First Aid Minor Cat Bite

Bite caused by a wild animal or a stray dog or cat.

First aid minor cat bite. Wash a minor bite. If the bite has broken the skin you should seek immediate medical attention after cleaning the wound. The following are common feline emergencies and instructions for first aid. Minor bites can be treated at your gp surgery or by staff at your local walk in centre or minor injuries unit.

If the cat s teeth did not break the skin or broke the skin but did not go deep you can wash and clean the bite at home. If the wound is bleeding apply pressure with a clean dry cloth to stop the flow of blood. While all bites carry bacteria your body manages to fend off most infections from dog bites. Dog cat or bat bites are usually minor but infections can occur if the skin is broken and bacteria from the saliva spit of the animal enter your bloodstream.

To avoid developing tetanus seek medical advice immediately if you are bitten and the skin is broken. Thoroughly wash the bite with soap and clean tap water allowing the water to flow over the bite and remove dirt and bacteria from the wound. Cat bites because of the puncture mechanism of the bite. Certain bite wounds require immediate attention.

If the bite was caused by a cat or a dog try to confirm that the animal s rabies vaccination is up to date. Cat bites are about twice as likely as dog bites to get infected. How to administer first aid for an animal bite. As much as humans interact with felines cats it s no wonder that cat bites are common injuries especially in children.

They can coil around you alluringly but they also can scratch and bite. These guidelines can help you care for a minor animal bite such as one that only breaks the skin. Nearly 40 of cat bites may lead to an infection according to one estimate which supports the extra attention medical professionals often pay to cat bites. For particularly severe bites visit your local a e department.

Wound first aid if the cat bite results in a minor scratch and not a puncture wash the wound with soap and water and apply an antibiotic ointment and bandage. Wild animal bites from raccoon for example and dog or cat bites pets may have themselves been bitten by stray animals because of the risk of contracting rabies. At least that s what the cat would say. Treating a cat bite should always start with the safety of all involved including the patient the rescuer and if possible the cat.

What you should do for a cat bite or scratch.