What to do right after an animal bite
The first minutes matter a great deal. Wash the wound right away under running water with soap for at least 15 minutes: this lowers the risk of infection, including rabies. If the bleeding is heavy, press on the wound with a clean cloth and cover it with a sterile dressing. Do not stitch, seal or burn the wound yourself. Then see a doctor the same day: even a small bite should be shown, because only a doctor can assess the risk of rabies and tetanus and decide whether you need vaccines.
Rabies after a bite: why you cannot wait
Rabies spreads through the saliva of an infected animal, by a bite or scratch or when saliva gets on broken skin or a mucous membrane. Dogs are the main source of human infection, but cats, wild animals and bats can also carry it. Symptoms appear weeks or months later, and once they do the disease is almost always fatal. So you cannot rely on the wound having healed: preventive treatment works only if it starts as soon as possible after the bite. For more on the disease, see Rabies.
Rabies occurs in Georgia, so a bite from a stray, wild or unfamiliar animal is a reason to see a doctor the same day. The doctor will assess the circumstances of the bite and the animal's condition and, if needed, prescribe a course of vaccines and immunoglobulin or refer you to a specialized facility. Ask the doctor or call 112 to find where to get anti-rabies care in your area.
A dog or cat bite
Tell the doctor whose dog or cat it was, whether it is vaccinated against rabies and how it behaved before and after the bite: aggressive, unusually friendly, sluggish, trying to run off. If the animal is a known pet, the doctor may decide with its observation in mind. Cat bites are small but deep, and they are the ones that often become inflamed, so show these too.
A wild animal or bat bite
Foxes, jackals, wolves, bats, rodents and animals that behave strangely are a reason for urgent care. Do not try to catch the animal. If it is safe, note its kind and where it happened, but take no risks.
A human bite
Because of the bacteria in the mouth, a human bite often festers, so always show it to a doctor, especially if the wound is on the hand, including from punching someone in the teeth. The doctor may suggest tests for viral infections.
Tetanus after a bite
The bacteria that cause tetanus live in soil and manure and can get into a wound from a bite, especially a deep, dirty one. Tetanus is dangerous but preventable with vaccines. If you are not vaccinated, cannot remember your last shot or it was more than 10 years ago, tell the doctor, who will decide whether you need a booster. For more, see Tetanus. A stiff jaw, trouble swallowing or muscle spasms are a reason to call 112.
Signs of a wound infection
Watch the wound in the first days. Worrying signs are growing pain, redness, swelling, heat around it, pus or a bad smell, red streaks on the skin and a fever. Redness is harder to see on dark skin, so go by pain, swelling and warmth. For a fever, see Fever.
A bite in a child
Always show a child with a bite to a doctor: a child may not say what bit them or may play down the wound, especially on the face or head. Parents should remember the circumstances: where, which animal and how it behaved.
What you can do before the visit
- Wash the wound with soap and water for at least 15 minutes, then cover it with a clean dressing.
- With heavy bleeding, press on the wound with a clean cloth and call 112.
- Do not burn or stitch the wound, and do not pour alcohol or antiseptic dye on it instead of washing.
- Note which animal bit you, how it behaved and whether the owner has a vaccination record.
- Find your vaccination record or recall when your last tetanus shot was.
- Do not wait for the wound to heal: see a doctor the same day.
How a doctor assesses a bite
The doctor examines and cleans the wound, removes any dirt and decides about stitches. They find out what the animal was and the circumstances, assess the risk of rabies and tetanus and prescribe vaccines if needed. Antibiotics are often prescribed to prevent festering. This section is general: only a doctor decides the treatment.