Animal bites and scratches are cause for serious concern.  Any bite that breaks the skin could transmit a bacterial or viral infection, or later become infected without proper wound care.

Be aware that different animal bites can cause different types of injuries.  For example, cat’s teeth are thin and exceptionally sharp.  When they bite, they cause deep puncture wounds that quickly close leaving infectious material deep inside tissue.  A dog’s teeth tend not to be as sharp and often result in more tear and crushing injuries.  Each type of bite may cause physical injuries as well as transmit bacterial and viral infections.

If you experience any of the following, or experience other developments that are abnormal for you, please contact a medical professional immediately.  Some conditions to be aware of are:

• Bleeding that does not quickly stop
• Redness or warmth around the injury
• Increased pain at the bite area
• Pus in or coming from the wound, or other drainage coming from the area
• A foul smell around injured area
• Fever, thirst, shivering, sweating, or tiredness
• Swelling around injury or in gland areas of neck, armpit, or groin
• Inability to move the body part bitten, or a feeling of stiffness throughout your body

Animal bites and scratches can damage the skin and result in permanent scarring.

Animal bites can damage and injure underlying muscles, tendons, nerves, veins and arteries, and bones.

Animal bites and scratches can cause bacterial or viral infections.

If you are bitten or scratched by an animal known to have a good medical history and is current with all required vaccinations, proper home care and monitoring of the bite or scratch wound may be appropriate.  Of course, large wounds even from a known animal should be treated immediately by medical professional.

Home care is not appropriate if you experience large or deeps bites or scratches where the skin is significantly torn, or where muscles, tendons or bones may have been injured.  If these injuries occur, seek medical help immediately.

All animal bites and scratches can be cause for serious concern.  If the wound is to the skin, and does not involve deeper injuries, home care may be appropriate.

Proper cleaning and attention to the wound, small or big, is required.

Proper home care includes:

• Use a clean towel or bandage to stop any immediate bleeding.
• Washing your hands with warm soap and water before and after caring for the wound. This will help reduce the risk of infection.
• Washing the affected area with soapy water for several minutes.
• Apply an antibiotic ointment to the affected area and cover with a clean bandage.
• Do not ignore signs of infection or other abnormal symptoms.

You will need to watch the area for signs of infection, or other abnormal developments.  Seek medical help immediately if the wound is more than minor, shows signs of infection, or does not appear to be healing.

Home care is not appropriate if you are bitten or scratched by an animal known to not be properly vaccinated, or is an unfamiliar or stray animal, or any feral or wild animal.

If you are bitten or scratched by an animal known not to be properly vaccinated, or is an unfamiliar or stray animal, or any feral or wild animal, seek medical attention immediately regardless of whether the bite or scratch appears serious at the moment.

Animal bites and scratches, particularly from animals not known to be properly vaccinated can lead to both bacterial and viral infection.

As discussed in the Criminal Law Module, animals, including domestic animals such as dogs and cats, can transmit the rabies virus to humans.

Pets that are properly vaccinated against the rabies virus on a schedule set up by your veterinarian have a very low risk of contracting and transmitting the rabies virus through its bites or scratches.

However, unvaccinated animals, whether pet dogs or cats or stray, feral, or wild animals, are unprotected from the virus.  An infected animal, even a family pet, can transmit rabies to humans.

As we learned in the Criminal and Civil Modules, animal bites can result in costly criminal penalties, including fines and jail time, as well as, costly civil law suits for money damages.

Some reasons for such penalties results from the physical injuries bites cause and the high cost of medical care.

Another reason is that animal bites cause such great concern is that the rabies virus can be transmitted to humans through an animal bite.

Once the rabies virus becomes symptomatic in humans, it is almost always fatal.

A person can be treated for a rabies infection following a bite if treatment is sought immediately.

The Centers for Disease Control advises, “Anyone who has been bitten by an animal, or who otherwise may have been exposed to rabies, should clean the wound and see a doctor immediately. The doctor will determine if they need to be vaccinated.”

Again, immediate medical attention is required because the rabies virus in human, if left untreated, is almost always fatal.

Animal bites and scratches can be significantly reduced with proper training and control of your pet.  Understanding pet behavior, and specifically your pet’s behavior, can help you head off situations that could result in your pet biting someone.

Reducing, and perhaps eliminating, a pet’s chances of biting can help you avoid the very costly criminal and civil penalties that come with bite injuries.

Finally, properly vaccinating your pet against the rabies virus will significantly reduce the chances that your pet can transmit the lethal rabies virus to some one that may get bitten.