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May 18, 2013
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Animal Bites (cont.)

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Animal Bites Follow-up

When the patient is discharged from the emergency department or leaves the doctor's office, they should receive instructions on how to care for the bite wound.

Most doctors will recommend a reevaluation of bites in 48 hours to look for infection.

If the wound was sutured (stitches), the doctor will tell the patient when the stitches will need to be removed.

  • Typically stitches in the face are removed in 3 to 5 days.
  • Stitches over major joints stay in 10 to 14 days.
  • Stitches in other areas are removed in 7 to 10 days.

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Animal Bites - Type and Treatment

The eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:

What kind of animal bit you, and what was the treatment?

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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.

Read More on Medscape Reference »


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