This document provides information about animal bites, wounds, and their treatment. It discusses that animal bites most often involve children and can be caused by dogs, cats, rodents, and other animals. Bites can cause pain, infections, and potentially life-threatening issues. The document then covers symptoms of animal bites, risks, complications, diagnosis, treatment, wound care, and prevention methods. It emphasizes the importance of medical treatment for bites to prevent infections and explains cleaning, closure, antibiotics, and other care depending on the severity of the wound.

1. ANIMAL BITES AND
WOUNDS
Prepared by:
Mia LynAcedera

2. ANIMAL BITES…
What Are They?
 In most cases involve children
than adults to be injured by an
animal bite.
 The animals that may bite include
dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits,
ferrets, farm animals, monkeys
and reptiles.
 Those bites can cause pain and
other problems, life threatening
issues especially when they
become infected inside the body
and blood circulation.
What is an Animal
Bites?
➢An animal bite is a wound, caused by the
teeth usually results in a break in the skin due
to the excessive pressure on body tissue from
the bite.
➢It also involves the contusions which can
occur without a break in the skin. Bites can be
provoked or unprovoked. Animal bites mostly
cause a serious infections and even death.
➢It also includes injuries not only from the
teeth of reptiles, mammals but fish and
amphibians.
➢Arthropods can also bite and leave injuries.
Cat and human bites can carry a higher risk of
infection.

3. ❑ If the bitten animal has an identifiable owner, ask whether it is
vaccinated currently against rabies.
❑ If it is a strange animal, call the police or nearest animal care team.
What Causes Animal Bites?
The most common cause of bites are Pets. Some of the animals that are more likely to
bite are.
❑ DOG BITES
➢ Dogs are usually the domestic pets to
cause animal bites. Rabies virus can
be caused by dog bite.
DOG BITE
Rabies is a deadly virus spread to people from the
saliva of infected animals. The rabies virus is
usually transmitted through a bite.

4. CAT BITE
❑ CAT BITES
➢ This bites can be dangerous both to other animals and to humans because cats carry
bacteria in their mouths that are capable of causing tissue infections in bite wounds.
❑ MONKEY BITES
➢ Some the studies found monkey
bites account for 2–21% of animal
bite injuries.

5. ❑ MOSQUITO BITES
➢ Mosquito is an insect belongs to a
fly family. A Mosquito bite can
cause diseases like malaria which
can be life threatening.
MOSQUITO
BITES
❑ FIRE ANT BITES
➢ Fire ants are small, red or black
venomous ants with a painful,
stinging bite. They can cause a
severe allergic reaction in some
people.

6. ❑ SCORPION BITES
➢ These are eight-legged arachnids
and if they bite, a very Intense pain,
numbness, tingling and swelling
occurs around the sting.
❑BEES
➢ Bees are the most dangerous
insects that can cause Pain,
redness and swelling at the site
of the sting.

7. ❑ HUMAN BITES
➢ Human bite can be the most
dangerous wounds contain a
lot of bacteria and carry a
high risk of infection. These
infections can develop quickly
and result in serious
problems.
SYMPTOMS OF ANIMAL BITES
❑ There are a number of signs and symptoms
caused by Bite wounds. They are,
✓ Redness
✓ Warmth
✓ Continued pain beyond 24 hours
✓ Drainage from the wound
✓ Minor wounds
✓ Major cuts

8. ✓ Crushing injuries
✓ Infection by bacteria including rabies
✓ Introduction of toxins into the wound by venomous animals such as some snakes.
✓ Introduction of other foreign objects into the wound, causing inflammation and
itching.
ANIMAL BITES RISK FACTORS
Risk factors that increase the chances of
a bite turning into an infection
include the following:
✓Not thoroughly and swiftly washing the
bite
✓The bite caused a deep wound
✓The bite also caused a fracture or
other damage
✓A weakened immune system
ANIMAL BITES COMPLICATIONS
The main complication that arises is
from animal bites and a bite from
humans is Infection:
✓Infections mainly Tetanus and Rabies
✓Blood poisoning (sepsis)
✓Swelling and stiffening of the joints
✓Tissue damage

9. Animal Bites Do’s And Don'ts
DO’S
1. Teach children not to disturb any animals
while they eat, sleep or care for their baby
animals. Children should never be left
alone with animals.
2. Immunize your pet animals.
3. If a dog approaches, stay calm, don’t
scream and stand still like a tree talk in a
firm voice and avoid eye contact.
4. If a dog attacks, curl up into a ball to
protect your face, neck and head
5. Educate children about bite prevention.
DON’T
1. Do not go nearer to any animal that
behaves strangely
2. Do not try to catch the animal or try to
handle animals
3. Do not touch animals that are sick or
injured or anger.
4. Never pet a dog without letting it sniff you.
5. Do not let your pets roam; keep them
restrained. Train and socialize them to stay
calm around people.
Getting bit by any animal can be a very painful experience so it is important to know some
things that will help you to escape from the danger of animal bites.

10. Animal Bites Medical Advice
If you have been bitten by any animal, you should immediately go to your doctor
for treatment because there may be a risk of getting:
✓ An infection, including bacterial and rabies infections with like redness,
swelling and pain.
✓ Broken teeth of animal embedded in your wound
✓ Severe bleeding
✓ Foreign objects embedded in your wound
✓ Possible nerve and blood vessel damage
✓ The wound is deep, especially if it is a puncture wound. Cat and human bites
and even any cuts on knuckles caused by a fight should always be seen by a
doctor.
✓ You have been bitten on the face, hand, foot or neck, or over a joint.
✓ See the doctor if you suspect that the animal may be rabid or the bite is from
a wild or stray animal or if definite proof cannot be found of current wound,
take vaccination of the animal if you haven’t had an antifungal injection within
the past five years.

11. Animal Bites Diagnosis
✓ X-RAYS
➢ For major wounds, your doctor will order an X-
rays because they may be used to identify any
damage and check for bone fractures to the
injured parts like hand, leg, etc.
➢ It can also help them ensure there’s no debris in
the wound that isn’t visible upon inspection.
➢ It is easy to overlook certain types of foreign
material such as dirt or grass.
✓IRRIGATION
➢ Irrigation is a process to clean the wound
properly. This can help you prevent infection.
➢It may not always prevent infection, it does reduce
the risk. To minimize pain, a local anesthetic may be
used.

12. ✓ DEBRIDEMENT
➢ Debridement is a procedure may be
necessary to remove dead or infected
skin and tissue that can’t be repaired
because some animal bites can result
in skin tears that can’t be repaired.
➢ This procedure sometimes is painful so
you may need a local anesthetic for this
procedure.
✓CLOSURE
➢Usually, puncture wounds cannot be closed with
stitches.
➢ However some wounds must be stitched or
sutured, immediately after the bite.

13. WOUND CARE
➢ Your doctor may suggest some methods of
wound care based on the injury you sustained.
➢ Wounds should be kept clean and dry always.
Older adults or people who have chronic
medical conditions such as diabetes are
usually prescribed Antibiotics.
Animal Bites Treatment
Most of the animal bites can be treated at home, only if your reaction is
mild. However, getting immediate treatment for any animal bite can
minimize the risk of problems.
✓It needs to take a T.T injection for all bites. The minor wounds may
need dressing and sometimes antibiotics.
✓All bites to the injured part require careful cleansing.
✓Major wounds may have to treat as inpatients and also for rabies
prevention.
✓If the wound is serious, it usually requires surgery
✓After being bitten by an animal or human, it is important to quickly and
carefully clean the wound thoroughly with soap and a large amount of
water; this can help to prevent infection. If there is bleeding, a clean towel
or gauze should be pressed to the wound to slow or stop the bleeding.

14. ANIMAL BITES CARE
PRINCIPLES
✓ Early medical management
✓ Irrigation and cleansing of the
wound
✓ Primary closure if the wound is low-
risk for developing infection
✓ Prophylactic antibiotics for high-risk
wounds or people with immune
deficiency
✓ Rabies post-exposure treatment
depending on the dog vaccination
status
✓ Administration of tetanus vaccine if
the person has not been adequately
vaccinated.
Animal Bites
Prevention
To lower the risk of being bitten by
an animal you should remember
the following rules:
1. Avoid contact with unknown
animals.
2. Never feed or attempt to catch
animals such as squirrels,
raccoons, or rats.
3. Avoid disturbing animals that
are caring for their babies.
4. Never engage in forceful
playing with animals. A family
pet can accidentally bite you
during a friendly game.
5. Never keep your fingers into
animal cages

15. WOUNDS
Q. What is a wound?
A wound is a type of injury which happens
relatively quickly in which skin is torn, cut,
or punctured (an open wound), or where
blunt force trauma causes a contusion
(a closed wound).
In pathology
-it specifically refers to a sharp injury which
damages the epidermis of the skin.
What causes wound?
➢Wounds can be caused by something
sudden, such as a cut, a burn, a fall or a
bad knock.
➢ People often have a wound
after surgery.
➢ Wounds can be caused by infections,
such as infections after surgery and
infections in insect bites.
➢Wounds can be caused by being
immobile, such as bed sores or pressure
injuries.

16. THE TWO MAJOR CLASSIFICATION OF WOUNDS ARE THE OPEN AND CLOSED.
OPEN WOUNDS -is an injury involving an external or internal break in body tissue, usually
involving the skin.
CLOSED WOUNDS -are those where the skin is not broken.
OPEN WOUND
CLOSED WOUND
OPEN WOUNDS CAN BE CLASSIFIED
ACCORDING TO THE OBJECT THAT
CAUSED THE WOUND:
❑ INCISIONS OR INCISED WOUNDS
– caused by a clean, sharp-edged object such as
a knife, razor, or glass splinter.
INCISIONS WOUND

17. ❑LACERATIONS
➢ irregular tear-like wounds caused by
some blunt trauma. Lacerations and
incisions may appear linear (regular) or
stellate (irregular).
➢The term laceration is commonly
misused in reference to incisions.
LACERATIONS WOUND
❑ABRASIONS(GRAZES)
➢superficial wounds in which the
topmost layer of the skin(the
epidermis) is scraped off.
➢Abrasions are often caused by a
sliding fall onto a rough surface such
as asphalt, tree bark or concrete

18. ❑ AVULSIONS
➢ injuries in which a body structure is
forcibly detached from its normal
point of insertion.
➢ A type of amputation where the
extremity is pulled off rather than cut
off.
❑PUNCTURE WOUNDS
➢caused by an object puncturing
the skin, such as a splinter, nail
or needle.
AVULSIONS
PUNCTURE
WOUNDS
❑PENETRATION WOUNDS
➢caused by an object such as a knife entering
and coming out from the skin.
PENETRATION
WOUNDS

19. ❑ GUNSHOT WOUNDS – caused by
a bullet or similar projectile driving into
or through the body.
➢ There may be two wounds, one at the
site of entry and one at the site of exit,
generally referred to as a "through-
and-through." GUNSHOT WOUND
Closed wounds have fewer categories, but are just
as dangerous as open wounds:
Hematomas (or blood tumor) – caused by damage
to a blood vessel that in turn causes blood to collect
under the skin.
The different classifications are based on size.
➢Hematomas that originate from an external
source of trauma are contusions, also
commonly called bruises.
CLOSED WOUNDS
HEMATOMAS

20. COMPLICATIONS
➢The patient has a deep wound at the knee, and radiography is used to ensure there are no
hidden bone fractures.
➢Bacterial infection of wound can impede the healing process and lead to life-threatening
complications.
WORKUP
➢ Wounds that are not healing should be investigated to find the causes; many microbiological
agents may be responsible.
➢ The basic workup includes evaluating the wound, its extent and severity. Cultures are usually
obtained both from the wound site and blood.
➢ X-rays are obtained and a tetanus shot may be administered if there is any doubt about prior
vaccination.
CHRONIC
➢ Non-healing wounds of the diabetic foot are considered one of the most significant
complications of diabetes, representing a major worldwide medical, social, and economic
burden that greatly affects patient quality of life.
➢ Associated with inadequate circulation, poorly functioning veins, and immobility, non-healing
wounds occur most frequently in the elderly and in people with diabetes.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
➢ To heal a wound, the body undertakes a series of actions collectively known as the wound healing
process.

21. DIAGNOSIS
➢ A wound may be recorded for follow-up and observing progress of healing with
different techniques which include.
➢ Photographs, with subsequent area quantification using computer processing
➢ Wound tracings on acetate sheets
➢ Kundin wound gauge
MANAGEMENT
➢ Wound, sewn with four stitches.
➢ The overall treatment depends on the type, cause, and depth of the wound, and
whether other structures beyond the skin (dermis) are involved.
➢ Treatment of recent lacerations involves examining, cleaning, and closing the wound.
Minor wounds, like bruises, will heal on their own, with skin discoloration usually
disappearing in 1–2 weeks.
➢ Abrasions, which are wounds with intact skin (non-penetration through dermis to
subcutaneous fat), usually require no active treatment except keeping the area clean,
initially with soap and water.
➢ Puncture wounds may be prone to infection depending on the depth of penetration.
The entry of puncture wound is left open to allow for bacteria or debris to be removed
from inside.

22. CLEANING
➢ Evidence to support the cleaning of wounds before closure is scant.
➢ For simple lacerations, cleaning can be accomplished using a number of
different solutions, including tap water and sterile saline solution .
➢ Infection rates may be lower with the use of tap water in regions where
water quality is high.
➢ Cleaning of a wound is also known as 'wound toilet'. It is not clear if
delaying a shower following a surgery helps reduce complications related to
wound healing.

23. REFERENCES:
❑ Animal Bites – Causes Symptoms Treatment and Care
The Best Health Organizations
Link to the file:
http://www.thebesthealth.org/animal-bites-causes-treatment-care/
❑ Pediatrics, American Academy of (2011). First Aid for Families. Jones & Bartlett.
p. 39. ISBN 978-0763755522.
❑ ^ "Light to detect wound infection" (web). UK scientists have identified a way of using light to
rapidly detect the presence of bacteria. BBC News. 11 March 2007. Archived from the original
on 22 August 2007. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
❑ ^ Work Up Archived 31 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine Medicine General Surgery.
Retrieved 27 January 2010
❑ THE WOUNDS
Link to the file:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wound#cite_ref-1

24. Thank you for listening.