thailand has been producing a moderate quantity of HRIG from unpaid volunteer donors at the Thai Red Cross National Blood Center in Bangkok.

Local governments must be strict in requiring dog owners to have their pets vaccinated with anti-rabies every year. In Muntinlupa City, anti-rabies vaccines are given to dogs free. Dog owners are encouraged to have their pets vaccinated through massive information campaign, including the installation of giant billboards along prominent sites for the public to see. We hope all the other local governments will follow to spare possible dogbite victims of the horrible pain and expense.

Dogs who bite even without provocation should be destroyed in the most humane way possible.

Owners of dogs who have bitten people must extend financial help. Irresponsible dogowners must be penalized.

If possible, every dogowner should subject his dog to training by a professional dog trainer to optimize its usefulness and ensure safe behavior towards everyone. A responsible dogowner can really make a dog a man's best friend.

It is also very helpful if every barangay can maintain an animal bite clinic to serve the emergency needs of animal bite victims, because anima rabies-- whether from dog, cat, horse, rat, bat, or snake-- can be fatal or result in death if not treated properly and immediately.

Many thanks to:

GOD; Friends of my son specially Wilma and Paul; San Lazaro Hospital and RITM doctors and nurses; Mrs. Jean Olaes and Mrs. Cristina dela Cruz of DSWD; Mrs. Pacita Nasam, President of Homeowners Association in Pag-asa, Molino, Bacoor, Cavite; Bro. Cris and Rica of HomeLife; our family and neighbors; my colleagues at STII; and Mr. Kurt Brauchli for useful data about HRIG and ERIG.