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Animal Bites: First Aid
By Matt Unangst, 28 Jan 18:38
Animal bites are rare, but can cause severe health problems if left untreated. There are some easy steps you can take to reduce the risk of serious health problems resulting from animal bites
Most animal bites are inflicted by pets. Dogs bite far more commonly than do cats, but cats are more likely to cause infection in people. Domestic mammals that have not been immunized and wild mammals may carry rabies. Rabies most commonly affects skunks, bats, raccoons, and foxes, but is also infrequently carried by rabbits, squirrels, and other rodents.
Minor Bites: If there is no chance of contracting rabies and the bite does not break the skin or barely breaks the skin, it should be treated as a minor bite. You should wash the bite with simple soap and water before applying an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. Cover the cleaned bite with a bandage.
Severe Bites: If the animal bites deep into your flesh or your skin is torn up and bleeding, you should treat the bite as a severe bite. You should staunch the bleeding with a clean cloth and seek medical attention.
Infection: A bite that shows any signs of infection, which can include redness, swelling, increased pain, or oozing of pus, should be examined by a doctor as soon as possible.
Rabies: If you are bitten by an animal that might have rabies, meaning any wild mammal and any domesticated animal that you are not certain of, you should immediately seek a doctor for rabies prevention.
If you have not had a tetanus shot in the last five years, a doctor will normally recommend a booster shot if you are bitten by an animal, especially if your wound is dirty and/or deep. Tetanus boosters should be administered within 48 hours of an animal bite. If you have not had a tetanus shot within the last 10 years, you should look into getting one before any risk develops.
Tags: first aid, animal bites, tetanus, rabies, raccoons, bats, skunks, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, rodents, dogs, cats