Dog and Animal Bites

A dog or animal bite can tear or puncture the skin and carry bacteria deep into the wound. Prompt dog bite treatment starts with washing the wound for several minutes. Many bites need to be seen to prevent infection.

What Is It

Dog bites are the most common animal bites, and children are bitten most often, usually on the face and hands. Cat bites are small but deep, and they become infected more often than dog bites. Bites from bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes carry a risk of rabies. Animal bites in Illinois are reported to local animal control.

Symptoms

Puncture wounds or torn skin
Bleeding
Bruising or swelling
Pain at the bite
Redness, warmth, or pus a day or two later, which means infection
Numbness or weakness past the bite

Not sure if a bite is infected? Redness, warmth, and swelling that spread after a day or two may be cellulitis. A deep or gaping bite may need closing, covered under cuts and lacerations.

Treatment

At your visit: A provider cleans the wound and checks for damage to nerves, tendons, and bone. Some bites are closed and others are left open to heal. Many bites need preventive antibiotics and a tetanus shot. Rabies risk is also assessed.

At home:

Wash the bite with soap and running water for 5 minutes
Press with a clean cloth to stop bleeding
Cover with a clean bandage
Find out the animal’s vaccine status, if you can

Most minor bites heal in 1 to 2 weeks. Watch closely for infection in the first few days.

When to Get Care for an Animal Bite

Watch at Home

A minor scratch that did not break the skin
A known, vaccinated pet, with no redness

Come to Urgent Care Today

Any bite that breaks the skin
Any cat bite
A bite on the hand, face, foot, or over a joint
Redness, swelling, or pus after a bite
Your tetanus shot is more than 5 years old
A bite from a stray or unknown animal

Go to the Emergency Department

Bleeding that will not stop with firm pressure
A deep wound, or bone or tendon showing
Unable to move or feel fingers or toes past the bite
A severe bite to the face or neck
Contact with a bat, even without a visible bite

FAQ

Does a dog bite need to be seen?

A dog bite should be seen if it breaks the skin, is on the hand, face, or a joint, or the dog is unknown. These bites have a higher risk of infection.

How do I know if a dog bite is infected?

An infected dog bite becomes more red, swollen, warm, and painful after 1 to 2 days, and may drain pus. Fever or red streaks need care right away.

Why are cat bites so dangerous?

Cat bites are dangerous because their sharp teeth push bacteria deep into the skin. More than a third of cat bites become infected without treatment.

Do I need a rabies shot after a dog bite?

Most pet dog bites do not need a rabies shot if the dog is vaccinated and can be watched for 10 days. Bites from stray or wild animals need a rabies risk check.

Can urgent care treat a dog bite?

Yes, urgent care can treat most dog and animal bites. At Vitality Urgent Care, a provider can clean the wound, assess rabies risk, and update your tetanus shot.

When is an animal bite an emergency?

An animal bite is an emergency when bleeding will not stop, the wound is deep, you cannot move or feel past the bite, or the face or neck is badly injured.

Last reviewed October 2026