One of the differences between civilized countries and countries that pretend to be civilized is how their dogs are controlled. In Thailand, soi dogs (street dogs) are everywhere and of course are not licensed and usually just wander around on the loose.
I was bit for the second time tonight, walking back from the mall. This particular dog was chained to the front door of a house (term loosely applied as a house). I thought that was unusual as I walked by and was taken by surprise as the dog lunged out at me and bit me. The chain, was simply too long permitting the dog to enter halfway into the street.
Needless to say I was incensed and would have called the police in Canada and reported the dog and then would have gone off to the hospital for treatment.
However, this is Thailand and farangs basically have no rights when a situation involves Thai people. However, if I would have had a bat, there would have been one dead dog. On second thought, I should have picked up a rock and heaved it through the window of the house.
Instead I limped off home and looked up what to do on the internet. Going to the hospital was not something I wanted to do as Thailand just passed a new law authorizing hospitals to charge twice the usual fee when treating a farang. Thai hospitals just love farangs showing up as a cash cow. My insurance back home would cover it but trying to explain to a Thai hospital what you want is also a challenge even if Thavorn was present. Thai people are intimated by doctors and just take what they say as gospel truth.
I have experience this with my basketball players as hospitals always cast an ankle sprain as it generates more cash. Then they tell the player to stay off it for a month when the cast comes off in 2 weeks. BTW, this is not the way to treat an ankle sprain.
The internet agreed that the proper treatment was to wash the bite with soap and water, apply a topical antibiotic cream and the take an oral antibiotic, with the recommended tablet you will see below. The only thing I miss out on is a shot of antibiotic in the hospital to get me started but Thavorn was able to buy the correct tablet at the local pharmacy without a doctor's prescription, which is of course against the law, but then again, this is Thailand.
Rabies? The chances are quite low that a chained up dog would have rabies so I will roll the dice.
Pics attached:
TTYL
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