Animal Bites in Children

What Is It?

An animal bite can vary from a simple scratch to a large number of bites with scratches and puncture wounds.

What Do I Look For?

The bite(s) can be made by a pet animal, a stray dog or cat, or wild animals (skunks, foxes, bats, raccoons, squirrels, etc.). When a child is bitten by an animal, the major concerns are the risks of developing an infection at the wound site and of developing a life-threatening disease called rabies. The greatest chance of developing this disease is from a wild animal bite.

If your child has been bitten, it is helpful to know:

• What kind of animal made the bite (pet, stray or wild animal)?
• Was the attack provoked or unprovoked?
• Are the animal’s immunizations (shots) up-to-date?
• Was the animal identified or captured?
• Are your child’s immunizations up-to-date?

Should My Child See A Doctor?

Get medical attention if:

• The animal bite is more than a simple scratch.
• The child has not had a recent tetanus immunization (shot).
• The pet’s immunizations (shots) have not been given or are not up-to-date.
• The animal bite or scratch is made by a wild or stray animal.
• The area bitten becomes red, swollen, hot or tender.

What Do I Do?

If your child has been bitten:

• Immediately and vigorously wash the bite with large amounts of soap and water.
• Cover the wound with a dressing.
• Comfort the child.

If your child has been bitten by a pet dog or cat:

• Know if the animal’s immunizations (shots) are up-to-date.
• Observe or have the animal observed for the next two weeks to be positive it does not have rabies.

If your child has been bitten by a wild animal:

• Take your child to the emergency department or doctor immediately.
• Report the incident to the health department immediately.

Could It Be Prevented?

To prevent your child from being bitten by animals:

• Teach your child not to go near or feed wild or stray animals.
• Teach your child not to tease or handle pets roughly.
• Supervise young children who play with animals.
• Keep your animal on a leash.
• Report any stray or not-cared-for animals to the local SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).