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- Services and providers for Animal Bites in the U.S.
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Animal Bites
Also called: Cat bites, Dog bites
Wild animals usually avoid people. They might attack, however, if they feel threatened, are sick, or are protecting their young or territory. Attacks by pets are more common. Animal bites rarely are life-threatening, but if they become infected, you can develop serious medical problems.
To prevent animal bites and complications from bites
- Never pet, handle or feed unknown animals
- Leave snakes alone
- Watch your children closely around animals
- Vaccinate your cats, ferrets and dogs against rabies
- Spay or neuter your dog to make it less aggressive
- Get a tetanus booster if you have not had one recently
- Wear boots and long pants when you are in areas with venomous snakes
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Start Here
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Cat and Dog Bites(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
- How to Stay Safe around Animals(Nemours Foundation)
| Basics | Learn More | Multimedia & Cool Tools |
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| Research | Reference Shelf | For You |
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Overviews
- Animal Bites(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
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Prevention/Screening
- Animal-Associated Hazards: Health Information for International Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Dog Bite Prevention(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Snakebites: Reducing Your Risk(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
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Specific Conditions
- Animal and Human Bites of the Hand(American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Animal Bites: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Human Bites(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Human Bites: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Lizard Bites(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Marine Animal Stings and Bites(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Snakebites: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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What You Should Know about Dog Bite Prevention(American Veterinary Medical Association)
Also available in Spanish
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Related Issues
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Can I Get HIV from a Bite?(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Also available in Spanish
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Can I Get HIV from a Bite?(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Bites and Stings
(National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Cats(National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Dogs(National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Snake Bites(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Bites and Stings
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Fatal dog attacks in Canada, 1990-2007.
- Article: Animal bites: practical tips for effective management.
- Article: Who let the dogs out?
- Animal Bites -- see more articles
- Medical Encyclopedia Return to top
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Organizations
- American Academy of Family Physicians
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Also available in Spanish
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Children
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Dog Bites: How to Teach Your Children to Be Safe(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
- How to Stay Safe around Animals(Nemours Foundation)
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Dog Bites: How to Teach Your Children to Be Safe(American Academy of Family Physicians)
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Date last updated: 23 July 2008 Topic last reviewed: 16 June 2008 |