Dog or cat bites...

Kenneth Gonzalez7 said:So, my little girl got bitten by a dog today—right on her left upper arm. Just one of those days where everything goes sideways, I guess.😢
We ended up at the ER—yeah, just my luck—and they had to give me a shot of Klavocin. Now we’ve got an appointment with the epidemiologist tomorrow morning. Just one of those days, I guess.
Honestly, what worries me most is whether this whole thing is going to leave her with some lasting emotional scars—you know, stuff that sticks with you long after the dust settles. I’m already sitting here, low-key dreading the moment she actually has to face those dogs... it's just a lot to process.😢

That really boils down to how you react—that anxiety you mentioned is a huge factor. If you don't want your kid growing up terrified, then you can't be acting scared yourself. You've gotta dive into learning about dogs—their whole vibe, their instincts, how to read them and approach them properly. Once she understands the "why" behind what they do, that fear starts to fade, and hey, it actually keeps everyone safer in the long run too.

How old is the little one? Maybe watch some Cesar Millan together, if she's old enough to sit through it...

...

Edward Murphy4 said:Got bit when I was 4—ended up needing stitches and rocking a scar on my stomach until I was 10.
I barely remember the whole thing, honestly, but I still absolutely love dogs.😍

Mine is only four years and eight months old.
So, you don't really have a clear memory of it today... and yeah, she’ll probably be just as fuzzy on the details one day... fingers crossed.
It's great that you're such a dog lover now, though.😁
I really hope she manages to move past it too, so her next run-in with a dog is totally fine... no fear, no stress, no nothing.

Tyler James5 said:That really boils down to how you react—that anxiety you mentioned is a huge factor. If you don't want your kid growing up terrified, then you can't be acting scared yourself. You've gotta dive into learning about dogs—their whole vibe, their instincts, how to read them and approach them properly. Once she understands the "why" behind what they do, that fear starts to fade, and hey, it actually keeps everyone safer in the long run too.

How old is the little one? Maybe watch some Cesar Millan together, if she's old enough to sit through it...

...

Thanks😍 for the reply over on the other thread.

A cat bit me, and now I’ve got two broken legs to show for it. Well, not literally, but I was trying to pick her up and she just lashed out because she was terrified. Poor thing looked so well-groomed and sweet, too. I even made sure to get my tetanus shot about five months ago, BUT my finger is swelling up like crazy right now and I am spiraling. I called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see if they had any info on this specific case, but the guy on the line had absolutely no clue what I was talking about. I know, I know—everyone is just going to tell me to go to the ER, but if anyone here actually knows something useful, please, for the love of God, let me know. My finger is swollen, it hurts like hell, and I started feeling nauseous on the drive home. I can't tell if I'm just panicking or if something is actually wrong. I've been scouring the internet, but I can't find anything reliable. FORUM, HELP ME PLEASE!

Plus: My primary care doctor is ancient and honestly pretty incompetent, so I doubt she'd be much help if I actually went to see her. Should I even bother going in for blood work or something?!

Just go see a doctor, honestly. Better to have someone there to calm you down than to sit at home stressing out and killing yourself with all that Google searching 🙂

You need to see a doctor. It doesn't matter if you're up to date on your tetanus shot; that won't do anything for rabies. Plus, bites often introduce all kinds of nasty bacteria that require treatment. Basically, get to the clinic. To me, a swollen finger sounds like a full-blown infection, and you really need a professional to take a look at it.

Noah Barnes3 said:A cat bit me, and now I’ve got two broken legs to show for it. Well, not literally, but I was trying to pick her up and she just lashed out because she was terrified. Poor thing looked so well-groomed and sweet, too. I even made sure to get my tetanus shot about five months ago, BUT my finger is swelling up like crazy right now and I am spiraling. I called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see if they had any info on this specific case, but the guy on the line had absolutely no clue what I was talking about. I know, I know—everyone is just going to tell me to go to the ER, but if anyone here actually knows something useful, please, for the love of God, let me know. My finger is swollen, it hurts like hell, and I started feeling nauseous on the drive home. I can't tell if I'm just panicking or if something is actually wrong. I've been scouring the internet, but I can't find anything reliable. FORUM, HELP ME PLEASE!

Plus: My primary care doctor is ancient and honestly pretty incompetent, so I doubt she'd be much help if I actually went to see her. Should I even bother going in for blood work or something?!

Sir,

You aren't imagining things. Bite wounds—specifically those from cats—tend to have a much higher infection rate than dog bites.

Furthermore, as melloworca6 already pointed out, there is the lingering question of rabies exposure.

Your options are straightforward: head to the ER immediately to have the wound cleaned and determine if you need a tetanus shot (this depends on your vaccination history and how long it’s been since your last dose). Alternatively, you could see your primary care physician tomorrow (which you absolutely must do regardless), who will clean the wound, check your tetanus status, and then mandatory protocol requires them to refer you to the local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—specifically the epidemiology department. There, they will evaluate the circumstances of the bite and decide if you need rabies shots, or if the cat can be placed under veterinary observation.

In either scenario—whether it's an ER visit or a trip to your family doctor followed by an appointment with the CDC—you are looking at at least two separate consultations.

He mentioned he got his tetanus shot about five months ago. You think he needs a booster?

melloworca6 said:He mentioned he got his tetanus shot about five months ago. You think he needs a booster?

It really comes down to their lifetime vaccination history and whether those records are actually accessible. In any bite scenario, you have to verify the patient's full immunization status first—checking the exact number of doses and the specific dates they were administered.

Only then can you determine if a tetanus shot, a booster, or nothing at all is the right move.

I got bitten by my pet dog—he’s fully vaccinated, just one of those dogs that occasionally nips his owners. I went ahead and disinfected the wound myself
...but now I'm debating whether it's worth a trip to the doctor. It isn't a massive deal and the pain is pretty manageable. That said, it did bleed a bit, and he actually tore some skin off my left thumb. To make things interesting, little blisters have started forming right where the teeth hit today. I did get a tetanus shot back in November (and another one a month after that), so I'm somewhat covered.

Honestly, I don't see the point if the dog's already had its shots, plus you just said you got your tetanus booster recently anyway, so

What kind of dog are we even talking about here? Probably some little thing, right?

Sure, a little white fluffy monster... kind of like a Maltese, just a bit sturdier. The wound is fine—it hurts, obviously, but it's healing up normally enough.

Let me offer a little perspective to calm your nerves—honestly, I’ve been bitten and scratched by dogs and cats more times than anyone else here combined. Nature just does its thing, I suppose. Between running my own pet-sitting business—so I am constantly surrounded by them—and being a veterinarian by trade, it’s practically part of the job description. It’s happened plenty of times where a stray wanders into my path while I’m out walking my own animals, and things have escalated. Once, during a scrap between two terriers, I actually ended up with a punctured nail and a hole straight down to the bone in my index finger... and, well... it was bleeding everywhere, quite an ordeal, but it stopped quickly enough. Aside from the literal hole in my finger and the subsequent scarring—not to mention my nail grew back all crooked for about a year and a half before finally leveling out—I didn't have any issues after that. 🤣 As for the other minor scratches? I won't even count them; they're just "little" things...

I've actually sustained much worse injuries during vaccination drives out in rural areas. Dogs out there tend to be kept on chains and aren't exactly socialized—they're basically little werewolves. One time, I actually managed to jab myself in the thumb with a tainted rabies vaccine needle instead of hitting the dog... 😁 Don't even ask... and then there was the time a pig chased me around a yard trying to go for my leg... 🤷

To make a long story short—if you happen to get bitten by a dog, say, in the Washington, D.C. area, the chances of you catching rabies are slim to none. Most dogs are vaccinated, and from what I know, there haven't been cases or carriers among wildlife in recent years. I can't remember the last time I heard of a single case, though authorities are always out in the field investigating if there's even a hint of suspicion, but so far—all clear...
That said, if the dog is a stranger or looks suspicious, definitely contact local animal control and check in with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention! Wash the wound immediately and disinfect it with iodine or whatever you have on hand; in 99% of cases, that bite is all you'll need to deal with! Local swelling and pain subside quickly, though bruising might linger a bit longer, but at least that isn't dangerous!🙂

When it comes to cats, you really need to exercise extra caution because some of their bacteria are significantly more dangerous! Again, I've been bitten and scratched countless times—one day it's a scratch through my jeans leaving tooth marks on my leg, but that's all in the past now, just two little scabs that I'm waiting to fall off... But , I personally know a woman who was scratched by a cat while she was receiving an injection at a clinic; it was on her arm. The scratch wouldn't heal, it became severely inflamed, and the redness started spreading—she ended up hospitalized and they barely saved her arm. A colleague of mine had a similar experience with a scratch on her thumb that turned greenish and caused the skin to peel; she had to take massive doses of antibiotics... Aside from those two specific instances, I have never seen—and don't expect to see—any problems with people getting nicked by a cat, whether it's a pet or one found on the street. Infections are truly the exception, and usually, these bites and scratches go completely unnoticed and pass as quickly as they happened. 🙂

So, if a cat gives you a hard nip— there is no need to panic—but you absolutely must clean the wound thoroughly and monitor it. Watch to see if it settles down or worsens, if there are visible changes in the tissue at the injury site, or if the area feels warmer or more sensitive/painful. If the wound behaves normally, heals as expected, everything should be fine! However, if intense itching, pain, stinging, throbbing, or erythema (redness) occurs within, say, a few hours of the bite or scratch, and it keeps intensifying instead of subsiding—go to the doctor immediately!

Of course, it all depends on the severity of the wound: is it just a light scratch, or did someone sink their teeth in with full force? It isn't the same whether you get a tiny graze from a claw or a canine sunk deep to the bone. For deep bites, go to the doctor first and foremost, whereas for superficial ones, just keep a close eye on it to be safe, and you'll be fine!

Look, firstly you should approach a scratch from a dog or a cat—or even a pig, for heaven's sake...🤣 just like any other minor injury, without making a massive production out of it. If the animal—be it a dog, a cat, or a pig—is a stray or looks questionable (sick, perhaps?), well, chances are you’ll be perfectly fine, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to check in with a doctor. Especially if you're feeling anxious; in that case, just head to the local urgent care or call 911!

But then again, when you think about it... over time, if you do catch something, you might actually build up some sort of resistance because of constant exposure—I suppose that's how immunity works? After all, we are all constantly surrounded by animals—at shelters, at the vet, or just out in the yard—and we're always dealing with scratches, little nicks, or tiny bites from playing around... stuff like that.

Aaron Long2 said:Let me offer a little perspective to calm your nerves—honestly, I’ve been bitten and scratched by dogs and cats more times than anyone else here combined. Nature just does its thing, I suppose. Between running my own pet-sitting business—so I am constantly surrounded by them—and being a veterinarian by trade, it’s practically part of the job description. It’s happened plenty of times where a stray wanders into my path while I’m out walking my own animals, and things have escalated. Once, during a scrap between two terriers, I actually ended up with a punctured nail and a hole straight down to the bone in my index finger... and, well... it was bleeding everywhere, quite an ordeal, but it stopped quickly enough. Aside from the literal hole in my finger and the subsequent scarring—not to mention my nail grew back all crooked for about a year and a half before finally leveling out—I didn't have any issues after that. 🤣 As for the other minor scratches? I won't even count them; they're just "little" things...

I've actually sustained much worse injuries during vaccination drives out in rural areas. Dogs out there tend to be kept on chains and aren't exactly socialized—they're basically little werewolves. One time, I actually managed to jab myself in the thumb with a tainted rabies vaccine needle instead of hitting the dog... 😁 Don't even ask... and then there was the time a pig chased me around a yard trying to go for my leg... 🤷

To make a long story short—if you happen to get bitten by a dog, say, in the Washington, D.C. area, the chances of you catching rabies are slim to none. Most dogs are vaccinated, and from what I know, there haven't been cases or carriers among wildlife in recent years. I can't remember the last time I heard of a single case, though authorities are always out in the field investigating if there's even a hint of suspicion, but so far—all clear...
That said, if the dog is a stranger or looks suspicious, definitely contact local animal control and check in with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention! Wash the wound immediately and disinfect it with iodine or whatever you have on hand; in 99% of cases, that bite is all you'll need to deal with! Local swelling and pain subside quickly, though bruising might linger a bit longer, but at least that isn't dangerous!🙂

When it comes to cats, you really need to exercise extra caution because some of their bacteria are significantly more dangerous! Again, I've been bitten and scratched countless times—one day it's a scratch through my jeans leaving tooth marks on my leg, but that's all in the past now, just two little scabs that I'm waiting to fall off... But , I personally know a woman who was scratched by a cat while she was receiving an injection at a clinic; it was on her arm. The scratch wouldn't heal, it became severely inflamed, and the redness started spreading—she ended up hospitalized and they barely saved her arm. A colleague of mine had a similar experience with a scratch on her thumb that turned greenish and caused the skin to peel; she had to take massive doses of antibiotics... Aside from those two specific instances, I have never seen—and don't expect to see—any problems with people getting nicked by a cat, whether it's a pet or one found on the street. Infections are truly the exception, and usually, these bites and scratches go completely unnoticed and pass as quickly as they happened. 🙂

So, if a cat gives you a hard nip— there is no need to panic—but you absolutely must clean the wound thoroughly and monitor it. Watch to see if it settles down or worsens, if there are visible changes in the tissue at the injury site, or if the area feels warmer or more sensitive/painful. If the wound behaves normally, heals as expected, everything should be fine! However, if intense itching, pain, stinging, throbbing, or erythema (redness) occurs within, say, a few hours of the bite or scratch, and it keeps intensifying instead of subsiding—go to the doctor immediately!

Of course, it all depends on the severity of the wound: is it just a light scratch, or did someone sink their teeth in with full force? It isn't the same whether you get a tiny graze from a claw or a canine sunk deep to the bone. For deep bites, go to the doctor first and foremost, whereas for superficial ones, just keep a close eye on it to be safe, and you'll be fine!

Look, firstly you should approach a scratch from a dog or a cat—or even a pig, for heaven's sake...🤣 just like any other minor injury, without making a massive production out of it. If the animal—be it a dog, a cat, or a pig—is a stray or looks questionable (sick, perhaps?), well, chances are you’ll be perfectly fine, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to check in with a doctor. Especially if you're feeling anxious; in that case, just head to the local urgent care or call 911!

But then again, when you think about it... over time, if you do catch something, you might actually build up some sort of resistance because of constant exposure—I suppose that's how immunity works? After all, we are all constantly surrounded by animals—at shelters, at the vet, or just out in the yard—and we're always dealing with scratches, little nicks, or tiny bites from playing around... stuff like that.

Same here—I actually found myself back in the infectious disease ward a few days ago due to a bite (well, more of a skin puncture that wasn't even visible) that led to lymphangitis, followed by a whole course of antibiotics.
Regardless of how clean you keep the wound,

To sum it all up—if you happen to get bitten by a dog, say in the Washington, D.C. area, there's a good chance you won't contract rabies; most animals are vaccinated, and from what I know, there haven't been any active carriers or cases among wild animals in recent years... I can't recall the last instance, though authorities always go out into the field to investigate if there's any suspicion, but so far—it's all clear...
Still, if the dog is unknown or looks suspicious—definitely contact local animal control and check in with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention! Wash the wound immediately and disinfect it with iodine or whatever you have on hand—in 99% of cases, that's all you'll need to do. Local swelling and pain should subside quickly; bruising might linger longer, but that's the least of your worries.

I'm not sure about the last couple of years. But historically speaking, it's largely the same—rabies does exist. That ratio of infected animals to total cases has remained relatively steady over the years.
I can dig up the data from an article later if needed.
For more recent stats, you should probably check with the USDA.

And definitely see a doctor for those three follow-up exams. Better safe than sorry—you don't want to fall into the trap of thinking "oh, we don't have that issue here."

I was sixteen weeks pregnant when my cat—a house cat, but she hadn't been vaccinated—scratched me. It just so happened that a rabid fox had recently been spotted near the house of the friend whose cat it was. I didn't touch or pet the animal; I was just sitting there waiting for my friend to get ready so we could head out, when the cat started playing around my feet and caught my leg while trying to grab a ball. God, just thinking back on it brings up all that old fear and panic; my biggest worry at the time was toxoplasmosis. I contacted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention immediately, but they basically told me it probably wasn't an issue, since a scratch isn't nearly as dangerous as a bite. I went ahead and retested for toxoplasmosis, and the results came back clear, but ever since then, I've stayed far away from any stray cats or dogs that haven't been fully vaccinated.

Man, I still think about this one. About 7 or 8 years ago, I was just out walking my dog when this absolute unit of a dog—probably some massive 130-pound Mastiff mix—comes charging at me. Total nightmare. It lunged and bit me right in the arm. Of course, the beast wasn't even vaccinated, and I had to deal with the whole mess of making sure I didn't get tetanus. Barely made it through, but I survived.😁

.

So here's the deal—say someone gets bitten by a dog that hasn't had its shots...

If the dog isn't vaccinated, what else is a person looking at besides rabies? Like, what other health risks are we talking about here?

.

So, I’m looking for some advice here... I was walking through a coffee shop the other day—just minding my own business—when this little Pekingese sitting at a table with its owner and a few friends decides to nip at my sweatshirt. At first, I didn't even realize what happened; I just thought maybe I brushed against something because I didn't see any actual holes in my clothes. But then I went to the restroom and noticed this little surface mark, maybe about 4 mm long. It looks mostly like a scratch, though one tiny part might be slightly deeper. Honestly, I didn't say anything to the owner afterward—didn't ask if the dog was up to date on shots or anything... I just kind of froze up in the moment and didn't know how to react.
Anyway, after my family kept nudging me about it, I called my doctor. They told me there’s really no reason to freak out, but to just keep an eye on it—watch for itching, swelling, or any redness. It’s been three days now, and none of that has happened.
But, you know, some people are telling me I should probably head into the clinic and ask about a tetanus shot. I really don't want to be "that guy" who overreacts and rushes to the doctor for nothing, but still...?
If I remember correctly, the last time I got vaccinated was probably over ten years ago back when I was in college.
What do you guys think? Should I go get the shot or just let it be?

Brian Thompson2 said:So, I’m looking for some advice here... I was walking through a coffee shop the other day—just minding my own business—when this little Pekingese sitting at a table with its owner and a few friends decides to nip at my sweatshirt. At first, I didn't even realize what happened; I just thought maybe I brushed against something because I didn't see any actual holes in my clothes. But then I went to the restroom and noticed this little surface mark, maybe about 4 mm long. It looks mostly like a scratch, though one tiny part might be slightly deeper. Honestly, I didn't say anything to the owner afterward—didn't ask if the dog was up to date on shots or anything... I just kind of froze up in the moment and didn't know how to react.
Anyway, after my family kept nudging me about it, I called my doctor. They told me there’s really no reason to freak out, but to just keep an eye on it—watch for itching, swelling, or any redness. It’s been three days now, and none of that has happened.
But, you know, some people are telling me I should probably head into the clinic and ask about a tetanus shot. I really don't want to be "that guy" who overreacts and rushes to the doctor for nothing, but still...?
If I remember correctly, the last time I got vaccinated was probably over ten years ago back when I was in college.
What do you guys think? Should I go get the shot or just let it be?

It's pointless. If it were actually necessary, even your doctor would have suggested it immediately. For God's sake, we're talking about an escort dog that basically spends its life crawling all over furniture, sleeping in beds, and peeing on weeds growing through cracks in the sidewalk.

Brian Thompson2 said:So, I’m looking for some advice here... I was walking through a coffee shop the other day—just minding my own business—when this little Pekingese sitting at a table with its owner and a few friends decides to nip at my sweatshirt. At first, I didn't even realize what happened; I just thought maybe I brushed against something because I didn't see any actual holes in my clothes. But then I went to the restroom and noticed this little surface mark, maybe about 4 mm long. It looks mostly like a scratch, though one tiny part might be slightly deeper. Honestly, I didn't say anything to the owner afterward—didn't ask if the dog was up to date on shots or anything... I just kind of froze up in the moment and didn't know how to react.
Anyway, after my family kept nudging me about it, I called my doctor. They told me there’s really no reason to freak out, but to just keep an eye on it—watch for itching, swelling, or any redness. It’s been three days now, and none of that has happened.
But, you know, some people are telling me I should probably head into the clinic and ask about a tetanus shot. I really don't want to be "that guy" who overreacts and rushes to the doctor for nothing, but still...?
If I remember correctly, the last time I got vaccinated was probably over ten years ago back when I was in college.
What do you guys think? Should I go get the shot or just let it be?

Getting a tetanus shot after a bite is pretty standard practice. There's no need to worry about rabies since it was just a house pet that stays up to date on its shots. Since it’s been more than three days since it happened, a tetanus shot might not even be worth the trip—if I recall right, you usually need to get it within 48 hours.