BHU Dog-Attack Survivor Discharged After Six Days and About 50 Stitches

VARANASI: A child who suffered serious facial and head injuries in a pet-dog attack on the Banaras Hindu University campus has been discharged after six days of treatment and is recovering at home.

Abhinav, whose father Premaram works in nursing services at the Trauma Centre, was attacked on August 13. Doctors used about 50 stitches to close his wounds, according to the family’s account reported this week. Swelling has reduced, the injuries are healing and he has begun speaking gradually after initially remaining frightened and largely unable to talk.

The discharge is a new development in a case Dalimss News previously reported while the child was still in hospital. It does not erase the seriousness of the injuries or the emotional effect of the attack. Recovery after a dog bite can involve wound review, vaccination, scar care and psychological reassurance long after the patient leaves a ward.

The family should follow the treating team’s schedule for rabies vaccination and any immunoglobulin, tetanus protection or antibiotics prescribed. Missing a follow-up dose because the wound looks better can create avoidable risk. Readers should not copy another patient’s treatment plan; dog-bite management depends on the exposure, wound and vaccination history.

Children may become afraid of animals, outdoor spaces or the location of an attack. Adults can help by listening without forcing the child to recount the event, maintaining routine and seeking professional support if nightmares, panic or withdrawal persist. Recovery is not measured only by the removal of stitches.

The incident also renews a basic responsibility for people keeping dogs in shared institutional or residential spaces. Owners must use appropriate restraint, prevent unsupervised access and act before a known behaviour problem becomes an injury. A campus should have a clear channel for reporting aggressive animals, whether owned or stray, and should record the response rather than passing a complainant between departments.

Public anger after a serious bite can quickly turn into indiscriminate calls to harm dogs. That does not improve safety. Authorities need to identify the animal involved, verify vaccination, enforce owner responsibility and use veterinary and behavioural expertise. Residents should avoid approaching or provoking an agitated animal and should teach children not to run towards unfamiliar dogs.

If a bite occurs, the wound should be washed immediately with soap and running water for about 15 minutes and the patient taken for medical assessment without delay. Home remedies should not be placed on the wound.

Abhinav’s return home is encouraging, especially after the extent of the injuries described by his family. The next phase will be quieter: scheduled medical review, protection from infection and rebuilding a child’s sense of safety. The wider campus lesson is equally clear—animal-control rules become meaningful only when complaints are acted on before another family reaches the trauma centre.