What is the Proper Treatment for Animal Bites?

Animal bites, whether by a domestic animal or a wild one, often carry harmful bacteria's which may cause an infection. Most animal bites may not cause life-threatening infections. However, sometimes minor teeth biting from a sick dog, cat, or raccoon may transmit the rabies infection to humans. It is a lethal disease that is considered life-threatening if left untreated. Even if the animal may not have rabies, there is still the risk of tetanus infection, which is the contractions of muscles that cause lockjaw and may even lead to death if not treated on time. Therefore, if you ever get bitten by an animal, make sure to get tetanus and rabies vaccination in New York to prevent infection risk. 

Many animals such as dogs, cats, raccoons, skunks, bats, or foxes may get infected with rabies, and their bite may be fatal for humans no matter how minor the injury is. Therefore, it is recommended not to take an animal bite accident lightly. If you have been a victim of an animal bite, it is advised to get tetanus and rabies vaccination at your nearest rabies vaccination clinic in New York.

An infection from an animal bite may indicate the signs of infection in the following ways:

• If the wound feels sore, painful, swollen, or inflamed
• If the wound oozes pus or white/yellow fluid 
• If the bitten area feels numb
• If the infected body part is hard to move
• If you get a fever or chills after getting bitten
• If you experience weakness, fatigue, and night sweats
• If you have difficulty breathing 

If you notice any of these symptoms, it is best to seek immediate medical attention and get the proper treatment. 

Here are a few tips on what to do if you ever get bitten by an animal:

• First, you should assess the wound, and if it is bleeding, you should press a cloth on it to stop the bleeding. If the bite is fatal, you need to get to an ER for medical assistance. However, if the bite is not heavily bleeding or is minor, you should try to stop the bleeding and clean the wound.

• It is recommended to rinse the wound and clean it gently with soap before putting antibiotic cream on the wound. 

• Cover the wound with a sterile bandage to prevent infection. If the injury is superficial and nothing more than a scratch, you may not necessarily need to get a rabies shot, but regardless, you should get checked.

• If the wound is deep, you may need to get series of shots. So, make sure to visit your healthcare provider for medical assistance.

 

You can visit a walk-in travel clinic and get immediate treatment such as tetanus and rabies vaccination in New York City at any time.