Medically reviewed by Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan, Physician, Takecare Clinic Phuket. Last reviewed: September 2026.
Monkey bites at viewpoints and temples, and dog bites on quiet roads at night, are among the injuries I treat most often. Beyond rabies, these wounds can become infected quickly in the heat. So I clean them thoroughly, check tetanus cover and decide on antibiotics case by case.
Bites in Phuket tend to happen in ordinary moments. A soi dog guarding its patch of beach at night reacts to someone walking past, a dog runs out at a passing scooter, a friendly cafe cat is picked up and panics, or a monkey on a viewpoint lunges for a bag of fruit. Some people arrive within minutes with a bleeding hand; others wait until the morning after, hoping a small puncture will not matter. It usually does, for two separate reasons: animal mouths carry bacteria that infect wounds quickly, and in Thailand every mammal bite raises the question of rabies. We deal with the wound first, then the vaccine decision, in the same visit.
First aid in the first 15 minutes
Hold the wound under running tap water and wash it with soap for a full 15 minutes, working the lather into punctures. This flushes out saliva and is one of the most effective steps in preventing rabies. Then apply an antiseptic such as povidone-iodine or an alcohol-based solution if you have one, and press a clean cloth on any bleeding. Do not suck the wound, apply chilli, toothpaste or herbal remedies, or tape it tightly shut. Take a photo of the wound and, if it is safe, note where the animal was and what it looked like. Then come in.
Why bite wounds behave differently
A dog’s jaw tends to crush and tear, so a wound that looks like a clean cut can hide bruised tissue underneath. Cat teeth are thin and sharp, leaving small, deep punctures that seal over quickly and trap bacteria inside; cat bites become infected more often than dog bites, sometimes within 12 to 24 hours. The typical culprits include Pasteurella, a bacterium carried in cat and dog mouths, together with staphylococci and streptococci from the skin. Bites over the hands, fingers, joints and face need extra care because tendons, joint spaces and cartilage sit close to the surface.
| Animal | Typical injury | Infection concern | Rabies decision in Thailand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog | Tearing and crush wounds, often legs and hands | Moderate; higher on hands and face | Vaccine for any break in the skin; immunoglobulin if it bled and you are unvaccinated |
| Cat | Deep punctures and scratches | High; antibiotics usually advised | Same as dogs; scratches count |
| Monkey (macaque) | Bites and scratches to hands, arms and legs | Moderate; herpes B virus is also considered | Treated as a rabies exposure |
| Bat | Tiny marks that may be invisible | Low | Always the highest category, with immunoglobulin if unvaccinated |
| Rats, mice, squirrels | Small punctures | Rat-bite fever is rare but possible | Rabies vaccine rarely needed; the doctor decides case by case |
How we treat the wound
Assessment
The doctor asks when and how the bite happened, which animal, where it was, and your tetanus and rabies vaccine history. We examine the depth of the wound, test the movement and feeling of nearby fingers or toes, and check for damage to tendons, joints or nerves. Deep hand bites, suspected bone or joint injury, or heavy bleeding may need a hospital specialist, and we refer the same day when that is the case.
Cleaning and closure
After local anaesthetic if needed, the wound is irrigated with plenty of sterile saline and any dead or dirty tissue is gently trimmed. Most bite wounds are left open or loosely taped and closed later if needed, because stitching traps bacteria. Facial bites are the main exception: after thorough cleaning they are often closed for a better scar, sometimes with antibiotic cover. Punctures are never sewn shut. Ongoing dressing changes and suture removal are covered on our wound care in Phuket page.
Tetanus
Bites are tetanus-prone wounds. If your last tetanus dose was more than 5 years ago, or you cannot remember, we give a booster. People who never completed a childhood course may also need tetanus immunoglobulin for a heavily contaminated wound. Our vaccinations in Phuket page explains how tetanus fits into your wider record.
Antibiotics
Not every bite needs antibiotics. Following NICE guidance, they are generally recommended for cat bites that break the skin, and for dog bites that break the skin and draw blood when the wound is on the hand, foot, face, genitals or over a joint, is deep or crushed, or when you have diabetes, a weakened immune system or no working spleen. The usual first choice is co-amoxiclav, amoxicillin combined with clavulanic acid, for 3 days as prevention or 5 days if the wound is already infected. For people allergic to penicillin, doxycycline plus metronidazole is a common alternative.
The rabies decision
Once the wound is managed, the doctor decides on rabies protection using the World Health Organization categories. A lick on intact skin needs no vaccine. A nibble or a scratch that did not bleed needs the vaccine course. A bite or scratch that broke the skin and bled, a lick on broken skin, or saliva in the eyes or mouth needs the vaccine and, if you have never been vaccinated, rabies immunoglobulin injected around the wound. If you had a full course in the past, two booster doses on days 0 and 3 are enough. The first dose is given before you leave, and our rabies vaccine in Phuket page sets out the full schedules and how to continue them after you fly home.
Caring for the bite over the next few days
Keep the dressing clean and dry, change it as advised, and take all antibiotic doses. Elevate a bitten hand or foot to reduce swelling. Paracetamol or ibuprofen can help with pain unless you have been told to avoid them. Keep the wound out of the sea, pools and hot tubs until it has closed, because seawater in warm climates can carry Vibrio bacteria that cause aggressive wound infections. We normally review bites at 24 to 48 hours, and sooner if anything changes. Increasing redness, heat, pus or red streaks spreading up the limb suggest infection, which is explained on our skin infection treatment page.
When to see a doctor
Every mammal bite or scratch that breaks the skin in Thailand should be seen by a doctor the same day, even if it looks minor, and so should any contact with a bat. Come back quickly if pain, swelling or redness is increasing, if you develop a fever, or if a finger becomes stiff or hard to bend, which can signal infection in a tendon sheath or joint.
Prevention and early detection
Most bites in Phuket are avoidable. Do not pet, feed or pick up dogs, cats or monkeys, however calm they seem, and teach children to do the same. Give sleeping or eating dogs a wide berth, especially on quiet beaches at night. If a dog approaches, stand still, avoid eye contact and back away slowly; running or kicking tends to trigger a chase. At monkey viewpoints, keep food, drinks and plastic bags out of sight. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is worth considering for children, runners, cyclists and long stays.
Getting a bite treated at Takecare Clinic
Bites do not keep office hours, and neither do we. All three clinics are open 24/7 for walk-ins: the Bangtao (Cherngtalay) clinic, our Kata-Karon clinic and the Patong clinic. You can also send a photo of the wound on WhatsApp and ask whether the rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin are in stock today; we confirm the price there too. For urgent questions, call +66 81 718 9080.
If you cannot travel easily, a doctor hotel visit in Phuket can start assessment and first treatment where you are staying, although deep wounds are usually best cleaned in the clinic. Bite treatment is generally covered by travel insurance as accident care; we offer direct billing with most travel insurers and give you receipts, an itemised invoice and a medical report.
Related services and treatments
If you are planning further travel after your stay, a travel medicine in Phuket consultation can build rabies protection into the rest of your trip. For any other injury or symptom, our walk-in doctor in Phuket service is open around the clock, and you can browse the conditions we treat.
Summary
Animal bite treatment in Phuket follows a clear order: wash the wound for 15 minutes, then have a doctor assess, irrigate and dress it, usually leaving it open rather than stitching. Tetanus is updated if your last dose was more than 5 years ago, antibiotics such as co-amoxiclav are used for cat bites and higher-risk dog bites, and the rabies decision is made before you leave, with the first vaccine dose given the same day. Keep the wound out of the sea, and return at once if it becomes red, hot or more painful.
“Never try to feed or photograph monkeys up close, and keep food out of sight. Most monkey bites I see happen when someone is holding a snack.”
Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan, Physician, Takecare Clinic Phuket
Frequently asked questions
Does travel insurance cover treatment for a dog bite?
A bite is an accident, so most travel insurance policies cover the consultation, wound care, tetanus, antibiotics and rabies injections, including follow-up doses, subject to their terms. We offer direct billing with most travel insurers and provide receipts, an itemised invoice and a medical report. If you are paying yourself, we confirm the price on WhatsApp before your visit.
How soon after being bitten should I be seen?
The same day, and ideally within a few hours, after washing the wound for 15 minutes. Early cleaning reduces both infection and rabies risk, and antibiotics work best when started before infection takes hold. If a day or more has already passed, still come in: the rabies vaccine should be started whenever you present, and the wound can still be treated.
Can I come straight in, or do I need an appointment?
Come straight in. All three of our clinics accept walk-ins 24 hours a day, and most people are seen within minutes. A bite is treated as a priority. If you are unsure whether a small scratch counts, you can send a photo on WhatsApp, but in Thailand any break in the skin from a mammal should be checked in person.
Can a doctor treat an animal bite at my hotel?
For minor bites and scratches, a doctor can visit your hotel or villa anywhere in Phuket at any hour to clean the wound, give first treatment and plan the rabies course, depending on what can be brought on the day. Deep wounds, bites on the hands or face and heavily bleeding injuries are best treated in the clinic, where irrigation and equipment are to hand.
Will my bite wound be stitched?
Usually not straight away. Stitches trap bacteria in a bite wound and raise the infection risk, so most are thoroughly cleaned and left open or loosely closed with strips, then reviewed. Facial bites are the main exception and are often closed after careful cleaning for a better scar. Puncture wounds, such as cat bites, are never stitched.
Can I swim or go diving while a bite heals?
Keep the wound out of the sea, swimming pools and hot tubs until it has fully closed, which often takes one to two weeks. Warm seawater can carry Vibrio bacteria that cause fast-spreading wound infections, and pool water softens the dressing and skin edges. Showering is fine if you cover the dressing and dry the area carefully afterwards.
Sources
The NHS guide to animal and human bites covers first aid and when to get help. NICE guideline NG184 on antibiotics for human and animal bites sets out who needs antibiotics and which ones. The World Health Organization rabies fact sheet explains wound washing and the exposure categories.
animal bite, dog bite, cat bite, cat scratch, monkey bite, macaque, bat exposure, rat-bite fever, bite wound infection, Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio, cellulitis, wound irrigation, delayed primary closure, tetanus booster, tetanus immunoglobulin, co-amoxiclav, amoxicillin-clavulanate, doxycycline, metronidazole, rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, rabies immunoglobulin, herpes B virus, NICE NG184, NHS, WHO, Bangtao, Cherngtalay, Kata, Karon, Patong, Takecare Clinic Phuket, Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan
This page is general health information and not a substitute for a medical consultation.