La Union teen bitten by puppy dies of rabies, 16 others under observation

BACNOTAN, La Union, Philippines – A 17-year-old boy, who was accidentally bitten by a puppy, died of rabies yesterday after failing to seek immediate medical treatment, while 16 others, mostly neighbors, are under observation for possible infection.

The teener, identified as Gian Carlo Acantilado, of Barangay Pandan here, was bitten last February but her mother, Maria Elena, only gave him an initial treatment known as “tandok.”

“Tandok” is a supposed traditional cure where the infectious rabies virus is sucked from the wound using magnetic stones or animal horn.

“The puppy was inside its cage while its owner, Joseph Bautista, was feeding it when it escaped and ran toward a day-care student and bit on his shorts but avoided the bite, and then ran toward the Acantilado residence where the teenager was bitten,” said Pandan chairman Sherry Jenso.

The teener, according to Jenso, “tried to shoo away the puppy but instead it bit his finger unexpectedly.” 

The puppy died after three days but its owner allegedly failed to tell the Acantilados that it died. 

The puppy also bit the hand of Acantilado’s 40-year-old neighbor Cris Alcantara when he tried to pacify it, but he was not infected. He also sought the “tandok” treatment from Acantilado’s mother but had himself vaccinated when he learned that the teener was hospitalized. His condition is now being monitored by health officials.

Acantilado’s mother recalled that her son’s bitten finger was swollen so she squeezed it so that blood supposedly mixed with the virus would seep out.

“After several days, he vomited so we decided to take him to the hospital and later found out that he was severely infected already with rabies,” she said.

She added that her son lost his memory before he died.

The 16 other residents now under observation by health authorities have been given anti-rabies vaccines.