What to Do in the Case of Rat Bites

What to Do in the Case of Rat Bites

Any animal who is threatened will automatically react and fight back. Therefore, it is very common for rats to a bit, fight and even chase after you when you offend them. We all know that most rat activities are carried out at night when everyone else is asleep and any sort of interference will get make the startled and very aggressive. Sometimes they will also just bite you when you are asleep without necessarily being provoked. Most victims of these bites are children, homeless people or those confined in beds. This happens when you fall asleep while sleeping and leaving the food residues all over the bed. The body parts they are likely to bite are the exposed parts like hands, toes or even fingers. 

Is there any possibility of infection and a disease? 

Fortunately, the infection rates are very low when bitten by rats but that doesn’t mean that they should bite people around because we have other exceptions. A quality treatment, in this case, is to wash the wound clean and keep it dry. There are very rare cases, however, when infection and diseases may be transmitted to the individuals. For example;

  • Rat fox may be to an individual from a rat who is infected. 
  • Hantavirus and Leptospirosis are some of the diseases that may be transmitted to an individual when bitten by a rat. They are contained in the saliva of some infected species. 
  • Finally, we all know that rodent bites can increase the human chance of contracting tetanus. 

It is very important to be cautious and that is why rat bites should be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly. Medical attention should also be sort of cases of tetanus injection. Remember that rodents, rats are also known as rabies transmitters. 

What to do when bitten by a rat

  1. Ensure that the bleeding is controlled. For cases of severe bleeding, use a tourniquet. 
  2. Once the bleeding has stopped, ensure that the washed thoroughly with soap and warm water. Ensure that all the soap is rinsed away because it will cause irritation later on. 
  3. Using a clean and dry dressing, bind the wound softly. It is also allowed to use any disinfectant before covering up the wound for treatment.
  4. It is also very possible for the spot to swell. If the bite is on the finger, then all tight jewels must be removed at once. Watch for all the infection signs. 

A professional assessment will be required here, and therefore, it is important that you consult your doctor for a further medical checkup, for instance, stitches may be required depending on the size of the wound. 

CONCLUSION

Do not forget that rats are loaded with large teeth and when threatened, they can administer painful bites. The bites may be shallow or deep, some naturally display multiple abrasions while others just single puncture wounds. Often, bleeding occurs and infection is rare. But you can never rule out seeking medical attention because there are exceptions. Always remember that prevention is better than cure.    


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