Serious animal and human bites can get infected if they're not checked and treated quickly.
Always seek medical advice if you have been bitten by an animal or person and the bite has broken the skin. As although serious infections are rare it can occasionally spread into the blood (Sepsis)
Serious infections such as tetanus and rabies are extremely rare in the UK, but it's important to get serious bites looked at as treatment to prevent these infections may be recommended.
What to do if you have been bitten
If you have been bitten by an animal or another person:
- clean the wound immediately by running warm tap water over it for a couple of minutes – it's a good idea to do this even if the skin does not appear to be broken
- remove any objects from the bite, such as teeth, hair or dirt
- encourage the wound to bleed slightly by gently squeezing it, unless it's already bleeding freely
- if the wound is bleeding heavily, put a clean pad or sterile dressing over it and apply pressure
- dry the wound and cover it with a clean dressing or plaster
- take painkillers if you're in pain, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen – children under 16 years old should not take aspirin
- seek medical advice, unless the wound is very minor
If the bite has severed a body part like a finger or ear, wash it with tap water, wrap it in clean tissue, and store it in a plastic bag surrounded by ice so it can be transported to hospital.
It may be possible to surgically reattach the body part later on.
For more information please visit: www.nhs.uk/conditions/insect-bites-and-stings