My pet bit me. Should I be concerned about my health?

If you get a dog or cat bite, don’t panic. But do get that bite checked out. Each year, animal bites send hundreds of thousands of people to doctors. Flesh and bone damage are usually the biggest problems, but tetanus and rabies are also potential complications.

Bacterial infections are another concern. When pet’s bite, no harm is done if the skin isn’t broken, but if the bite breaks your skin, beware of bugs. Dog and cat bites have, on average, five kinds of germs. So if the wound becomes infected, you may need a broad-spectrum antibiotic to battle the bugs.

If you do get bitten, report the incident to local health officials and check the animal’s vaccination status. Then ask your physician about precautions against rabies and tetanus.

– Dr. Larry McDaniel, DVM for the “Purina® Animal Instincts” Podcast Series

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