There are different types of bite. They can be classified by the species involved, the severity of the injuries or their after-effects.

Bites always call for proper wound disinfection, repeated several times. It is also often necessary to treat ‘the bitten party’ with antibiotics, preferably within the 24 hours that follow the bite.

The wounds are rarely stitched fully closed, as the risk of infection is too great; where closure is needed, a partial one with the help of a drain is preferred.

Dogs

  • Most bites happen within the same species. Dogs bite one another in fights, mainly driven by rivalry between the protagonists, each keen to assert its superiority over the other. Bites of this kind are usually not serious.
  • A dog may also bite out of fear — in that case usually people, with a marked preference for its vet (!) — or bite to assert its territory against intruders.
  • Some dogs inflict serious injuries when their hunting instinct is intact and drives them to chase prey. That is why you should never run away from a dog that intimidates you!
  • Dog bites vary in severity: they do not always require a course of antibiotics, but at the other extreme they can call for extensive stitching.

Prevention rests on educating both dogs and people. Courses are offered to children on the theme ‘how to behave with a dog you know — or one you do not’. More information from the bite-accident prevention association:
www.pam-lausanne.ch

A range of very well documented leaflets can be ordered free of charge from the FSVO (Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office):
www.blv.admin.ch

A reputable breeder also remains a good guarantee of adopting a puppy that is healthy and psychologically well balanced.

Cats

Cats bite in three situations:

  • Fights between cats. Abscesses are common after these bites from small, sharp teeth that go deep — teeth often coated in tartar and home to countless germs!
  • Biting a human — by preference whoever is bothering the cat, its owner or the vet. These bites should always be shown to a doctor quickly, as the risk of an infection spreading up the limb is high.
  • Hunting prey.

Rodents and rabbits

This group mainly bites its own kind. Their skin is relatively thin and fragile, and the resulting skin tears can be dramatic. Owners do not always realise what is going on inside a cage, and a wound that seems trivial at first suddenly becomes all too obvious — and often very extensive.

When they bite humans, their small, long teeth can likewise sink in deeply and cause infections.

Reptiles

Depending on the reptile, a bite can be dramatic. Venomous reptiles must be strictly reserved for professionals or truly outstanding experts.

Bites between non-venomous reptiles — between male bearded dragons, for example — can end tragically, because the usual criteria for judging infection do not apply to reptiles. Every wound must be treated promptly, to avoid severe and insidious complications such as gangrene.

Some reptiles only rarely cause injuries by biting, but rather with their claws or their tail. These wounds too can be extremely painful and contaminated.

Birds

A bird’s beak can hurt, but as a rule a nip is always down to an error on the handler’s part, or to a bird under intense stress. Other parts of the body are also painful instruments to be on the receiving end of, such as the talons.

Ferrets

Never bite… In truth they bite in play, to catch their owner’s attention, so these remain nips; few bite out of genuine aggression. Only unsocialised animals bite hard. Among themselves, ferrets bite but inflict few injuries, their skin being too thick to suffer more than a small scab.