Animal bites and puncture wounds are exactly the kind of injury tetanus bacteria exploit — deep, contaminated, and low-oxygen. It's usually assessed in the same visit as rabies exposure.
Clostridium tetani spores live in soil, dust, and animal mouths. They enter through breaks in the skin, and puncture-style wounds like bites are higher-risk than shallow scrapes, because the wound environment is easy for the bacteria to thrive in.
Roughly: if the wound is "dirty" (bites, punctures, soil contact) and it's been more than 5 years since your last dose; or if the wound is clean and it's been more than 10 years; or if your vaccination history is unclear or incomplete.
SureVax runs 15+ walk-in animal bite clinics across Metro Manila, with a 30-minute service standard.