It doesn't matter if a person accidentally hits a dog's teeth or if a cat scratches the skin. If the epidermis (skin) is broken, bacteria from the animal's saliva can seep into the open sore, which may result in infection. Animal bites can potentially be serious.
Any penetration of the skin by teeth constitutes a bite exposure. All bites, regardless of body site, represent a potential risk of rabies transmission, but that risk varies with the species of biting animal, the anatomic site of the bite, and the severity of the wound.
Call your doctor if the bite or scratch broke or punctured the skin, even if the area is small. A child who is bitten by an animal may need antibiotics, a tetanus booster, or sometimes, a series of rabies shots.
Dogs' teeth rip and tear, and their jaws can break bones. However, the biggest reason why dog bites are dangerous to humans is due to the bacteria found in dogs' mouths. While harmless to the animal, these bacteria can cause serious infections in human beings.
If you can see obvious bite wounds, you should seek immediate veterinary attention. Wounds that appear to be minor on the surface can be deceptive and may have the potential to be life-threatening, depending on the location of the injury.
After being bitten, most people who become ill will show symptoms within 3 to 5 days, but this can range anywhere from 1 to 14 days. Most Capnocytophaga infections usually occur with dog or cat bites.
Some signs that a dog bite is serious include: Extreme pain or pain that worsens over time. Uncontrollable bleeding. Deep lacerations or puncture wounds.
Dog bites can lead to staph infections and strep infections; both serious and potentially fatal conditions caused by staphylococcus or streptococcus bacteria. Common symptoms include: Oozing blisters.
In general, most experts recommend seeking medical care within 24 hours after you've been bitten—especially if the bite has broken the skin. Dog bites can cause medical problems that aren't immediately obvious, such as rabies.
Potential Infections Can Occur from a Dog Scratch
Dogs also lick their paws, transferring bacteria from the mouth onto the nails. This can, in rare cases, infect humans with MRSA or bacteria called Capnocytophaga if the scratch breaks the skin.
Human or animal bites can become infected or transmit illnesses such as rabies. A tetanus shot may be required if you have not had one within 10 years; if you are not sure when you had your last tetanus shot, and you've been bitten, you should get one within 72 hours after your injury.
Tetanus immunization — 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.
Always seek medical advice if you've been bitten by an animal or person and the bite has broken the skin. People and animals have a lot of bacteria in their mouths, which can cause an infection if a bite breaks the skin.
“When dog saliva touches intact human skin, especially in a healthy person, it is extremely unlikely to cause any problems, as there will be very little absorption through the skin,” Dr. Kaplan wrote in an email.
Some common bacteria transmitted by dogs can lead to stomach upset, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting. These types of bacterial infections include Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Clostridium, E. coli, Salmonella, Pasteurella, Leptospira, and Campylobacter. A smooch from your pup isn't worth the sickness.
Only 15 to 20 percent of dog bite wounds become infected. Crush injuries, puncture wounds and hand wounds are more likely to become infected than scratches or tears.
Antibiotic prophylaxis commonly is recommended for moderate to severe wounds of the face, hands (bites tend to involve the dominant hand), feet or genital area. Bites involving tendon, bone or joints and bites resulting in devitalized tissue generally are treated with antibiotic prophylaxis.
Level Two:
At a level two bite, a dog's teeth will make contact with a person's skin and leave some redness or light bruising but does not break the skin.
The 10-day confinement and observation period for dogs and cats that bite humans has stood the test of time as a way to prevent human rabies. This quarantine period avoids the need to destroy the biting dog or cat in order to test its brain for the rabies virus.
The color of a wound can often provide clues as to how well the wound is healing. If the site of the dog bite has become red, this may be a sign of an infection. Red streaks on the skin originating at the wound site and spreading outward are often a telltale sign of a dog bite infection.
If you have been bitten by a dog recently, then there are some dietary restrictions that you must follow. In India, various studies have been done and the results have found out that spicy food, potatoes, tomatoes, coriander, dhal, and meat should be avoided completely during Dog Bites.
Rinse the wound with water and soap. 3. A person with a dog bite will need to receive anti-rabies vaccine on 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28th day of dog bite. If he is unable to find out the status of the dog, he may need to receive a vaccine on 60th and 90th day after the dog bite.
No matter what, make sure you see a doctor within eight hours of a dog bite, he says. Waiting longer raises your infection risk. If you have diabetes or are immunocompromised, your infection risk is even greater.