Dog And Cat Bites Are Dangerous

Dog And Cat Bites Are Dangerous.
Human and zoological bites to the relief require medical attention to prevent potential complications such as infection, permanent unfitness or even amputation, according to a new review of studies on the subject. Intentional or accidental bites - such as during sports or be occupied - to the hand are responsible for as many as 330000 emergency department visits in the United States each year, the researchers found. Both merciful and animal saliva have hundreds of species of bacteria that can cause infection, the look at authors said. The review appears in the January issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

And "Although many clan may be reluctant to immediately go to a doctor, all bites to the leg up should receive medical care," lead author and orthopaedic surgeon Dr Stephen Kennedy, from the University of Washington in Seattle, said in a roll news release. "And, while automatic antibiotics are not necessarily recommended for other bite wounds, they are recommended for a bite to the hand to reduce the chance of infection and disability".

Thirty to 50 percent of cat bites are complicated by infections. Infections from a cat gnaw can start as soon as three hours after the injury. The infection rate for dog bites is less than half the scale for cat bites, according to the researchers. However, dog bites can cause significant damage to index and finger ligaments, tendons and bones. Kennedy and his colleagues found that more than half of Americans will be bitten by an uncultivated in their lifetime.

Bites from domestic animals (mostly dogs) account for more than 90 percent of bites. Each year in the United States, about 4,5 million grass roots are bitten by "man's best friend," according to the review. Health trouble costs for dog and cat bites in the United States total more than $850 million a year, the researchers found. So, what should you do if you've been bitten? After a taste to the hand, control carefully for any puncture wounds.

If there is a puncture wound of any size, wash it with soap and ditch-water as soon as possible and seek medical care. Redness, increasing pain or red streaking up the script or arm along a tendon are signs of significant infection that requires immediate medical attention. Prompt healing - ideally within 24 hours of a bite - can prevent serious injury or infection get more info. Anyone with a aid bite should be given antibiotics, which can lower the risk of infection from 28 percent to 2 percent, the researchers said.