Bitten?

From the Seattle Intelligencer comes information about dog and cat bites.

Read the story here.

Veterinarian Beth Guerra said she sees a gamut of bites, from minor wounds to major trauma.

These do not just occur between strange dogs; often dogs in the same house that have been co-existing peacefully can find themselves in a fight, often over food or territory. The concern with this type of trauma, especially from larger dogs with extremely powerful bites, is that extensive injury can occur under the skin where only small punctures or even only mild bruising are visible.

She said while cat bites may seem innocuous, cats carry a bacteria in the mouth that can rapidly cause infection in the bite wound.

If you are bitten by a dog or cat, be sure to seek immediate medical attention, even if you do not feel the wounds are that severe. At the very least, the wounds should be washed immediately with soap and water. It is best to have any injuries assessed before complications develop.