So in this training, we're gonna learn what to do for animal and human bites.
There are different considerations between animal and human bites.
However, general first aid care is gonna be the same for both.
So first, let's talk about minor wounds.
Minor wounds are when a bite causes, maybe, teeth marks, bruising or scratches.
You should treat this type of wound by washing the area thoroughly with soap and water.
For skin with scratches, you should also apply an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection,
and then cover the area with a clean bandage.
A more serious bite wound is when the skin is punctured or torn and bleeding.
A person with an open bite wound should receive medical treatment from a physician due to
the high risk of infection.
Care for an open wound that is not oozing or spurting blood by washing the area with
soap and water.
Then, simply apply a sterile dressing and then seek medical treatment.
For a wound that is oozing blood, apply direct pressure with a clean, dry cloth to stop the
bleeding.
Then apply a bandage if the bleeding is under control and seek medical treatment.
Now, for arterial or severe bleeding; in other words bleeding that is spurting or pulsating,
or not easily controlled with direct pressure, be sure to call 911.
Keep direct pressure on the wound until EMS arrives.
And then watch for signs of shock, and treat them accordingly.
Now let's talk about some special considerations for human bites.
The most common form of human bite occurs among young children, because they're curious,
angry, or frustrated.
Children and their caretakers such as in day care centers are the most at risk for bite
wounds.
The good news is that most human bites are harmless and don't break the skin.
Now, serious bites from children are highly unusual.
The biggest concern with human bites is the risk of infection.
You see, human saliva is known to contain hundreds of species of bacteria and is more
likely to cause an infection than even animal bites.
This is the reason that human bite wounds, that break the skin, need to be seen by a
physician.
Keep in mind that it's highly unlikely that the bloodborne pathogens like HIV, Hepatitis
B or C will be transmitted by human bite.
However a physician will need to make that decision and determine the recommended treatment
based on the various circumstances of the bite wound.
So now let's talk about animal bites like from domestic pets.
Cats, dogs.
These also cause most animal bites because they're around kids and in the house.
But the greatest concern is that the animal bites from non-immunized animals may carry
the risk of rabies.
For any animal bite that punctures the skin where the rabies immunization status of the
animal is unknown, the person needs to be treated by a doctor immediately.
The good news is that domestic cats and dogs and other animals like, maybe, rabbits and
squirrels and rodents rarely carry rabies.
Rabies is more common among wild animals like raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats.
In fact, bats are the most common rabies carrier.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children and adults exposed
to bats, who are sleeping, and discover bats present seek medical advice even if they don't
even think they've been bitten.
This is because bat bite marks are hard to see.
Now, for both human and animal bites, tetanus is a concern.
If a person's last tetanus shot was more than, say, five years ago, and a bite wound is deep,
a doctor may recommend a booster shot.
So in summary, follow general first aid principles for bleeding and infection control for animal
and human bites.
Make sure the scene is safe before approaching a victim.
And care for injuries as needed.
After care for a bite wound includes watching for the signs of infection which include swelling,
redness, increased pain and oozing puss.
A person should see a doctor immediately if these signs of infection develop.