“My son was bitten by a dog. Are there any signs to look out for in case of an infection?”
My son was bitten by a dog and first aid was provided immediately. Now that it has been a couple of days, are there any signs of an infection for me to look out for?
4 Answers
Dog and cat bites typically require prophylactic abx regardless of how they appear, especially cat bites due to the puncture nature of the wound. Usually, augmentation is the mainstay, if not allergic. Signs to look for regarding an infection: fever, rigors, redness, pain, streaking of redness from the site, etc,. Pt. should follow up with pediatrician.
Look for signs of redness, warmth, drainage, not healing (edges are not coming together).
Approximately 70% of dog bites treated in the Emergency Department get infected. I would recommend any dog bite that is worse than a simple “nip” be seen by your doctor. Signs of inception include redness, warmth, swelling, and drainage.
Signs of any type of infection are redness, local tenderness, and pain, sometimes fever. Watch the dog for signs of rabies, if all vaccinated.
