Animal and human bites
Overview
Most animal and human bites are not serious, but you may need to get medical help if the bite is severe or there are signs of infection.
Treatment
If you've been bitten by an animal or person, a doctor or nurse will check the wound. They may: clean the bite thoroughly – if the wound is very dirty, some of the affected area may need to be removed to reduce the risk of infectionclose the wound with stitches, sticky strips or special glue, or leave it open to healgive youantibioticsto stop the wound becoming infectedcheck your risk of gettingtetanusandrabies– you'll be given treatment to prevent these serious infections if needed If you've been bitten by a person, you may also be offered a blood test to check forhepatitis B,hepatitis CandHIV.