ANIMAL BITES

As your children are outside more in this season, they may be around more animals, both pets and wild animals. Any animal may bite, although wild animals and unvaccinated domestic animals present the highest health risk.

The two risks are infection of the skin from the bite itself and rabies. Dogs and cats can both cause local infection, although cat bites become infected more often. Unfortunately, rabies in wild animals in our area puts unvaccinated pets at risk, making them potential transmitters of this fatal disease. Raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes are potential rabies transmitters in our area. Squirrels and groundhogs generally do not transmit rabies, however it has been reported.

Prevention of exposure to a bite is most important. Children should be taught to stay away from and especially not pick up wild animals (especially sick appearing ones). They should also avoid strange dogs or cats and be taught not to provoke or bother them while eating or sleeping. There should be adult supervision of any child around animals.

If your child is bitten by a domestic animal which has been vaccinated against rabies, clean the wound well with soap and water. If the wound has persistent active bleeding, call our office to see if it needs suturing and check on the tetanus status of your child. If the wound is superficial, watch for signs of infections (pain, swelling, redness, pus formation).

The animal should be observed within the owner’s home for 10 days for any sign of illness. If the bite is from a wild animal, unvaccinated or unknown status animal, wash the wound well with soap and water. Then call our office so that we may examine the wound. Also, rabies prophylaxis with vaccination may be necessary. The police should be called to capture and quarantine the animal--don’t try to do this yourself. Because of the possibility of rabies, all animal bites must be reported by the physician to the local health department.



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