In the summertime when the temperatures are good and hot, bugs seem to want to invade all the fun in the sun. Children are outside playing, especially in the evening time when temperatures are somewhat cooler, and so are the bugs. The bees are swarming to protect their hives and homes, ants, spiders are spinning their web and every other insect is flying about. When anyone gets too close, the insect will bite or sting.

There are many children and adults who are bitten or stung by an insect and can have an allergic reaction to it. If there is a bee sting or spider bite, the person who is allergic to the venom will begin to swell in that area. The more time goes by, the more severe this reaction can become. There will need to be immediate treatment in a situation like this. Allergic reactions are not so unusual for something like this, but the key is to protect, prevent and react quickly.

Watch Out For Those Insect Bites is a post from: First Aid Guide

What is a chigger and what is the treatment for a chigger bite? A chigger is a very tiny red parasitic larva of the harvest or scrub mite (also known as red mite) and is a threat to birds, reptiles, and a variety of mammals including humans. The nymph and adult form of the harvest mite are generally not a problem for humans. However, it is the larvae or chiggers that cause skin and health problems. A chigger is not an insect but rather an arachnid and therefore part of the spider family.

Chiggers are found in grassy fields, berry patches, along lakes, creeks, and streams, and in forests. Any damp area with a lot of vegetation is a prime area for a chigger. When a chigger hatches it tends to migrate to tall grass or other vegetation, which makes it easier to jump onto its victim. Early autumn and late summer is the most likely time for a chigger bite and the need for a treatment for chigger bite.

The chigger requires nutrients in order to proceed to the nymph stage. It does this by feeding on animals and humans. For humans, the chiggers attach themselves to a skin pore or hair follicle and inject a digestive enzyme into the skin that breaks down the skin cells. The skin reacts to this process by hardening the skin cells on all sides and as a result a hard tube like structure called a stylostome is formed. The stylostome is essentially like a feeding tube. The chiggers suck up the skin cell fluid through this tube. During the time that they are attached to the skin they continuously inject saliva to liquefy more tissue and subsequently continue to suck. This whole process leads to a variety of skin conditions and therefore a treatment for chigger bite is required.

After the chiggers are finished feeding, which may take from one to several days but commonly three to four days, they leave their hosts and develop into nymphs.

Chiggers enjoy moist and concealed areas and therefore are usually found attached to skin under wristwatches, socks, underwear, or any other tight clothing area. They tend to be found in the groin and armpit areas as well as around the waste, ankles, behind the knees, and anyplace that warm skin folds exist. A chigger bite is most likely to occur in areas where the skin is thin and any spot where the chigger may be impeded from moving further on the body.

Symptoms of a Chigger Bite

A treatment for chigger bite is often required to ease the symptoms that occur after a bite. Within a few hours after a chigger bite, extremely intense skin itching will be experienced. This is accompanied by the appearance of red bumps on the skin. As time goes on, more and larger bumps, hives, or welts become evident. The itching and other symptoms usually get worse and last a long time because the chigger is constantly injecting the saliva into the skin in order to feed and the skin reacts to this saliva.

Once the chigger is done feeding after a few days, it falls off. However, the feeding tube structure is left behind. The tube is characterized by a red welt with a white, hard central area, which may develop into dermatitis. What people usually notice in the center of the hive is the tube and not the body of the chigger.

The stylostome or feeding tube continues to irritate the skin even after the chigger has left. The skin continues to intensely itch and contain hives or welts. The longer the chigger was able to feed, the deeper the feeding tube and consequently the greater the severity of the symptoms. The symptoms caused by the stylostome can continue for two to three weeks. Scratching the dried cap off the top of the stylostome will result in some liquid oozing out and possible infection.

Chigger bites are often confused with chicken pox. However, location of the hives usually rules out chicken pox because chicken pox tend to occur all over the body. Chigger bites target more specific areas of the body.

In terms of diseases, chiggers in North America usually do not transmit diseases and a standard treatment for chigger bite is all that is required. However, in East Asia and the South Pacific regions, a chigger bite can lead to scrub typhus (also known as Japanese river disease, scrub disease, or tsutsugamushi). Symptoms of this disease include fever, headache, muscle pain, cough, and gastrointestinal problems.

Chigger Bite Prevention Tips

A treatment for chigger bite is not required if proper prevention steps are followed. Insect repellents such as those containing Deet should be used on the skin and on clothing. In particular, apply repellent to the ankles, wrists, neck, and waist areas. Sulphur is a proven repellent for chiggers, but may irritate the skin of some individuals.

Ensure you wear long pants, long sleeved shirts, socks, and shoes when in areas where chiggers may be present. Clothes should be made of tightly woven fabric and worn loosely.

Avoid areas with long grass or weeds and keep lawns mowed.

After being outside in areas where chiggers may be present, take a hot soapy shower immediately after returning in order to remove chiggers before they attach to the skin. Wash clothing in hot water in order to kill any lingering chiggers.

Treatment for Chigger Bite

The best possible treatment for chigger bite is to remove the chigger right away. This will lessen the severity and length of time that the symptoms will be experienced. Chiggers can be removed by taking a shower in warm soapy water. Even light rubbing of the skin with a towel or cloth is enough to remove the chiggers.

Itching, hives or welts, and skin redness can be relieved by following the usual treatments for these symptoms. Therefore, for a standard treatment for chigger bite, visit the mosquito bite treatment page. These treatments basically involve the use of hydrocortisone creams or antihistamines. There are also commercially available products as specific treatments for chigger bites.

Time is the best treatment for chigger bite. The feeding tube is what creates a lot of the symptoms and it cannot be removed. However, eventually the body breaks down the skin tissue that forms the tube and the healing begins. This process can take from 10 days to three weeks.

Because of the intense itching and scratching, skin infections can occur due to the skin becoming abraded. If signs of infection are present such as growing areas of redness, pain, inflamed and hot skin, appearance of puss, and fever, then a physician should be consulted immediately. Therefore, using an effective treatment for chigger bite is very important.

Some people require a more complex treatment for chigger bite because they experience an allergic reaction to the bite. Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include trouble breathing, tightness in the throat or chest, feeling faint, dizziness, hives, and/or nausea and vomiting. In these cases, the treatment for chigger bite requires a visit to the emergency room or physician as soon as possible.

Treatment For Chigger Bites is a post from: First Aid Guide

What You Should Know
The brown recluse spider, sometimes called a “”fiddle back” spider, is light tan to dark brown in color and has a dark violin-shaped mark on its back. It is about the size of a quarter; walks on long, thin legs; and hides in dark, dry, warm places like a closet or woodpile. When it gets trapped under bed sheets or in your clothing, it can deliver a serious bite.
Signs/Symptoms
You’re likely to suffer itching, redness, rash, blister, pain, or swelling in the area of skin where you were bitten. You may also become nauseated; vomit; perspire; and develop a headache, chills, or fever.
Care
Unless the bite area gets worse or other symptoms arise, follow the directions below. You may also need medicine for an infection, pain, swelling, or itching.

What You Should Do

• Wash the skin where you were bitten with soap and water.
• Apply an ice pack or cool compress several times a day for 24 to 48 hours. To help reduce redness and swelling, keep the bite area raised above the level of your heart. DO NOT use heat.
• Soak the area daily in Burow’s solution (available in drug stores without a prescription).
• Do not scratch the bite area. Keep it clean and covered with an adhesive or sterile gauze bandage.

To avoid another spider bite:

• Remove wood piles and other rubbish from outside areas.
• Thoroughly clean closets, sheds, and attics.
• Wear gloves, shoes, and long sleeves and pants when doing such chores.
• Shake out clothing (especially old clothing) and shoes before putting them on.
• Look for spiders under the sheets before getting into bed.
• To frighten spiders away, make noise when entering attics or other spaces where they may be living.
• Chemical pest control may be necessary. However, it doesn’t always work.
• If you have been given a tetanus shot, your arm may get swollen, red, and warm to the touch at the site of the injection. This is a normal response to the medicine in the shot.

Call Your Doctor If…

• Your symptoms do not improve in a few hours.
• You have increasing pain to the bite area (even though it may not look worse).

Seek Care Immediately If…

• The bite area appears to be getting bigger (more than 1/4 inch) or growing deeper.
• You have a high temperature; chills; nausea; vomiting; muscle aches; weakness; extreme tiredness; seizures; or a measles-like or red, raised rash.
• You have blood in your urine or any other unusual bleeding.
• Your skin turns yellow.

Wood Spider Bites is a post from: First Aid Guide

Are you sick of seeing flea bites all over your body? Or are you afraid of becoming a target for fleas? If you want to avoid all of this you first have to know more about flea bites in general and flea bites on humans in particularly. Most fleas live off the majority of pets, but can also live off of us people.

People tend to have very dissimilar reactions to flea bites. Some are very predisposed to flea bites and if a flea bites them they can get dreadful allergic reaction to their fresh made flea bites. Other people – and you can call them the lucky ones – never experience the pain of flea bites. They just arent affected by the presence of fleas and are not a target for flea bites.

Most flea bites on humans take place on either the legs or the ankles, or even both. The most common human reaction to flea bites is the appearance of a red, hard, itching spot on the affected area. Sometimes, even bleeding occurs, and this mostly happens when you scratch the area where the flea bite took place.

Now that we have talked a little about flea bites on humans and pets let’s talk about what is of most importance to you and that is: how to treat flea bites on human? Don’t just go and see your family doctor right after you’ve experienced flea bites. You can also use these home remedies for the treatment of flea bites on human:

1. Wash the flea bites with soap r even antiseptic lotion and then use cold water and clean the region. Very important here: Do not use warm or hot water as this will surely stimulate itching.
2. After the first step you can reduce the swelling by applying a cold pack on the affected area.
3. It’s important that you keep off from scratching the inflamed area as it is known that flea bites on humans can lead to open wounds and secondary infections.
4. You could apply calamine lotion or 1% hydrocortisone cream on the region if it’s red and swollen, as these will reduce inflammation.
5. In special cases, where flea bites get very intense and the itchiness is almost unbarring, you can take an oral dose of Chlortrimeton. This is very effective in relieving itchiness form those pesky flea bites.

Treatment of flea bites on humans using these home remedies should make things better within a few days. In case the condition gets ugly and the affected area is still red and swollen, then you should see your family doctor at once.

Treatment of Flea Bites on Human is a post from: First Aid Guide

Ticked off by tick bites, well you should be. Tick-born illnesses are rampant in the United States, and are introduced to humans by way of tick bites. Though the actual processes involved in the transmission of tick viruses are not fully understood it is believed that tick bites transmit a saliva compound that aids in the digestive processes for the tick before its blood meal.

Lyme Disease is transmitted by deer tick bites and must be clinically diagnosed. It presents itself as a body rash and has three stages. The length of the disease is contingent upon how long the person has been infected. Young children will be treated with amoxicillin; everyone older than eight years of age will be treated with doxycycline.

Deer tick bites will also transmit a disease called Ehrlichiosis. Victims of this disease sometimes experience a rash over the upper body (trunk). But more frequently suffer from chills, shaking, headaches and fever. The treatment for Ehrlichiosis is doxycycline; chloramphenicol and rifampin

Rocky Mountain Spotted fever is transmitted by the Rocky Mountain wood and American Dog tick bites. This disease commonly affects young children and seniors. The disease manifests itself as a spotted rash, with associated symptoms of fever. The tick bites are prevalent from April to September. Patients are treated with doxycycline for a period of seven to ten days. The disease can become fatal if left untreated.

Tularemia also known as Rabbit Disease is transferred to humans by either tick bites or some sort of contact with sick rabbits. This disease is also a virus. Type A affects humans and animals alike in North America, while the Type B variety is more prevalent in Europe and Asia. The common symptoms are fever, headaches chills and muscle pain. Tick bites will become ulcerated. There are also signs of enlarged lymph nodes. The disease can be fatal if left untreated.

Clinical diagnosis involves various tests; especially an antibody test. The medication most often prescribed is streptomycine, while doxycycline is also used. Currently research is being done in the USA to create a vaccine.

Colorado Tick Fever is not a serious tick disorder. However patients afflicted by these tick bites will come down with flu-like symptoms as well. The symptoms of eye pain, muscle pain, chills, headaches, fever, vomiting and nausea last from three to five days. The treatment for this disease is to relieve the flu symptoms.

Relapsing Fever is a sneaky disease. There are bouts of fever that lasts about three days. At the time of the infection, there is also flu like symptoms: sweating, vomiting, chills, and headaches. They all go away. The afflicted individual appears to be well and then the fever and symptoms start over again. If left untreated after several outbreaks of this disease, the symptoms will develop into seizures, pneumonia, hepatitis, coma and even death. Once again doxycyline is used to treat this tick disease.

Tick Paralysis occurs when there is not only a tick bite but a part of the tick remains under the skin. If left untreated, the toxin injected from the bite may cause lung problems. The first aid step for this treatment is carefully removing the tick from the skin. The condition will clear up shortly after the tick has been removed.

Tick bites and their associated diseases are very serious and in many cases can lead to death. Prevention is always the best medicine. Ticks are known to inhabit woody and mountainous areas. Remember to use tick repellants and wear light colored protective clothing so that ticks can be seen on your cloths, but cannot penetrate the skin. If you have dogs or cats, or even pet rabbits have them treated with medication if you notice they have a tick infestation.

First Aid for Tick Removal

To remove a tick, you can use tweezers and grasp the tick but never squeeze. Be sure to grab hold of it as close to the skin as possible and gently and slowing pull it out. You can remove ticks by placing scotch or duct tape over the tick and pulling it off. You can also use tick shampoo. Check for any visual signs of the tick remaining in the wound. You may need to use a magnifying glass to see them. If the head is still in the wound, you must see a doctor immediately. Wash around the tick bite with soap and water. If you notice any flu like symptoms after tick removal contact your doctor without fail.

Ticked Off By Tick Bites? is a post from: First Aid Guide

Sharks have lived among on this earth for over 300 million years. Since the fascination with the movie Jaws starring Richard Dreyfuss in 1975, many people are leery of beaches thinking they may be infringing upon shark infested waters. The truth of the matter is that there are less than a hundred reported shark attacks each year with just a handful of people dying from it. Shark bites are just not very common.

Of the many species of shark, (roughly 400 or so) less than 35 species are known for attacking humans. The sharks in question are usually over six feet in length and the most dangerous species are the great white shark and the tiger shark. Most sharks even the largest ones, normally eat sea creatures, plankton, sea lions, sea birds, sea turtles, other mammals, fish, and invertebrates but not humans.

The shark is an incredible predator, with well developed sense of sight and smell. They also have an organ common to certain species of fish that is sensitive to electrical currents in and around the water. These organs are called ampullae of Lorenzini and they no doubt will be able to pick up on the motion of a human swimming or bobbing in the water.

There are three styles of shark bites

The most common style occurs when the shark will take one big bite but leaves the victim alone after that. Shark experts believe that the attacking shark has mistaken the human for its normal food supply.

Another form of attack is when the shark bumps the swimmer then returns for more shark bites.

Shark bites can also occur without warning, with the shark sneaking up on the victim and then returning later on for more shark bites.

Both bump and bite and sneak attacks are the most severe and fatal forms of attacks for humans.

A bump from a shark can result in scratches. The shark skin has the texture of sandpaper containing tooth like structures called denticles. The mighty jaws of a shark contain several rows of serrated teeth which shed and are replaced constantly. Shark bites are either a series of parallel scrapings (cuts) against the skin or a single crescent shaped bite. It goes without saying that a bite from a shark can cause massive tissue damage, or total severance of a limb. It can also be relatively mild in comparison with very little bleeding or nerve damage depending on the species involved. There may be broken bones, and fragments of shark teeth left in the wounds.

Prevention

Do not swim in shark infested waters; they like the point where the water goes from shallow to a deep plunge.

Do not go swimming while menstruating, sharks are attracted by blood

Do not wear shiny jewelry or bright and shiny clothing to attract their attention

Splashing all about may get their attention and they may consider you their natural food source.

Do not swim alone, or a dusk, dawn and nighttime. Sharks generally do not attack a group of swimmers.

Do not fish or spear fish in shark infested waters

First Aid Care for Shark Bites

Keep the victim calm

Apply direct pressure on the wound if there is any bleeding

Wash minor cuts with soap and water

Bandage the cuts

Make sure the victim is warm after coming out of the water

Transport the victim to the nearest hospital or medical center

At the hospital center the doctors may do any of these things:

Clean wounds

Apply pressure to stop bleeding

Prescribe antibiotics

Administer IVs

Take Xrays

Perform Surgery (if necessary to remove dead tissue)

Suture wounds

Administer a tetanus shot (if the victim has not had one in the previous five years

After initial visit to the doctor

Continue to inspect the wound and notify your doctor immediately if infection sets in or worsens (seepage of reddish brown fluid, blisters around the cut, pain, red streaks around the cut, swelling and fever)

Watch Out For Shark Bites Swim Safely is a post from: First Aid Guide

Strangely enough fire ants are a member of the wasp and bee family. Their scientific name is hymenoptera. They are vicious and will attack anyone or anything they feel is a threat to their colony. .

South American Bullet ants have the most painful of all ant bites and insects in general. These ant bites are not considered life threatening.

Jack Jumper ant bites of Australia have the potential to kill their prey, humans included.

There are two types of fire ants, which are harmful packing a burning fire -like sting

Red Imported Red Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta) is the most aggressive of the two varieties. These ants have a venom pouch containing piperidine alkaloids. The sting from these ant bites are painful, and produce white fluid filled bumps on the skin.

Southern Fire Ants (Solenopsis xyloni) The sting from these ant bites this are not as painful but still causes the same itchiness and blisters.

Ants are used in many parts of the world to control other insect populations. But the carpenter ant, pharaoh ant, and argentine ants, are under government order to be controlled or completely eradicated as the case may be.

Some home remedies for controlling ants and ant bites

The first thing is to ant proof your home, seal up all cracks and crevices and areas where they can get into your home.

You will also want to keep your lawns and shrubbery moved or trimmed.

Ants dislike mint and will stay away from it, therefore plant mint all around the outside of your home.

Treat your window and doorsteps with citronella, peppermint, cinnamon, citrus, or lavender solutions of one teaspoon to one quart of water.

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a non toxic powder that can be spread on window ledges etc to keep out the nasty pests. This product destroys the exoskeleton. Nevertheless, still wear a mask when using this product so to prevent respiratory problems.

You can pour boiling water on the ant hill but this method is risky, the ants will come after you in droves and attack viciously, still you may not get the queen and the colony will persist. This means the risk of ant bites could persist.

How to Combat Ant Bites is a post from: First Aid Guide

For anyone living or vacationing in bear country it is important to know how to stay safe and to treat bear bites, mauling and wounds.

Bears have great sense of smell, sight, and hearing, they are good runners and great swimmers. No doubt they can outrun a human when in pursuit.

The bear is a beautiful, intelligent, and curious creature. It is also highly predictable. With some education and a little common sense humans can avoid most bear bites and mauling. However, bears usually attack when they feel threatened; scared by humans, have their space infringed upon, are injured, or their food or cubs are in jeopardy.

However, if any one has seen pictures of the gross bites sustained by bears, its goes without saying these bears can be dangerous creatures. While looking at different kinds of bites and how disgusting they actually look, few bites and wounds can are more terrible than sustained from the attack of a bear. These gross bites can disfigure a person for life. Some people who have been lucky enough to survive a bear attack have had to have extensive plastic surgery. Bear bites can rip away the skin tearing cartilage and muscle, requiring several operations and years of therapy. The psychological aspect of the disfigurement especially if it is facial, not only is relative to the gross bites, but also to the feeling that the victim gets knowing that people are looking on and thinking how gross looking he or she has become.

When thinking about bear attacks we all tend to think about bear mauling, the scratching, biting, and squeezing and pulling limbs apart. The mental pictures we have are of gross bites so deep and painful that they leave permanent scars.

Not all bear bites are gross bites. People may not sustain life threatening injuries and escape from bear attacks. Some people have been known to receive only minor cuts and bruising.

Some dos and don’ts when traveling in bear country

Do not corner or provoke a bear
Never approach a bear especially if she has her cubs with her
Do not disturb a feeding animal, or disrupt it when it is mating
Do not leave any food or garbage around campsites which will attract hungry bears
Do not leave food in your tent and
Make sure your cooking quarters are far enough away from your sleeping tents
Cover all food in airtight containers to prevent the seepage of food odor that will attract the bears
Do not bury discarded food and trash; bears can dig it up
Bring leftovers and garbage back home with you for disposal there
Hike and travel in groups, never alone
Make noise, yell, and scream along the hiking path, throw rocks to scare bears away
Carry a can of bear spray with you at all times, it can be effective if used at close proximity in case of an attack.
Never try to run from a bear, it can run faster than you
Protect your head and back of the neck from an attack by covering them with your hands or elbows
Curl up on the ground, face to the ground, to protect your abdomen
Remain on the ground and be very still until you are sure that the bear has left the area, victims have tried to get up too soon only to be mauled a second time

Treatment

It is always best to be seen by a doctor after sustaining injury from a bear, even if the cuts and bruises seem to be minor. If there is excessive bleeding:
Apply pressure to the area to stop the bleeding
Clean with soap and water if you are near enough to camp site to do it
And apply a bandage.
Call 911 and get to a hospital as fast as you can.

Doctors will assess the severity of the wounds and do any or all of the following:
Clean them up
Apply antibiotics
Suture cuts
Plastic surgery
Tetanus shot
Blood transfusions
Intravenous tube feeding
Or whatever is necessary

Bear bites can be rather serious. To prevent complications, it is always wise to apply the right first aid and then seek medical treatment.

Bear Bites Present The Need For Immediate Care is a post from: First Aid Guide

Bed bugs are known by several names: red bug, crimson ramblers, wall louse, mahogany flat and more. One upon a time the bed bug population in large cities had disappeared, or so we thought. Now they are back again. They live in mattresses all over the city in private homes, missions and shelters, big hotels where there is a bed there can be a bug.

Bedbugs are tiny broad and flat creatures which grow in size after a feeding. They are brown in color and do not have wings, but after a bed bug bites it will change to a reddish brown color showing up the blood that they have just feasted upon. Nymphs which are the stage of bed bug just before adulthood are a yellowish white color.

In the past insecticides such as DDT was commonly used to rid the infected bed from bed bugs, now this product is not as widely used. Another way in which the bed bug population is once again striving is by traveling on clothing and in suit cases. The people of today travel much more than they did in the past. They are leaving their neighborhoods, cities and even countries and taking these pests along for the ride. These little creatures multiply fast, they lay as much as 200 eggs over the course of their adult life. The eggs are hidden in woodwork and hatch in about a week. Bed bugs are remarkably strong creatures and have been known to live over a year without a blood meal.

Nevertheless bedbugs are pests. Bed bug bites are not usually detected immediately because the victim is fast asleep. Actually only one type of bedbug will feed on human blood, the others feed on animals. Bed bugs are attracted to the heat given off by the human body as they twist and turn while sleeping at night. Bed bugs inject saliva into their victim which causes a mild allergic reaction. The symptoms of bed bug bites include: swelling itchy welts and redness. They may also leave blood marks on bedding, and black and brown spots in the woodwork or on the mattresses and bedding. On occasion, people may have a more severe allergy to bed bug bites but that does not happen often. Bed bug bites are more irritating than harmful. In the case of severe anaphylaxis reactions; respiratory problems, heart palpitations, dizziness, vomiting, and joint and muscle weakness, consult a doctor immediately.

Bed bugs will hide everywhere and are very hard to get rid of without professional services of an exterminator.

However you can help by thoroughly washing all clothing and surfaces, vacuuming and disposing of the dirt bag, covering mattresses with a plastic covering, removing and any cloth under the box spring. If you are lucky enough to find them trapped in metal devices, you can coat their legs with a petroleum jelly and double sided carpet tape to stop them from moving. You can spray with chemical insecticides but be very cautious, the chemicals are caustic. Follow directions at all times.

Are Bed Bug Bites Keeping You From Having a Good Night Sleep? is a post from: First Aid Guide

Every year hospitals and emergency centers have an influx of people who suffer from animal bites from one source or another. These bites may be wild animals or house pets. The common carriers of rabies include raccoons, skunks, squirrels, rabbits, foxes, bats and domesticated animals that have not been inoculated.

Either way; wild or domestic, do not ignore animal bites, even if they seem quite harmless they can cause allergies and or infections.

The fact of the matter is domestic animals are responsible for most of the reported bites. Even though a dog is most likely attributed to biting, do not overlook the common house cat. Cats, especially kittens can transmit a bacterial disease known as Cat Scratch Disease when they bite or scratch. This infection normally clears up in about three weeks but will cause swollen glands around the afflicted area. There will be redness and sometimes pus seeping out of a blister or sore. The doctor you see for treatment may have to drain the fluid. He or she will prescribe an antibiotic. Though not usually very dangerous, Cat Scratch Disease can cause permanent retinitis (inflammation of the eye). A blood test will confirm the presence of Cat Scratch Disease.

General Information on all animal bites

Infections from bites can slowly creep up days after the wounds or immediately within hours depending upon the severity of the bites. Some common signs of infected bites to look out for are:

Redness

Red streaks around the bites

Tenderness

The infected area feels hot

Swelling of the glands at the site

Inflammation

Pus

Pain

For immediate first aid care of minor wounds where the skin is barely broken and you are sure the animal does not have rabies:

Wash and clean the wound with soap and water,

Apply an antibiotic agent,

Elevate the bites site above the heart to avoid infection and slow down swelling

Cover with a bandage.

But if there is heavy bleeding or the cut is deep; do not try to care for the wound on your own, bandage the wound to stop the bleeding and rush right to the emergency center of your local hospital to have the bite or bites attended to by a medical professional.

If you suspect that the animal may have rabies see your doctor immediately for a tetanus shot. Any animal that you don’t know can be considered suspect. Actually, health care specialists recommend that we all should be inoculated with the tetanus vaccine every ten years. If you have an animal bite and it was at least five years since your last inoculation your physician will recommend that you get a booster shot within 48 hours. Health care professionals will also recommend a booster shot for deep or very dirty cuts.

You will also need to see a doctor immediately after a bite if you have, diabetes, AIDS, lung disease, liver disease, cancer. or a compromised immune system.

Your doctor will also check for bone or tendon damage and the presence of infection. Depending upon the severity of the bites and the animal responsible for it, you may require sutures and even plastic surgery.

The Real Deal on Bites is a post from: First Aid Guide