Animal Bites
Any scratch that breaks the skin can cause infection, but a bite or scratch from an animal can be far more serious because of the possibility of rabies.
Wash the wound thoroughly:
Use soap and water to clean the wound, apply a sterile dressing. Avoid moving the affected limb, if possible.
The biting animal may need to be quarantined or tested for rabies to protect you!
Try to confine or isolate the animal, if you can do so safely, then call animal control. This will allow the animal to be quarantined or tested for rabies.
Seek immediate medical help:
Explain exactly what happened, including whether the animal was wild or a stray. Ask the physician about post exposure rabies shots and a tetanus booster.
Write down as many details as possible:
A brief description of the animal (breed, color, size, collar, etc.) The date, time and location of the incident. Location of the animal and animal owner, if possible. Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of others involved, if any.
Report all incidents to local Police Department, County Sheriff department, or County Humane Officer:
This is important if the animal is a domestic pet. The local law enforcement agency can keep a record of the event in case of future bites.
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