Monthly Archives: July 2008

at 7 am this morning, cici was lying peacefully at my feet underneath the desk while I was on the computer. Morgan came over and let cici know that was not ok, her turf or whatever.

morgan kept sniping at cici all day yesterday and finally this morning cici had enough and they got into it… and I got bit by Morgan while pulling them apart. Put cici in the car and she was fine and docile. then put morgan behind a closed door and she yapped for an hour.

Cici was playing sweetly with Chloe and the two of them were very cute together. Chloe is tiny, maybe 8-10 pounds. Cici went into submissive mode with her a few times to let her know that she was not going to hurt her and Chloe played with her and snacked on pencils and other stuff on the floor.

My leg hurts, the bite is right near where I have a scar from falling on the beach in Carmel in June. ouchie…

I think that if a dog snipes and yaps at your dog, keep your dog away… the dog is aggressive, maybe passive aggressive, has issues, dominance and you do not want anyone to get hurt. at least neither of the dogs got hurt but now I have to keep them apart.

http://www.safety.com/articles/how-to-take-care-of-dog-and-cat-bites-cleaning-and-treatment-steps.html


How to Take Care of Dog and Cat Bites: Cleaning and Treatment Steps

When the dog (or cat) bites, you need to take action immediately. A 1999 study by David Talan of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Emergency Medicine Animal Bite Infection Study Group showed that animal bites could introduce bacteria that cause serious, even potentially fatal, infections. The study found staph, strep, and bacteria from the Pasteurella family, as well as other disease-causing bacteria. You can see that it’s important to clean and treat bite wounds, but know that some bites will require a visit to the doctor.

Immediate Bite Care
Don’t waste time after you’ve been bitten. Follow these steps, as well as any after-care steps, in order to play it safe:

• Wash the area with soap and water
• Use pressure from clean towels to stop bleeding
• Cover the wound with a sterile bandage
• Raise the wound above your heart to reduce swelling
• Leave wounds uncovered after a few hours, unless on the face
• Rub on antibiotic ointment twice daily

When to See a Doctor
Taking care of your wounds at home may not be enough, especially if your health is already affected by diabetes, cancer, or a weakened immune system. Also, if you haven’t had a tetanus booster in over five years, you are at greater risk for developing lockjaw.

Seek medical care for:

• Any cat bite
• A dog bite to the head, hand, or foot
• A deep, gaping wound
• Bleeding that doesn’t stop after 15 minutes of pressure
• Possible broken bones, nerve damage, or other trauma
• Symptoms of infection including swelling, redness, warmth, oozing pus, increasing soreness, and fever

How the Doctor Treats Bite Wounds
The doctor will look at the wound to determine treatment. Depending on the type of damage, any of the following may be part of your care:

• Flushing the wound with water or saline
• Removing damaged tissue
• Checking tendons or nerves for damage, as well as bones
• Using stitches to close the wound, although wounds are often kept open to aid in healing
• Giving a tetanus shot
• Ordering antibiotics, usually in the case of high-risk wounds or if the wound is very infected
• Scheduling a follow-up for a few days later
• Referring you to a specialist or sending you to a hospital, if needed

Rabies Treatment Information
Don’t overlook the risk of rabies infection. Although it is rare in domestic pets, it’s good to be cautious. The dog or cat that bit you should be quarantined for ten days to see if it develops symptoms of rabies. Luckily, you will need shots only if the animal can’t be found, it shows signs of rabies, or if it tests positive for rabies. If you do need the shot series, your first shot should be given very soon after the bite, followed by a series of five shots over a 28-day period.

Take Cat and Dog Bites Seriously
Although bites are more common than people like to think, don’t make the mistake of ignoring your wounds. Prevent infection — your health depends upon it.