Animal Bite, Pediatric

Animal Bite, Pediatric

Animal bites range from mild to serious. An animal bite can result in any of these injuries:
A scratch.

A deep, open cut.

Broken (punctured) or torn skin.

A crush injury.

A bone injury.

A small bite from a house pet is usually less serious than a bite from a stray or wild animal. Cat bites can be more serious because their long, thin teeth can cause deep puncture wounds that close fast, trapping bacteria inside.

Stray or wild animals, such as a raccoon, fox, skunk, or bat, are at higher risk of carrying a serious infection called rabies, which they can pass to a human through a bite. A bite from one of these animals needs medical care right away and, sometimes, rabies vaccination.

What increases the risk?
Your child is more likely to be bitten by an animal if:
Your child is with a house pet without adult supervision.

Your child is around unfamiliar pets.

Your child disturbs an animal when it is eating, sleeping, or caring for its babies.

Your child is outdoors in a place where small, wild animals roam freely.

What are the signs or symptoms?
Common symptoms of an animal bite include:
Pain.

Bleeding.

Swelling.

Bruising.

How is this diagnosed?
This condition may be diagnosed based on a physical exam and medical history. Your child’s health care provider will examine your child’s wound and ask for details about the animal and how the bite happened. Your child may also have tests, such as:
Blood tests to check for infection.

X-rays to check for damage to bones or joints.

Taking a fluid sample from your child’s wound and checking it for infection (culture test).

How is this treated?
Treatment depends on the type of animal, where the bite is on your child’s body, and your child’s medical history. Treatment may include:
Caring for the wound. This often includes cleaning the wound and rinsing it out (flushing it) with saline solution, which is made of salt and water. A bandage (dressing) is also often applied. In rare cases, the wound may be closed with stitches (sutures), staples, skin glue, or adhesive strips.

Antibiotic medicine to prevent or treat infection. This medicine may be prescribed in liquid, pill, or ointment form. If the bite area gets infected, the medicine may be given through an IV.

A tetanus shot to prevent tetanus infection.

Rabies treatment to prevent rabies infection, if the animal could have rabies.

Surgery. This may be done if a bite gets infected or causes damage that needs to be repaired.

Follow these instructions at home:
Medicines
Give or apply over-the-counter and prescription medicines to your child only as told by his or her health care provider.

If your child was prescribed an antibiotic, give or apply it as told by your child’s health care provider. Do not stop giving or applying the antibiotic even if your child starts to feel better.

Wound care
Two stitched wounds. One is normal. The other is red with pus and infected.
Follow instructions from your child’s health care provider about how to take care of your child’s wound. Make sure you:
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after you change your child’s bandage (dressing). If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.

Change your child’s dressing as told by your child’s health care provider.

Leave sutures, skin glue, or adhesive strips in place. These skin closures may need to be in place for 2 weeks or longer. If adhesive strip edges start to loosen and curl up, you may trim the loose edges. Do not remove adhesive strips completely unless your child’s health care provider tells you to do that.

Check your child’s wound every day for signs of infection. Check for:
More redness, swelling, or pain.

More fluid or blood.

Warmth.

Pus or a bad smell.

General instructions
Bag of ice on a towel on the skin.
Raise (elevate) the injured area above the level of your child’s heart while he or she is sitting or lying down, if this is possible.

If directed, put ice on the injured area. To do this:
Put ice in a plastic bag.

Place a towel between your child’s skin and the bag.

Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times per day.

Remove the ice if your child’s skin turns bright red. This is very important. If your child cannot feel pain, heat, or cold, the child has a greater risk of damage to the area.

Keep all follow-up visits. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:
There is more redness, swelling, or pain around the wound.

The wound feels warm to the touch.

Your child has a fever or chills.

Your child has a general feeling of sickness (malaise).

Your child feels nauseous.

Your child vomits.

Your child has pain that does not get better.

Get help right away if:
There is a red streak that leads away from your child’s wound.

There is non-clear fluid or more blood coming from the wound.

There is pus or a bad smell coming from the wound.

Your child has trouble moving the injured area.

Your child has numbness or tingling that spreads beyond the wound.

Your child who is younger than 3 months has a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.

These symptoms may be an emergency. Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away. Get help right away. Call 911.

Summary
Animal bites can range from mild to serious. An animal bite can cause a scratch on the skin, a deep and open cut, torn or punctured skin, a crush injury, or a bone injury.

A bite from a stray or wild animal needs medical care right away and, sometimes, rabies vaccination.

Your child’s health care provider will examine your child’s wound and ask for details about the animal and how the bite happened.

Treatment may include wound care, antibiotic medicine, a tetanus shot, and rabies treatment if the animal could have rabies.

This information is not intended to replace advice given to you by your health care provider. Make sure you discuss any questions you have with your health care provider.