Dogs just been bitten - vet trip needed?

[scdan4]

The dog has just got itself into a fight with a (manky looking) rat.

The rat lost, with it now being rather dead, but the dog got a deep bite in her nose that then bled quite a lot.

I cleaned it up with some "alcohol free wipes" from the first aid kit and then some baby wipes and it has stopped bleeding.

Do I need to take the dog for some shots? She's quite sweet mostly and I would rather she didn't die from manky rat bite disease. All her immunistions and shots are current / up to date.

Thanks

[BadRotorFinger]

You have cleaned it and it has stopped bleeding, see how it goes in a day or two, if it starts to look infected then take it in. No diseases specific to a rat bite, just how you look after the wound.

Edit to say, advise is from the missus who is a vet.

[Simpo Two]

Alcohol is a disinfectant - what use are alcohol-free ones?!


If in doubt, vets - for peace of mind if nothing else.

[Nightmare]

Simpo Two said:

Alcohol is a disinfectant - what use are alcohol-free ones?!


If in doubt, vets - for peace of mind if nothing else.

Lol, they replace the alcohol with something else disinfectant (that's usually more expensive and less effective...but heh isn't as bad a carcinogen!)

[scdan4]

BadRotorFinger said:

You have cleaned it and it has stopped bleeding, see how it goes in a day or two, if it starts to look infected then take it in. No diseases specific to a rat bite, just how you look after the wound.

Edit to say, advise is from the missus who is a vet.

Thanks. This would be our first course of action in any case. Wound small, neat and nice and clean. Savlon applied and licked off, twice. Will keep an eye on it, poor mutt.

Simpo Two said:

Alcohol is a disinfectant - what use are alcohol-free ones?!


If in doubt, vets - for peace of mind if nothing else.

I was dissappointed when I saw this myself and assumed that they were merely expensive and small baby wipes, hence finishing the job with them. Was a brand spankers first aid kit and it was a bit odd and useless to be honest. 3 triangular bandages, about 14 miles of "non-sterile gauze", 6 safety pins, 6 "non-alcohol wipes", no tcp, no plasters, no savlon, no big sticky pads for general blood absorption, no tweezers, no scissors. Not sure what eventuality it was designed for to be honest!

[bexVN]

Well I wouldn't chance it in my own dog, they can cause nasty infections but of course it may be fine. I'd rather go with preventative treatment with a rat bite

[Albert Bridge]

Personally I wouldn't chance it either....

[K77 CTR]

Rats are quite clean animals and don't have dirty mouths. We don't worry about them as much in humans as we do cats and other humans.

Savlon, tcp etc is useless in wound care. Just wash with tap water and cover. Talking in regards to human treatment.

[Thevet]

BadRotorFinger said:

You have cleaned it and it has stopped bleeding, see how it goes in a day or two, if it starts to look infected then take it in. No diseases specific to a rat bite, just how you look after the wound.

Edit to say, advise is from the missus who is a vet.

how about lepto?? if vaccs are ok then should be no problem. Bleeding is a good natural way of flushing a wound, and maybe you need to see what happens, but I would always cover my, or a clients dog, with some antibiotics. Deep puncture wounds are somewhat more susceptible to infection than superficial ones due to the ischaemic damage done in deeper tissues, which allows bacteria an easier start to their growth. Anyay, if it's sore, or your dog has not been vaccinated properly, then you must go to your vet.

[Thevet]

Nightmare said:

Lol, they replace the alcohol with something else disinfectant (that's usually more expensive and less effective...but heh isn't as bad a carcinogen!)

disinfection of the surface of a deep bite wound (ie 2mm or more deep) is a purely cosmetic exercise. Just wash it with lots of water.

[Thevet]

K77 CTR said:

Rats are quite clean animals and don't have dirty mouths. We don't worry about them as much in humans as we do cats and other humans.

Savlon, tcp etc is useless in wound care. Just wash with tap water and cover. Talking in regards to human treatment.

LEPTOSPIROSIS..... although 1st aid advice is good

[K77 CTR]

Thevet said:

LEPTOSPIROSIS..... although 1st aid advice is good

Leptospirosis is transmitted in rat urine not by bites as far as I understand

[Thevet]

Lepto is primarily shed in the urine but is known to be also spread by bites and other bodily fluids.

[BadRotorFinger]

Yes, we get it. Lepto by urine. OP said vaccinations all up to date.

[scdan4]

Just to confirm that all jabs are up to date.

Wound nicely healed today (surprisingly difficult to see) and not causing her any obvious discomfort. Just back from a 5 mile walk / gallop - she seems to be feeling in fine fettle!

Will keep an eye on it, but am assuming it is fine - it bled a lot (should have flushed clear) and was well washed, wiped etc.


Personally, I'm a bit more surprised at the number of people recommending an antibiotic shot "just in case". My views are that galloping antibiotic resistance presents far more of a risk to us all and they should be used sparingly, where necessary, not as a magic catch all...

Thanks all for help and advice - was a new situation for me!

[R300will]

Thevet said:

Lepto is primarily shed in the urine but is known to be also spread by bites and other bodily fluids.

Not sure on that one, you probably know far more about it than me at this stage but given that rats are incontinent there is probably a good chance that urine is present around their mouth and that when it bites this is then how the lepto gets transferred to the other animal.

Or it could make its gums bleed when biting and get blood-blood transmission?

[bexVN]

scdan4 said:

Just to confirm that all jabs are up to date.

Wound nicely healed today (surprisingly difficult to see) and not causing her any obvious discomfort. Just back from a 5 mile walk / gallop - she seems to be feeling in fine fettle!

Will keep an eye on it, but am assuming it is fine - it bled a lot (should have flushed clear) and was well washed, wiped etc.


Personally, I'm a bit more surprised at the number of people recommending an antibiotic shot "just in case". My views are that galloping antibiotic resistance presents far more of a risk to us all and they should be used sparingly, where necessary, not as a magic catch all...

Thanks all for help and advice - was a new situation for me!

I guess when you've seen as many infected bites as I have from various creatures (rats included) that would really have benefited from early antibiotic treatment, the 'just in case approach' is actually a legitimate course of treatment. Usually 3-4 days post injury especially when the original wound closes over rapidly is when a problem will start if it's going to.

Edited by bexVN on Wednesday 5th September 23:44

[andrew186]

its a few days on and i hope your dog is OK but just thought i'd post this here for future reference

im no vet (deal with humans)

(if the wound is not big and it does not need stitching up) if it were my dog at the very LEAST.. i would suggest washing it out with some sterile saline/water and a course of antibiotics for 5 days..

prevention is much better than waiting and watching especially when it comes to infection.. dont want your dog to lose his nose!

of course these things are all accessible to me so you might need to go to the vet for a short consultation to get them (might be able to get sterile water in the pharmacy and if you have some human antibiotics, something like co-amoxiclav will cover the offending things in rat saliva - dose according to weight)

Edited by andrew186 on Tuesday 11th September 15:16

[scdan4]

For those that kindly expressed interest.

The mutt is fine and the bite seems to be nicely healing/healed with a small white mark that doesn't seem to hurt her when I prod it!

Thanks again for all the advice - we did keep a wary eye on it and it seems as if this time we "got away with it".

On the downside she rolled in what I can only assume was rotten fish last night. Despite 2 intense lemon fairy/hosepipe encounters she still has an aroma, (although her coat is lovely and glossy) so is banished to the far end of the dining room!

Any top tips for stench removal?

[Turn7]

Simpo Two said:

If in doubt, vets - for peace of mind if nothing else.

Plus one....