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How Treat Rat Bites
   
Rats and other rodents have a nasty bite that can lead to a serious infection. Care should always be taken to contain any rodent after a bite to determine if the animal has rabies or another infection.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Respond quickly and watch victim for 10 days
Here's How:
1. Stay Safe. Don't approach a wild rat -- generally, they're more afraid of you than you are from them. If the rat is a pet and its owner is around, instruct him or her to secure the rat. Rats will bite or scratch if frightened or handled, so leave them alone.
2. If you are not the victim, practice universal precautions and wear personal protective equipment if available.
3. Control any bleeding by following the appropriate steps. Avoid using a tourniquet unless there is severe bleeding that cannot be controlled any other way.
4. Once the bleeding is controlled, clean the wound with soap and warm water. Clean inside the wound, being sure to rinse away all the soap, or it will cause irritation later.
5. Cover the wound with a clean, dry dressing. You can put antibiotic ointment on the wound before covering. Rat bites often lead to infection. If the injury is on a finger, remove all rings from the injured finger before it swells. Watch for these signs of infection:
* Redness
* Swelling
* Heat
* Weeping pus
6. Always consult your doctor. The wound may need stitches. Since they are often deep, rat bites are of particular concern for infection.
7. Wounds on the face or hands should always be evaluated by a physician because of the likelihood of scarring and loss of function.
8. Any wild rat runs the risk of carrying rabies. If the rat is not a pet or the owner cannot show proof of rabies vaccination, the victim must seek medical attention. Rabies is always fatal to humans if not treated.
9. Rat bites may be contaminated with Streptobacillus moniliformis or Spirillum minus. S. moniliformis is most common in the US. These infections may lead to Rat Bite Fever. Symptoms of Rat Bite Fever may appear as much as 10 days after the bite, and are likely to happen after the wound itself is already healed. Watch for:
* Fever
* Headache
* Vomiting
* Pain in the back and joints.
2 to 4 days after the onset of fever, a rash may occur on the hands and feet, and one or more large joints may become swollen, red, and painful.
If the victim exhibits any of these symptoms, see a doctor immediately.
Tips:
1.
Reference:
"Rat-Bite Fever." 25 Oct 2005. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC. 12 May 2007.
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