No matter how nice your child is being to your family pet, sometimes bites can happen! If your child was bitten by your family dog, cat or other household pet, there are some things you can do to care for the bite before heading to our AFC center for treatment.

Our AFC Urgent Care Fountain City team walks you through how to care for bites at home and provides further information on animal bites below, so keep reading!

How Can I Care for My Child’s Bite Wound?

It’s no secret that animal bites are painful, and they’re even more painful (and downright scary) for children to experience.

If the animal bite that your child has suffered has broken the skin, it’s best to quickly take your child to get medical attention. Animal bites—especially cat bites—have a risk of getting infected. Before heading to see a doctor, though, perform these first aid steps on your child.

First Aid for Animal Bites

• Wash the bite area with soap and water. If the bite is bleeding, put pressure on it using sterile gauze or a clean cloth.
• If the bleeding has stopped, put antibiotic ointment on the area.
• Cover the area with a bandage or sterile gauze.
• If your child has pain, give acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

How Can I Prevent My Child From Getting Bitten?

It’s true that not all animal bites can be prevented, but it’s also true that most can be prevented. As parents, make sure to always keep a close eye on young kids around animals, even pets. Teach kids not to tease pets, to handle them gently, and to stay away from wild or stray animals.

If you need to take your child to our AFC center or another doctor to get care for his or her bite wound, make sure to have the below-listed information on hand.

Information Your Doctor Will Need

• The kind of animal that bit your child
• The date of the animal’s last rabies vaccination, if known
• Any recent unusual behavior by the animal
• The animal’s location, if known
• If the animal was stray or wild, or was captured by a local animal control service
• Your child’s immunization (shots) record
• A list of any medications your child is allergic to

If your child has been bitten by an animal, don’t wait to get the care he or she needs! Visit our AFC Urgent Care Fountain City team today.