Long Thanh continues to record rabies outbreaks, people are upset about the situation of dogs running free

Medical staff propagate rabies prevention measures to people in Long Thanh district. Photo: Hanh Dung

In the current hot weather combined with people's habit of letting dogs roam freely, it will create favorable conditions for rabies to break out on a large scale.

Sitting on a motorbike and bitten by a rabid dog

According to information from the Long Thanh District Medical Center, Mr. NAH's family, residing in Hamlet 1C, Phuoc Thai Commune, has two dogs about 5 years old. Although these two dogs were vaccinated against rabies in April 2024, the family did not keep them in captivity but let them roam free without muzzles.

On April 4, 2025, one of the two dogs showed strange and aggressive behavior, fought with the neighbor's dog, and bit a cat to death. That same evening, NNMC, 6 years old, living in the same hamlet, was sitting on the back of his mother's motorbike on the street when the dog jumped up and bit him on the foot, ankle, and left leg.

After the dog bit a man and showed signs of aggression, Mr. H. suspected that the dog had rabies so he chained it up for observation. While chaining the dog, Mr. H. was bitten on the right hand by the dog, causing a deep wound.

A few days later, the dog died, so Mr. H's family reported it to the Phuoc Thai Commune Health Station. The Long Thanh District Health Center coordinated with the Long Thanh District Livestock and Aquaculture Station to collect samples for testing. The results showed that the dog tested positive for rabies.

Mr. H.'s remaining dog was asked to be locked up for monitoring. Mr. H. and baby C. have both been given two doses of rabies vaccine and anti-rabies serum at medical facilities.

The results of the epidemiological investigation provided by the Long Thanh District Animal Husbandry and Aquaculture Station showed that around Mr. H's house, there were 31 households raising 58 dogs. All 58 dogs were free-range, without muzzles. Of these, 45 dogs had been vaccinated against rabies, but 37 of them had been vaccinated since April 10, 2024, and their protection had expired; 13 dogs had not been vaccinated against rabies.

Vaccination of dogs against rabies in Long Thanh district. Photo: Hanh Dung

Thus, in just a few months from the beginning of 2025 until now, Phuoc Thai commune has recorded 3 rabies outbreaks in Long Phu hamlet, hamlet 3 and hamlet 1. Last February, Ms. NTN, 76 years old, residing in Hien Hoa hamlet, Phuoc Thai commune, died due to being bitten by a pet dog that she subjectively did not get vaccinated against rabies. It is worrying that after the dog that bit Ms. N. was beaten to death, Ms. N.'s family released the family's 2 remaining dogs into a rubber plantation, and their condition is still unknown.

Director of Long Thanh District Medical Center Duong Minh Tan said that the rabies epidemic situation in the locality is complicated and has the risk of spreading insidiously in the community. The fact that local households keep many dogs but let them roam freely without muzzles poses a potential risk of disease transmission from animals to humans, especially dog ​​tapeworm and rabies.

When bitten by a dog or cat, people need to wash the wound under clean running water for 10-15 minutes with soap and disinfect with 70-degree alcohol solution or Povidime. Absolutely do not squeeze blood from the wound, do not apply or cover any solution or medicinal leaves according to folk beliefs to avoid wound infection and allow the virus to penetrate deeper. Then go to the nearest medical facility for advice on rabies vaccination as soon as possible.

Frustrated with the situation of dogs running free

After Dong Nai Newspaper published the article "Hotspot" about rabies in Long Thanh district", many readers expressed their opinions and provided information related to the management of pets (dogs, cats) of people in Long Thanh district.

Ms. Dang Thom, a resident of Phuoc Binh commune, shared: “Many families keep dogs without chains, just letting them roam freely on the streets. You never know when a dog will get rabies, and if a rabid dog bites someone, the consequences will be unpredictable. Therefore, dog owners need to be aware and not let their own interests affect others.”

Dog and cat breeders in Long Thanh district sign a commitment to prevent rabies in dogs and cats. Photo: Hanh Dung

Mr. Ho Trung, a resident of Tan Hiep commune, was upset: “Sometimes when I ride a motorbike on the street and get chased by a dog, it is very scary. Free-roaming dogs not only endanger other road users but also defecate indiscriminately, causing unsanitary conditions. We hope that in the district there will be a team to catch and confine stray dogs, ensuring the health and safety of the people.”

Ms. Ly Tuyet, a resident of Bau Can commune, suggested that management agencies should take strong measures to thoroughly handle the situation of stray dogs and cats and dogs that have not been vaccinated against rabies according to regulations. "It's hot and sunny, but when I go out on the street and see a dog lying down with its tongue hanging out and drooling, I feel very scared and don't dare to walk past the dog lying there," Ms. Tuyet said.

Faced with the complicated developments of the rabies epidemic, the Long Thanh District Medical Center proposed that the District Livestock and Aquaculture Station, the Commune Veterinary Station and the People's Committee of Phuoc Thai Commune implement measures and sanctions to manage households in the commune that raise dogs and cats. Households are required to confine dogs and cats, wear muzzles when going out and have them fully vaccinated against rabies.

The district health center recommended that the Long Thanh District People's Committee direct the district's Animal Husbandry and Aquaculture Station to strengthen coordination with communes and towns to vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies in the area.

According to the leader of the Long Thanh District Animal Husbandry and Aquaculture Station, currently, rabies vaccination for dogs and cats is carried out in the form of socialization, meaning that people pay for the vaccination themselves. However, the price of each dose of rabies vaccine for dogs and cats is very low. Therefore, households raising dogs and cats need to voluntarily comply with rabies vaccination for pets to ensure the safety of both pets and family members and people around.

Emphasizing the dangers of rabies, Dr. Doan Quoc Duy, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Dong Nai General Hospital, said that rabies is a very dangerous infectious disease, 100% of patients who have had a rabies attack will die. The most effective measure to prevent rabies is to inject anti-rabies serum and rabies vaccine immediately after being bitten by a dog or cat.

Doctor Duy recommends that people should never be subjective when bitten by dogs or cats, whether they are home-raised dogs or neighbors' dogs, stray dogs of unknown origin, dogs that have been vaccinated against rabies or not. Because people's subjectivity can cost them dearly.

When detecting dogs or cats showing unusual signs of suspected rabies (dogs are easily agitated, bite and bark at people fiercely, are too aggressive when called by their owners, and at the slightest noise they jump up and bark ferociously, bite and gnaw indiscriminately, refuse to eat, and drool a lot), people must immediately report to local authorities for timely handling.

Hanh Dung

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/y-te/202504/long-thanh-lai-tiep-tuc-ghi-nhan-o-dich-cho-dai-nguoi-dan-buc-xuc-vi-tinh-trang-cho-tha-rong-f176c8d/