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Dog and Cat Bite First Aid: Rabies Risk, the 15-Minute Wash and When to Call 112

If a dog or cat bites or scratches you, wash the wound at once with plenty of soap and water for at least 15 minutes, press directly on it if it bleeds, cover it with a clean cloth and go to a health facility the same day. Rabies cannot be treated once symptoms begin; a doctor decides whether you need the vaccine. Call 112 for bleeding that pressure does not stop or for any threat to life.

Dog and Cat Bite First Aid: Rabies Risk, the 15-Minute Wash and When to Call 112
Key Takeaways
  • Wash the bite or scratch at once with plenty of soap and water for at least 15 minutes.
  • Go to a health facility the same day even without bleeding; a doctor decides on the rabies vaccine.
  • Rabies cannot be treated once symptoms begin; complete the full vaccine schedule.
  • Call 112 at once for bleeding pressure will not stop, fainting or breathing trouble.
  • Put no pepper, oil, herbs or petrol on the wound; do not try to catch the animal yourself.

The 30-Second Answer

When a dog or cat bites or scratches, the first job is to wash the wound at once with plenty of soap and water for at least 15 minutes; if it bleeds, press directly on it, cover it with a clean cloth and go to a health facility the same day [1][3]. Turkey recorded 470,918 rabies-risk exposures in 2024 and one human rabies case [5]. However calm the picture looks, the decision is not made at home: rabies cannot be treated once symptoms begin, so the doctor who sees the wound decides whether you need the vaccine [3].

  • Bleeding that pressure does not stop, loss of consciousness or breathing trouble: call 112 at once [2].
  • Small wound, no bleeding or bleeding has stopped: wash, cover and go to an emergency department or the nearest health facility the same day; mention the contact with the animal [2][3].
  • Put no pepper, oil, herbs or petrol on the wound, and do not try to catch the animal yourself [2].

Today, 28 September, is World Rabies Day. Three days ago the Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate repeated the same rule: the wound should be washed "at once with plenty of soap and water for at least 15 minutes", then the person should go to the nearest health facility [3].

What to Do in the First Minutes: the 2025 Red Crescent and Ministry Steps

The Turkish Red Crescent First Aid Pocket Book 2025 and the Turkish Ministry of Health First Aid Training Book (May 2025) give the same sequence for cat, dog, horse and cow bites [1][2]. The Ministry book's chapter is signed by Prof. Dr. Seda Özkan of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa [2].

  1. Make the scene safe. Make sure the animal cannot bite you or the injured person again; if you are not sure, take the necessary precautions [1].
  2. Check vital signs. If the person does not respond or is not breathing normally, call 112 and start Basic Life Support (BLS) [2].
  3. Wash your hands and put on gloves. Wash your hands with soap and water before looking at the wound; if you have no gloves, a clean plastic bag will do [1]. Keeping disposable gloves in your home emergency kit makes this step easier.
  4. Wash the bite. In the Red Crescent's words: "Wash the bite site with soap and water for 10-15 minutes." [1] The Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate and the World Health Organization (WHO) give the time as "at least 15 minutes" [3][6]. Read together, the target is clear: look at the clock and complete the 15 minutes.
  5. Stop the bleeding. If the wound bleeds heavily, press directly on it [1].
  6. Cover the wound. A dry, clean cloth or bandage is enough [1].
  7. Go to a health facility. Tell the person to go to a health facility for rabies and tetanus vaccines and wound care [1].

The 2025 note from Hacettepe University's Department of Public Health adds two details: after washing, alcohol or an iodine antiseptic such as tincture of iodine can be applied; if the animal's saliva reached the eyes, mouth or nose, rinse them with plenty of water [5].

Do Not

On this point the Ministry of Health book is explicit: "Do not pour any foreign substance (various herbs, pepper, oil, petrol, etc.) on the wound and do not perform any procedure on the wound." [2] The same page adds three more warnings: do not try to catch the animal yourself, do not kill it unless absolutely necessary, and if the animal is dead, protect its head and brain from damage for rabies testing [2]. Rabies-infected saliva can be on the animal's skin and fur; if you must move a dead animal, use gloves or a shovel [2].

When to Call 112 and When to Go to the Emergency Department

Most animal bites do not need an ambulance, but some do. The Ministry of Health book sums up when to call 112 in three questions: Is the situation life-threatening? Could it get worse? Could moving the person cause further injury? If any answer is "yes" or uncertain, call 112 [2].

Situation What to do
Bleeding that direct pressure does not stop Keep pressing, call 112 [2]
Fainting, not responding Call 112, monitor vital signs [2]
Serious injury, threat to life Call 112 at once [1]
Bleeding stopped, wound deep or on the face Cover the wound, go to the emergency department the same day [2]
Small bite, scratch without bleeding, abrasion Wash, go to a health facility the same day [2][6]
The animal only licked intact skin, or you fed it Not an exposure; wash your skin [6]

The last row is Category I in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. Category II covers nibbling of uncovered skin and minor scratches or abrasions without bleeding, and needs the vaccine in addition to washing. Category III covers bites or scratches that break the skin and saliva reaching a wound or mucous membranes such as the mouth or eyes; in this group rabies immunoglobulin (antiserum) is added to the vaccine [6]. The doctor sets the category; your job is to wash the wound and go.

If you are unsure what to do while waiting for the ambulance, our guide to the minutes until the ambulance arrives walks through bleeding and consciousness checks step by step.

Cat Scratch or Dog Bite? The Current Picture from Istanbul

"Rabies" makes people think of dogs. Emergency department data from Istanbul paints a different picture. A study of 1,960 patients who came to the emergency department of Göztepe Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın City Hospital with an animal exposure between 1 March and 1 September 2025 found that 86.3% of exposures involved cats and 13.0% dogs, and 81.5% were caused by scratching [7]. 90.1% of the animals were strays and their vaccination status was unknown in 81.2% of cases [7]. 74.5% of patients came within the first 24 hours [7].

Cats should not be underestimated. The Ministry of Health book notes that cat bites are less disabling than dog bites but have "a much higher infection rate": a cat's sharp teeth leave deep puncture wounds that can reach muscle, tendon or bone [2]. A dog's mouth is not clean either; it can carry more than 60 species of bacteria, some dangerous to humans [2]. Apart from rabies, the other problem is wound infection; if you notice increasing redness, swelling or pain in the days after the bite, see a doctor again.

Dogs remain the main actor for rabies. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 99% of human rabies cases are caused by dog bites and scratches [6]. Of the rabid animals detected in Turkey, 90% are domestic animals, with dogs in first place [5]. The Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate keeps the list broad: wild mammals such as foxes, wolves and jackals, and dogs, cats, cattle, sheep, goats and donkeys can all carry rabies [3]. For another kind of zoonotic bite, see our tick bite first aid guide; the rules there are completely different.

Who Decides on the Vaccine? Rabies Vaccine and Antiserum

Rabies prevention has three parts: wound care, the rabies vaccine and, when needed, rabies antiserum. The Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate calls these three "life-saving" and asks anyone put on a vaccine schedule to have their doses "on time and in full" [3]. The Hacettepe note stresses the same point: the vaccination schedule set by the doctor should be followed without interruption [5].

Why a doctor's decision? Because both over-use and under-use happen in real life. In a study of 523 children seen in an emergency department in Kahramanmaraş during 2024, every child was vaccinated, yet 71.3% of those vaccinations were judged unnecessary under the 2019 national guideline, mostly for minor, provoked, non-bleeding cat scratches [9]. In the same study, only 6 of 41 children (14.6%) who needed antiserum received it appropriately [9]. In the Istanbul data, the vaccine was started in 98.8% of patients and antiserum given to 0.6% [7].

What these figures mean for you: after a dog bite, especially a deep or bleeding one, tell the doctor clearly what kind of animal it was, whether it has an owner, how the bite happened (provoked or unprovoked) and where the wound is. The category is set from this information.

Why the Animal's Details Matter

The Ministry of Health book asks that animals not vaccinated against rabies be kept under observation for at least 10 days [2]. In the Istanbul study that observation was recorded in only 20.2% of cases; the researchers note that this gap constrains risk assessment and may contribute to "precautionary" vaccination [7]. If the dog that bit has an owner, ask for their name, phone number and the animal's vaccination card. If it is a stray, note where and when you saw it; report sick or strangely behaving animals to the municipality, the neighbourhood headman (muhtar) or the provincial/district directorate of agriculture and forestry [5].

Why Rabies Does Not Allow Waiting

In the Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate's words: "Once its symptoms appear, rabies cannot be treated and ends in death." [3] The World Health Organization (WHO) writes that the incubation period of rabies is typically 2-3 months but may vary from one week to one year depending on where the virus entered and how much of it there was [6]. The first symptoms are fever, pain and tingling or burning at the wound site [6].

This long and variable period has two consequences. First, going early is always the safest path. Second, if a bite is noticed late, do not think "it is too late now"; go to a health facility that day and leave the decision to the doctor. In İzmir, of 3,732 children seen with a rabies-risk exposure between 2013 and 2023, only 48.8% came the same day and 0.9% came after more than 30 days [8].

Turkey's picture holds a paradox: 470,918 risk exposures in 2024 and yet a single human case [5]. The rarity of human cases in Turkey is explained by effective surveillance and post-exposure prophylaxis, while rabies keeps circulating in animals, particularly dogs [9]. The low number shows that the system works, not that rabies has gone.

Extra Notes for Children and Older Adults

Children. In World Health Organization (WHO) data, 40% of rabies deaths are children under 15 [6]. In the İzmir series the children's median age was 9, and 49.8% of exposures involved dogs and 44.8% cats [8]. Children may not mention a small scratch or play with a street cat; if you see a new scratch on an arm or hand in the evening, ask how it happened. Most injuries are to the hands, arms, legs and face [2]; for bites to the face, go to the emergency department without delay. For children's emergencies in general, our parents' guide is a separate resource.

Older adults. Among 182 adults who came to a hospital in Ankara after a rabies-risk exposure, tetanus immunity was 81.9%, and antibody levels fell markedly with age [10]. The researchers stress the importance of a booster dose every 10 years [10]. If an older relative has been bitten, tell the doctor when their last tetanus shot was; if you do not know, say so.

Istanbul Hospitals That Give the Rabies Vaccine

The Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate's list dated December 2024 names 25 hospitals that give the rabies vaccine [4]. A few examples from both sides of the city:

  • Asian side: Göztepe Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın City Hospital, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital, and the Tuzla, Beykoz, Şile and Sultanbeyli state hospitals [4].
  • European side: Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Başakşehir Çam ve Sakura City Hospital, Haseki (Sultangazi campus), Şişli Hamidiye Etfal (Seyrantepe campus), and the Beylikdüzü, Esenyurt, Silivri and Çatalca state hospitals [4].
  • Princes' Islands: the Büyükada annex building of Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital is listed separately [4].

You can find the full list on the Provincial Health Directorate's page. Your first visit can be to the nearest health facility; what matters is to mention the contact with the animal and not to miss the vaccine dates you are given [3].

Vaccine Days for an Older or Bedridden Relative Who Was Bitten

A rabies vaccine schedule does not end with a single hospital visit; the person has to return to the vaccinating hospital on the days the doctor sets [3][5]. Take, for example, an 80-year-old mother who walks with a frame and was put on the schedule after a cat scratch in the garden, or a bedridden father: getting them to one of the 25 hospitals for every dose is the part families find hardest. For these planned trips, Nova Ambulans' home-to-hospital transfer service can handle the stretcher transfer and the journey home; just tell us the vaccine dates and the hospital when you call: 0216 339 00 39. For other aspects of home care, see our article on home care for older adults.

If at the moment of the bite there is bleeding that pressure does not stop, fainting or breathing trouble, the number to call is 112; a private ambulance does not replace 112 in that situation. We explain the difference between the two services in our 112 vs private ambulance comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first aid for a dog bite?

First make sure the area is safe and the animal cannot bite again. Wash your hands before touching the wound and put on gloves if you have them [1]. Wash the bite with plenty of soap and water: the 2025 first-aid books of the Turkish Red Crescent and the Turkish Ministry of Health say 10-15 minutes, while the Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate and the World Health Organization (WHO) say at least 15 minutes [1][2][3][6]. If the wound bleeds heavily, press directly on it, then cover it with a dry, clean cloth or bandage [1]. Put nothing such as pepper, oil, herbs or petrol on the wound [2]. Even without any threat to life, go to a health facility the same day; a doctor decides whether rabies and tetanus vaccines are needed [2].

Do I need to go to hospital for a dog bite that did not bleed or a cat scratch?

Yes. The Turkish Ministry of Health First Aid Training Book (May 2025) says that anyone bitten by a dog or another animal must go to the nearest health facility even when there is no threat to life [2]. In the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, a minor scratch or abrasion without bleeding is also an exposure that can require the vaccine; only touching the animal or a lick on intact skin is not an exposure [6]. Not every contact needs the vaccine, though: in a study of 523 children in Kahramanmaraş in 2024, 71.3% of the vaccinations given were unnecessary under the national guideline [9]. That is why the decision belongs with a doctor, not at home.

Where can I get the rabies vaccine in Istanbul?

The Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate's list dated December 2024 names 25 hospitals that give the rabies vaccine [4]. They include Göztepe Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın City Hospital, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Başakşehir Çam ve Sakura City Hospital, Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital and its Büyükada annex building, and the state hospitals in Şile, Silivri and Çatalca [4]. If you are unsure which hospital to go to, go to the nearest health facility and always mention the contact with the animal [3].

I noticed the bite days later. Is it too late for the rabies vaccine?

Do not wait; go to a health facility today. The World Health Organization (WHO) writes that the incubation period of rabies is typically 2-3 months but may vary from one week to one year [6]. A doctor decides whether the vaccine is still needed, based on the animal and the time that has passed. Because rabies cannot be treated once symptoms begin, do not decide on your own that it is too late [3].

The dog that bit me has an owner and is fully vaccinated. Do I still need a doctor?

Yes. Ask the owner for the animal's vaccination card and contact details and take them to the doctor. The Ministry of Health's 2025 first-aid book asks that animals not vaccinated against rabies be kept under observation for at least 10 days; observation and the vaccine decision are made together with the healthcare team [2]. Even if the animal's rabies vaccination is complete, your wound care and tetanus status are assessed separately [1]. In an Istanbul emergency department study of 1,960 patients in 2025, observation of the animal was recorded in only 20.2% of cases; providing the animal's details closes that gap [7].

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