What happens if a squirrel bites a cat

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First aid Animal bites: First aid. Products and services. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website.

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CDC is not responsible for Section compliance accessibility on other federal or private website. Cancel Continue. Consult public health officials. Most animal bites are from the family pet, but the following animals can bite too:. Your doctor should examine any animal bites. Immediate medical attention may not always be possible, but you should get the bite checked by your doctor as soon as possible.

The following symptoms may indicate infection or the presence of debris in your wound:. Animal bites can result when an animal is provoked. Provoked bites may occur if you try to remove food while a dog is eating. They can also happen if you tease your family pet.

However, in many cases animal bites are unprovoked. Unprovoked bites can occur in your backyard. Sometimes a raccoon or squirrel may attack for no obvious reason. If this occurs, the attacking animal is likely to be seriously ill. There may be a risk of getting:. The following types of bites pose the greatest risk of infection and should be promptly evaluated:.

Your doctor will assess your risk of infection, check for additional injuries, and attempt to minimize scarring. Examinations following an animal bite usually involve the following:. Wounds are thoroughly examined for debris.

Your wound may be treated with a numbing agent before your doctor examines it. Your doctor can order X-rays to check for bone fractures.

Certain types of foreign material such as dirt or grass are easy to overlook. Although you may be more worried about bites from wild and stray animals, any animal has the potential to bite. Many bites are actually caused by a person's own pet or an animal belonging to a friend or neighbour. Animals can act unpredictably and bites are not always provoked.

But an animal is more likely to bite if it's been disturbed, feels threatened or gets overexcited. They can also happen during contact sports, vigorous sex, domestic violence or sexual assault , and fits seizures.

Most animal bites are caused by dogs. The advice below may help reduce the chances of being bitten:.