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Dog Bite Medical Overview

An animal bite can come from just about any animal-from a pet dog or cat to a wild animal, such as a snake, a squirrel or a bear. Animal bites can appear very minor but, because of the bacterial content of animal bites, even a small puncture wound can yield a dangerous infection. Puncture wounds have a higher degree of infection than, say, an open wound from an animal bite.

Animal bites can yield rabies if you are bitten by an animal that is infected with rabies. It spreads from the saliva of an infected animal to the bloodstream of the bitten individual. Rabid animals tend to be more vicious in appearance from a regular animal and are more likely to bite you than an animal that is not infected by rabies. Common animals to have rabies are raccoons, bats and squirrels. You should not approach a potentially rabid animal and should find a safe place away from one of them. There isn't any cure for rabies so you should get immunized against rabies as soon as you get bitten, especially if there is any doubt about the rabies status of the animal. If a bat touches you in any way, you should get immunized against rabies and seek medical advice.

Most animal bites come from animals that are not infected with rabies. Even your own pet can bite you, especially a dog. Both dog and cat bites can get infected but cat bites have a higher rate of infection because they have sharper and longer teeth, producing puncture wounds instead of open wounds. You should hang onto any animal that bites you, even if it is an unknown pet or other animal so it can be checked for rabies. Animal control will do that evaluation.

Symptoms of an animal bite include localized pain in the area of the bite, puncture wounds or linear cuts in the skin, crushing of the underlying tendons and muscles which can affect your ability to use that part of your body. If you get infected from a bite, you can get fever, localized redness and pus to the wounded area, flu-like symptoms and headache. You will generally feel ill as the infection spreads through your body.

If you get bitten, there are some first aid measures you can take. You need to wash the area thoroughly with water so as to wash out any bacteria that may be residing in the wound. Put pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding and tape the wound up after bleeding has stopped and while you are in transit to see the medical authorities. If you choose not to seek medical advice, you should watch the affected area for a minimum of 48 hours for signs of infection. See the emergency room doctor or your regular doctor if you have any signs of infection of the wound. If you have antibiotic ointment, place it on your wound before dressing it.

You should go to the emergency room if you were bitten by an unknown animal or a wild animal. If you haven't had a tetanus shot within the last five years, you should get one at your doctor's office right away. If there is evidence of infection, you should seek medical attention and if you think the wound might need stitches, go to the emergency room for attention. Deep and large bites should be seen right away. Animal control should be contacted in any animal bite situation.

Prevention of animal bites involves several things you can do. You should avoid handling or feeding animals you do not know, particularly if they are wild animals. You should stay away from snakes, venomous or not. You should watch children if they are playing around animals and vaccinate your ferrets, cats and dogs against rabies. Your dogs will be less aggressive and less likely to bite if you spay or neuter them early in life. Make sure your tetanus booster is always up to date, especially if you have animals or are around animals much of the time. If you are out in the wilderness with the potential for snake infestation, wear boots and long pants at all times.