Animal BitesMedical Author:
Scott D Fell, DO, FAAEM
Coauthor:
Christina L Kukula, DO
Medical Editor:
Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
Anthony Anker, MD, FAAEM
Animal Bites OverviewMany different types of animals ranging from dogs and cats to hamsters, raccoons, ferrets, and squirrels can bite adults and children. Many times, bites are from the family pet. |
Women's Health
Find out what women really need.
From WebMD
Healthy Resources
- Answers to Your Tetanus Questions
- How to Keep Your Family Safe From Germs
- The Dirtiest Places Kids Will Find
Featured Centers
- Ask the Nutritionist: Weight Loss Tips
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Gout: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Animal Bites
Hand Injury Overview
Intricate in design and function, the hand is an amazing work of anatomy. Form follows function in the hand; therefore, any injury to the underlying structures of the hand carries the potential for serious handicap. To reduce this risk, even the smallest hand injuries require a good medical evaluation.
The goal with injuries to the hand is a rapid and accurate initial evaluation. In other words, once an injury occurs, the doctor strives to begin medical treatment quickly so the short- and long-term effects can be minimized.
The hand consists of 27 bones when the 8 bones of the wrist are included. When the other associated structures (nerves, arteries, veins, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joint cartilage) are considered, the potential for a variety of injuries exists when trauma involves the hand.
Hand injuries account for nearly 10% of hospital Emergency Department visits. A recent series of 1,000 consecutive hand injuries showed the ...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Animal Bites »
Because many animal bites are never reported, determining the exact incidence of animal bite wounds in the United States, let alone the world, is difficult.
Featured Topics
Medical Dictionary
Pill Identifier on RxList
- quick,
easy,
pill identification
Find a Local Pharmacy
- including
24 hour
pharmacies
