How should I take care of a bite from a cat or a dog?
Here are some things you should do to take care of a wound caused by a cat or dog bite:
1. If necessary, call your doctor.
2. Wash the wound gently with soap and water.
3. Apply pressure with a clean towel to the injured part to stop the bleeding.
4. Apply a sterile bandage to the wound.
5. Keep the injury elevated above the level of the heart to slow swelling and prevent infection.
6. Report the incident to the proper authority in your community (for example, animal control office or police).
7. Apply antibiotic ointment to the area 2 times every day until it heals.
Call your doctor in any of these situations:
1. You have a cat bite. Cat bites often cause infection. You don't need to call your doctor for a cat scratch, unless you think the wound is infected.
2. You have a dog bite on your hand, foot or head, or you have a bite that is deep or gaping.
3. You have diabetes, liver or lung disease, cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or another condition that could weaken your ability to fight infection.
4. You have any signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, warmth, increased tenderness, oozing of pus from the wound or fever.
5. You have bleeding that doesn't stop after 15 minutes of pressure or you think you may have a broken bone, nerve damage or another serious injury.
6. Your last tetanus shot (vaccine) was more than 5 years ago. (If so, you may need a booster shot.)
What will my doctor do?
Here are some things your doctor may do to treat a cat or dog bite:
1. Examine the wound for possible nerve or tendon damage, or bone injury. He or she will also check for signs of infection.
Clean the wound with a special solution and remove any damaged tissue.
2. May use stitches to close a bite wound, but often the wound is left open to heal, so the risk of infection is lowered.
3. May prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.
4. May give you a tetanus shot if you had your last shot more than 5 years ago.
5. May ask you to schedule an office visit to check your wound again in 1 to 2 days.
6. If your injury is severe, or if the infection has not gotten better even though you're taking antibiotics, your doctor may suggest that you see a specialist and/or go to the hospital, where you can get special medicine given directly in your veins (intravenous antibiotics) and further treatment if necessary.