I got bit a few days ago. And not a little warning nip — one that could have gone a lot worse. A few days ago, I was reminded that even when you have worked around animals for years, bites can still happen fast and without much warning. I had not been bitten in a very long time. I am extremely good at reading pet behavior. That’s part of my job. This dog gave me nothing.
This time it was a young teenage pit bull, already in his second home, who had gotten into marijuana. He was not acting normally, and while under the influence he gave no real indication that he was about to bite. I held onto his collar long enough for Ethan to get away, and in the process my wrist ended up with two slices and one deep puncture. My dive watch took most of it. Without it, this would have been a very different conversation. I was so lucky.
That kind of experience gets your attention in a hurry. I cleaned the wound, trimmed it, and started antibiotics immediately. Even doing that, a few days later, I missed an evening dose because I was tired and forgot. By the next morning, I was feverish and sick. That’s how fast these can turn.
People underestimate bites all the time. Especially the ones that don’t look bad. A puncture wound can be tiny on the surface and a mess underneath. Once infection gets started, it can spread faster than many people realize. Pain, swelling, redness, drainage, fever, and loss of motion are all signs that should not be ignored.
Dog bites can do a lot of damage because of the crushing force involved. They may tear skin, bruise tissue, and drive bacteria into deeper structures. Cat bites are often even more dangerous from an infection standpoint. Their teeth are narrow and sharp, creating deep punctures that seal over quickly and trap bacteria inside. Those wounds may look minor to the eye while becoming major problems underneath.
Hand bites are especially concerning, whether they come from a dog or a cat. There is not much room in the hand for swelling, and the tendons and other important structures are close to the surface. Blood supply in some of those tissues is limited, which makes infection harder to clear and raises the risk of tendon sheath infection, stiffness, and long-term loss of function. A bite on the hand is never something to shrug off.
Here’s the part people miss. Prompt treatment matters. Good first aid includes washing the wound thoroughly and seeking medical attention when the bite is deep, involves the hand, face, or joint area, causes significant pain or swelling, or comes from an animal acting abnormally. Antibiotics are often needed, but they only work if they are started appropriately and taken as directed. Missing doses can matter. So can waiting too long to be seen.
Even with quick care, complications can still happen. I am still not sure whether I will have lingering tendon inflammation from this bite, and I hope I will not need surgery. But if surgery is recommended, I will do whatever is needed to protect my hand. That is the reality with bite wounds: sometimes the right response is not convenience, it is respect for how serious they can become.
The bigger problem is that animals that are frightened, painful, neurologically abnormal, intoxicated, or simply overwhelmed may not follow the usual body language people expect. A wagging tail, a familiar pet, or a moment that seems under control does not guarantee safety. When an animal is not acting normally, caution matters.
In short, do not minimize bites. Do not assume a small wound is a small problem. Be especially careful with cat bites and any bite to the hand. Clean the wound, get appropriate medical care, and follow treatment exactly. If swelling, fever, worsening pain, redness, or reduced movement develop, take it seriously. A little prevention and quick action can make the difference between a sore hand and a surgical one.
MJ Wixsom, DVM MS is a best-selling Amazon author who practices at Guardian Animal Medical Center in Kentucky. GuardianAnimal.com She has volunteered at Saipan Cares, learned to dive while in Saipan and is headed back sometime in the future.
