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When to Seek Medical Care

Most animal bites should be evaluated in a doctor’s office, at a walk-in clinic, or in a hospital’s Emergency Department for these reasons:

• The risk of infection
  
  
• Broken or embedded teeth (cats) or other foreign material in the wound
  
  
• Underlying nerve and blood vessel damage

These types of bites pose the highest risk of infection and therefore require prompt evaluation:

• Dog bites - Because of the crushing mechanism of the bite
  
  
• Cat bites - Because of the puncture mechanism of the bite
  
  
• Wild animal bites (from raccoons, for example) and dog or cat bites (your pets may have themselves been bitten by stray animals) - Because of the risk of contracting rabies

Certain bite wounds require immediate attention:

• Bite caused by a wild animal or a stray dog or cat
  
  
• Possibility of teeth, dirt, or other matter in the wound
  
  
• Excessive bleeding
  
  
• Weakness or numbness of the area or another area away from the bite
  
  
• Any other symptoms or concern that you may have regarding a bite wound