Who doesn’t love animals? But there are certain situations where things get dangerous Animal Bite and that kind of situation should never be underestimated. In fact, animal bites are a common problem in the United States, with two to five million occurring each year.
Being that, when you find yourself in that situation you should know how to manage it so you don’t suffer any consequences. To find out what you should do, keep reading!
Animal bite treatment:
It is crucial to promptly and thoroughly clean the wound after being bitten with soap and a lot of water. This can help to avoid infection. If there is bleeding, apply a fresh towel or gauze to slow the flow of blood.
You should see a health care provider if:
- An animal bite has broken through the skin and bleeding does not stop after applying pressure for 15 minutes.
- A bone is broken, or if there is other serious injury.
- Cosmetic damage is a concern.
- A bite victim has diabetes, liver disease, cancer, HIV-infection, or takes a medication that could weaken the immune system.
People who do not meet the above criteria should watch their wound carefully for signs of infection (e.g. worsening pain, redness or warmth, fever, or pus-like discharge); if the bite is near a joint, you should monitor for pain, swelling, and joint movement.
If infection occurs, the choice of treatment is antibiotics.
Tetanus is a serious, potentially life-threatening infection that can be transmitted by an animal or human bite. Adults who are bitten should receive a tetanus vaccine (called a tetanus toxoid vaccine) if the most recent tetanus vaccine was greater than 5 years previously.
People who are bitten by an animal that could be infected with rabies must seek medical attention immediately to determine if a series of injections is needed to prevent rabies, which is, for the most part, a fatal illness.
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About the Author: Dr. Donika Vata is a medical doctor from Ferizaj, Kosovo. She studied general medicine from University of Hasan Prishtina.
Dr. Vata has been writing about medical and skincare related issue in journals, social media websites, and books. She was working for some well reputed clinics such as Telehealth Pro- Online consultations, German Cancer Center, and AppLMD. Dr. Donika was also volunteering in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Currently, she is working as a medical doctor and researcher in a dermatology clinic.