How is Animal Bite Diagnosed and Treated?
Most people love animals. Some purchase pets, while others try to domesticate wild animals. However, these animals pose some dangers to individuals. There have been instances where people have been bitten by wild animals when hiking or camping. Besides, others have been bitten by the neighbors’ dogs or their dogs or cats when accidentally playing a friendly game of catch. If this bite is not treated, the individual may suffer from diseases such as rabies. Currently, most people are seeking treatment due to Spring animal bites. This is how the animal bite is diagnosed and treated.
Inspection
The first step of the process is inspection. In this stage, the specialist thoroughly examines the wound for debris. To reduce the pain during the examination stage, the specialist usually treats the wound with a numbing agent before starting the examination process.
X-Rays
Since some animal bites can be dangerous, the doctor can request X-rays. It is important to check the extent of bone fractures for the specialist to know which method they could use. They also use it to check whether there is debris in the wound which could not have been seen during the inspection. For example, the specialist can easily overlook foreign materials such as grass and dirt.
Irrigation
The doctor then carries out an irrigation process. The main aim of this process is to ensure that the wound is entirely clean. The healthcare specialist also uses it to prevent infections. Even though irrigation may fail to prevent all the infections in some instances, it reduces the risk of suffering from these infections. A local anesthetic can be used to reduce the pain experienced during the process.
Debridement
In some instances, the animal bites can lead to a skin tear which can be irreparable. In case of this circumstance, the specialist should carry out debridement. This process would help to remove the infected or dead skin and the irreparable tissues. Since the debridement process is painful, most specialists use anesthetics during this process.
Closure
In most instances, the puncture wounds are not usually closed with stitches. However, other wounds are supposed to be stitched or sutured immediately after the bite to reduce the risk of suffering more infections, worsening the condition.
Wound care
Regardless of the treatment process, how the patient would care for the wound would determine how they would recover. The doctor usually recommends varying methods of caring for the wound according to the injury the patient has sustained. For instance, saturated wounds must be kept dry and clean. However, if your wound is not sutured, you would require daily soaking or other treatments. Besides, antibiotics can be described for the elderly and people with health conditions such as diabetes to reduce infections.
Have you suffered an animal bite that has left a wound, and you are worried about suffering from infections and disease? You should not worry because Houston Medical ER is here to serve you. The facility has a team of eligible physicians and certified nurses who have carried out successful treatments in the past. They diagnose your condition and give personalized treatment according to the injury. Contact the facility and book an appointment to receive the best treatment.
Most people love animals. Some purchase pets, while others try to domesticate wild animals. However, these animals pose some dangers to individuals. There have been instances where people have been bitten by wild animals when hiking or camping. Besides, others have been bitten by the neighbors’ dogs or their dogs or cats when accidentally playing a friendly game of catch. If this bite is not treated, the individual may suffer from diseases such as rabies. Currently, most people are seeking treatment due to Spring animal bites. This is how the animal bite is diagnosed and treated.
Inspection
The first step of the process is inspection. In this stage, the specialist thoroughly examines the wound for debris. To reduce the pain during the examination stage, the specialist usually treats the wound with a numbing agent before starting the examination process.
X-Rays
Since some animal bites can be dangerous, the doctor can request X-rays. It is important to check the extent of bone fractures for the specialist to know which method they could use. They also use it to check whether there is debris in the wound which could not have been seen during the inspection. For example, the specialist can easily overlook foreign materials such as grass and dirt.
Irrigation
The doctor then carries out an irrigation process. The main aim of this process is to ensure that the wound is entirely clean. The healthcare specialist also uses it to prevent infections. Even though irrigation may fail to prevent all the infections in some instances, it reduces the risk of suffering from these infections. A local anesthetic can be used to reduce the pain experienced during the process.
Debridement
In some instances, the animal bites can lead to a skin tear which can be irreparable. In case of this circumstance, the specialist should carry out debridement. This process would help to remove the infected or dead skin and the irreparable tissues. Since the debridement process is painful, most specialists use anesthetics during this process.
Closure
In most instances, the puncture wounds are not usually closed with stitches. However, other wounds are supposed to be stitched or sutured immediately after the bite to reduce the risk of suffering more infections, worsening the condition.
Wound care
Regardless of the treatment process, how the patient would care for the wound would determine how they would recover. The doctor usually recommends varying methods of caring for the wound according to the injury the patient has sustained. For instance, saturated wounds must be kept dry and clean. However, if your wound is not sutured, you would require daily soaking or other treatments. Besides, antibiotics can be described for the elderly and people with health conditions such as diabetes to reduce infections.
Have you suffered an animal bite that has left a wound, and you are worried about suffering from infections and disease? You should not worry because Houston Medical ER is here to serve you. The facility has a team of eligible physicians and certified nurses who have carried out successful treatments in the past. They diagnose your condition and give personalized treatment according to the injury. Contact the facility and book an appointment to receive the best treatment.
