nutch_noindex
Search Icon
    Menu Button
    Stanford Children's Health
    DonateContactMyChart LoginFind a Doctor
    • Second Opinion
    • Donate
    • Contact
    • Refer a Patient
    • En Español
    • Our Locations
    • Medical Services
    • About Us
    • Research & Innovation
    • Patients & Visitors
    • For Health Professionals
    • Second Opinion
    • Donate
    • En Español
    • MyChart Login
    • Recently Visited
      • Our Locations
      • Medical Services
      • About Us
      • Research & Innovation
      • Patients & Visitors
      • For Health Professionals
      CANCEL
      • View More Results

      Loading...

      COVID-2019 Alert

      Information about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. Read the latest >

      Información sobre el coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Aprenda más >

      /nutch_noindex

       


      Facts About Animal Bites and Scratches

      Most animal bites require treatment based on the type and severity of the wound. Whether the bite is from a family pet or an animal in the wild, scratches and bites can become infected and cause scarring. Animals can also carry diseases that can be transmitted through a bite. Bites that break the skin and bites of the scalp, face, hand, wrist, or foot are more likely to become infected. Cat scratches, even from a kitten, can carry "cat scratch disease," a bacterial infection.

      Other animals can transmit rabies and tetanus. Rodents, such as mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and rabbits, are at low risk of carrying rabies, but they may transmit other diseases.

      The most common type of animal bite is a dog bite. But cat bites are much more likely to become infected than dog bites. Follow these guidelines to help decrease the chance of your child being bitten or scratched by an animal:

      • Never leave a young child alone with an animal.

      • Teach your child not to tease or hurt animals.

      • Teach your child to stay away from strange dogs, cats, and other animals.

      • Have your pets licensed and vaccinated against rabies and other diseases.

      • Keep your pets in a fenced yard or secured to a leash.

      Related Topics

      • Neurological Exam for Children
      • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
      nutch_noindex
      • About Us
      • Contact
      • MyChart Login
      • Careers
      • Blog
      • Refer a Patient
      • Download from App Store Download From Google Play
      • Notice of Nondiscrimination
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Code of Conduct

      © 2021 Stanford Children's Health

      About

      • About Us
      • Our Hospital
      • Patient Stories
      • Blog
      • News
      • Send a Greeting Card
      • New Hospital
      • Careers

      Connect

      • Donate
      • Refer a Patient
      • Contact Us
      • Pay Your Bill

      Find

      • Doctors
      • Locations
      • Services
      • Classes
      Download from App Store Download From Google Play

      Also Find Us on:

      • facebook
      • twitter
      • youtube
      • linkedin
      US News & World Report Badge
      • Stanford Medicine
      • Stanford University
      • Stanford Health Care
      • Lucile Packard Foundation
      • Notice of Nondiscrimination
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Code of Conduct
      • © 2021 Stanford Children's Health
      /nutch_noindex