PUNCTURE WOUNDS OR BITE WOUNDS

Puncture and bite wounds can look minor from the outside, but can be deceptively deep and serious. 

Causes

• Injury from a pointed object

• Bite wound from another animal

• Animal abuse

Signs

• Small wound in skin.  If there are two puncture marks, this is a good indication the wound was caused by a bite. 

• Bleeding may occur. 

• There may bruising, particularly if the attacking animal is much larger and picks up and shakes the smaller animal.  If this occurs, there may also be significant internal injury to both muscles and organs. 

• If the wound is not immediately apparent, the injured animal may develop an infection one or two days after being bitten. 

Signs of Bite Wound Infection

• Abscess.  This is a soft swelling around the wound site that may be ruptured.  If so, pus will be visible and may be accompanied by a foul odor.  If unruptured, the top of the swelling may be red or blue, painful and the skin looks taut. 

• Loss of appetite. 

• Fever, usually above 103 degrees Fahrenheit. 

• Lethargy. 

• Pain when affected area is touched. 

Tip:  Neutered dogs and cats are less likely to roam, fight and bite. 
 

First Aid
    1.    If the wound is bleeding excessively, control the bleeding. 
    2.    Check the ABCs of CPR; administer CPR as needed. 
    3.    Check for shock.
    4.    Administer basic wound care. 
    5.    If the cause is a bite wound, it can be extremely serious.  Bite wounds often become infected due to the organisms that naturally reside in the mouth, combined with deep penetration by the canine teeth. 

• If you witness the bite, find out the rabies vaccination status of the animal doing the biting. 

• Recheck the rabies vaccination status of the animal that was bitten. 

• If your pet was bitten by a wild animal and the wild animal is dead, take it with you to the veterinarian so it can be sent to a laboratory for a rabies examination.  Wear gloves when placing the wild animal in a bag, then seal the bag.  If the wild animal is alive, do not attempt to capture it. 

• If your pet is ill and has an abscess that has not ruptured, take the animal to a veterinarian as soon as possible for abscess care. 

• If your pet has an abscess that has ruptured, clean the area, and take the animal to a veterinarian. 

    6.    If you suspect a snake bite, see Snake Bite.