It’s one thing being bitten by an animal in the UK, but it can be far more serious while you’re abroad.
The UK might be rabies free but the majority of foreign destinations are not. Dog bites, in particular, carry a risk of rabies, which can be extremely serious – especially if left untreated.
What should I do if I’m bitten by an animal abroad?
No matter how small an animal bite, you MUST get it checked out while on international soil.
It might sound strange but a lick from an animal can also be dangerous. If a dog licks an existing cut or wound, you should get it checked out as there’s still a risk or rabies from the animal’s saliva.
The good news is that rabies can be stopped in its tracks if treatment is given straight away so the key here is to go straight to the closest hospital – no matter how tiny a lick or bite you’ve received.
How do I clean the wound?
It’s really important to keep the wound clean to avoid infection – particularly when you’re abroad because animals’ mouths are riddled with bacteria.
Use bottled drinking water to clean the cut – no matter how small – and use a clean pad or sterile dressing, if you can get one, and apply pressure until you get medical treatment.
Try to avoid using antiseptic creams, which can damage the skin tissue and set healing back.
What kind of treatment can I expect?
Emergency treatment involves cleaning the wound properly, giving a shot of rabies immunoglobulin (a special preparation of rabies antibodies to protect against the virus) and a course of the rabies vaccine.
A short course of antibiotics might also be prescribed to stop any other infection developing in bites which are particularly large, deep or punctured. Bite wounds on arms or legs can be particularly nasty so usually need antibiotics even if the wound is small.
Likewise, if your resistance is low for any reason – i.e. because of chemotherapy, diabetes or AIDS – then you will almost certainly need some additional antibiotics.
You might also need a tetanus injection if it’s been a while since you had one. Tetanus boosters are a regular course of treatment after a dog bite even in the UK.
If the skin surrounding the wound is particularly damaged, then it might need to be trimmed or removed – in which case you can expect a local anaesthetic or sedative and painkillers.
Dead skin is an ideal breeding ground for infection so the doctor or A&E department will want to err on the side of caution.
But don’t be surprised if the doctor doesn’t stitch or close up the wound immediately. It’s normal to wait a few days before doing this in case there’s any infection, which could cause serious complications under the skin. It’s common practice to apply a sterile dressing in the meantime.
Very serious bites may need an operation to clean the wound properly and repair any underlying damage, such as severed tendons.
What should I look out for?
It’s common for bites to become infected so make sure you look out for and tenderness, pain, swelling, or inflammation over the next few days and get further medical treatment if necessary.
You should visit the nearest A&E department as soon as possible if you experience any fever, shivering or other unusual symptoms as bites can cause serious infections in the body if bacteria gets into the bloodstream.
