Tazar Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Hi, So broke up a little scuffle today and managed to get a single fang puncture on my foot, not too deep but it bled. (Yes I know breaking up a scuffle using ones bare foot is not terribly intelligent...) My question is should I bother with a tetanus? It has been well over 15 years plus since I had one. TIA PS the dogs are all puncture free :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frufru Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 I had a single puncture from a dog fang and was recommended to get a booster - it hurt more than the bite LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bianca.a Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 I would as I believe you should have a tetanus jab every 10 years anyway. And yes when I had mine last, it hurt like hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Definitely. Sure beats the possible alternative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coogie Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 My OH recently got a single (but very deep and quite wide) puncture in his forearm breaking up a fight - he also had some shallower gouges and other breaks in the skin. Advice at the Medical Centre was exactly what Haredown Whippets said - better safe than sorry. They were reluctant to stitch as it was a bite - and they said it was safer to leave it open,they also packed it with antibiotics,it took a while to fully heal so I was glad he got the shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Its no longer an 'every 10 years thing' with the booster shot. Was on a heap of posters back when I had to go in for one after falling over a rock at a horse event (horses carry tetanus in manure so if around horses they say you should get tetanus up to date - same for any dogs around horses). St John and gp were adament break skin get tetanus jab just to be safe within a week of injury breaking skin. However the posters only said 'speak to your gp' in saying that 10 years is no longer the thing and how to find out what was correct. If anything puntures the skin daresay the answer would be as others have said better to be safe than sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayla1 Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Yes, my gp also recommended a tetanus booster as a precaution when I had a single puncture on my hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazar Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 Thanks heaps for the feedback, guess I am off to the Dr today (I hate needles) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 The chances of getting tetanus from a clean bite is probably rather low... but if you have the chance to prevent it, then I'd probably have the jab too... Funny how we don't tend to ask the same questions when one of our dogs has a bite wound though... I've seen a dog that had tetanus, and it's not pretty - the dog in question survived, but only because her owner was a vet and was onto the symptoms and got treatment pretty quickly, but it was a very long recovery and the dog is now blind (but the dog gets along just fine). T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Thing is the dog tetanus vaccination is two shots a month apart t start with and then its about every 4 or 5 years or something. Our younger dog has to have his first shots this year before he can go out to the horse events. I didn't realise there was one for dogs til the day our older dog cut her foot and it was hard to tell if it had been the day before at the horse event or at home and the vet mentioned that she should have it (that was about 11 years ago so its been available for a while). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Thanks heaps for the feedback, guess I am off to the Dr today (I hate needles) I hate needles as well, infact I'm totally phobic, but last time I had the tetanus jab the doctor explained that the serum now is a lot less viscous and it's just a tiny gauge. I didnt feel a thing. As HW said - better safe than sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everythings Shiny Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 I got my tetnus booster recently after cutting my hand open on a coke can (Long story short, the box of cans got broken prior to packaging them for sale, I opened the box, slipped my hand in to grab a can, first can was split fully open down the side). I'm scared of needles but this one was really good, the nurse who did mine at the surgery knows my history and has a fantastic bedside manner. She's the only one who can inject me now, and I never feel a thing! She gave me my Cervical Cancer injection, my Swine flu jab (which I had a really bad reaction too ) and now my tetnus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazar Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 All done, just a little prick, and my arm doesn't even hurt, things have certainly improved from the shots of old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Lab Love Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Tzar - just a heads up... I had a puncture on my shin from breaking up a dog fight... tetanus jab as over ten years plus antibiotics.. Had the misfortune to get another bite in my upper thigh 6 weeks later.... rushed at by an offlead dog with my fear aggressive Lab - needless to say i came off second best.. BUT because I had the tetanus jab earlier I didn't bother about going to the Dr and within the week I developed an infection which got really nasty...so off to the Dr for meds.... So just keep an eye on it and if it does get yucky looking make sure your Dr gives you strong enough antibiotics as it took a second visit to the Dr's and a stronger dose to stop the infection - took 4 weeks to heal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pebbles Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Years ago when we had the race horses the OH got a nasty gash on his arm. Doctor friend called in that day and insisted OH go in for a tetanus shot. So then he spends about 10 days in hospital as it turned out he was allergic to the tetanus serum. Family reckon it was the horses getting their own back :laugh: Scared me off so never had a tetanus shot, me chicken lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Up to date tetanus is a must for any puncture wounds or bites. To heal any puncture without it getting infected, bathe the injury once a day with something like Dettol, apply Ichthammol Ointment and cover if possible. My family have used this ointment on humans, dogs, cats and horses since before I was born and no one has ever needed antibiotics for a puncture wound, abcess or bite unless it was large enough to need stitching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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