Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Animal Bites
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| danger of animal bites: |
| Animal bites and scratches, even when they |
| are minor, can become infected and spread |
| bacteria to other parts of the body. |
| Care for animal bites: |
| For superficial bites from a familiar |
| household pet who is immunized and in good |
| health: |
| Wash the wound with soap and water under |
| pressure from a faucet for at least five |
| minutes, but do not scrub, as this may |
| bruise the tissue. Apply an antiseptic |
| lotion or cream. |
| Watch for signs of infection at the site, |
| such as increased redness or pain, |
| swelling, drainage, or if the person |
| develops a fever. Call your physician or |
| healthcare provider right away if any of |
| these symptoms occur. |
| For deeper bites or puncture wounds from |
| any animal, or for any bite from a strange |
| animal: |
| If the bite or scratch is bleeding, apply |
| pressure to it with a clean bandage or |
| towel to stop the bleeding. |
| Wash the wound with soap and water under |
| pressure from a faucet for at least five |
| minutes, but do not scrub, as this may |
| bruise the tissue. |
| Dry the wound and cover it with a sterile |
| dressing, but do not use tape or butterfly |
| bandages to close the wound, as this trap |
| could harmful bacteria in the wound. |
| Call your physician or healthcare |
| professional for guidance in reporting the |
| attack and to determine whether additional |
| treatment, such as antibiotics, a tetanus |
booster, or rabies vaccination is needed. |
| This is especially important for bites on |
| the face, or for bites that cause deeper |
| puncture wounds of the skin. |
| If possible, locate the animal that |
| inflicted the wound. Some animals need to |
| be captured, confined, and observed for |
| rabies. Do not try to capture the animal |
| yourself; instead contact the nearest |
| animal warden or animal control office in |
| your area. |
| If the animal cannot be found, or if the |
| animal was a high-risk species , or the animal attack was unknown, |
| the victim may need a series of rabies |
| shots. |
| Call your physician or healthcare provider |
| for any flu-like symptoms such as a fever, |
| headache, malaise, decreased appetite, or |
| swollen glands following an animal bite. |
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