Treatment of Bites

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

| A |

| B |

| C |

| D |

| E |

| F |

| G |

| H |

| I |

| J |

| K |

| L |

| M |

| N |

| O |

| P |

| Q |

| R |

| S |

| T |

| U |

| V |

| W |

| X |

| Y |

If you have been bitten by a dog, cat, human, or other animal:Â·

Clean the wound immediately and thoroughly with running water for ten minutes. This is so it does not get infected.
Cover the wound with a non-stick sterile dressing.
Stop the bleeding by pressing firmly and holding the bitten area in the air.
Some people may try to stop the bleeding by using a tight band (tourniquet) â€“ this is not recommended if you have no medical experience, as it can cause permanent damage and loss of limb.
If the wound is very large, or deep, or there is a lot of dirt in it, you will need to see a doctor or nurse who will clean the wound for you and decide whether or not you need stitches.
Often, the wound will be covered with a dressing but left open to heal, especially if it is more than 6 hours old, as this is the best way to prevent infection. In this case, you should make sure the area around the bite stays clean.
Antibiotics may be necessary if you are at particular risk of getting an infection (eg you have a low immune system or are diabetic), or if the wound is on your head, face, hand, foot or on a joint, artery, tendon or ligament.
If you are not up to date with your tetanus injections, you may need a booster jab. See your GP if you are in any doubt.

If you are bitten or licked on the face by any animal when you are abroad you should seek medical advice immediately because they may have rabies, a fatal disease. The animal involved should be monitored for abnormal behaviour for 10 days. For more information, see the encyclopaedia topic on rabies.

If a human who has hepatitis or HIV bites you, there is a small risk you may be infected. See your doctor immediately for treatment.

If another child bites your child, you should follow the same treatment advice outlined above.