My dog fought a raccoon, swollen cheek. Rabies shot recent. Vet closed, what now?

Poor Oddie! I’d definitely recommend getting him in to the vet. My main concern is for infection of those bite wounds- he’ll almost assuredly get some antibiotics (unless the wounds are much more shallow than I’m thinking). Your vet will also know more about local laws concerning reporting suspicious/rabid animals (if that is even a concern in your area). On that note, the Rabies vaccine is extremely effective so I have no concern for Oddie about that. If you can take him to an ER clinic tonight, that would be great. But if Oddie seems comfortable, it can probably wait until tomorrow. In that case, do flush the wounds with diluted iodine if you have it, warm soapy water (followed by plain warm water) if you don’t have it. If you have (or can get) an E-collar for Oddie, I’d put that on to prevent licking. If the collar is on, you may also put a triple antibiotic ointment (eg Neosporin) on the wounds until you can get to the vet tomorrow. Do not use if he can lick it off. This will not work long term but is a decent stop-gap until tomorrow. I do NOT recommend bandages or oral medication of any kind. Instead, leave the wounds open and use ice for pain and swelling control. Icing each spot for 5-10 mins every 4-8 hours will go a long way for both pain and swelling. Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Oddie!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Bingley. Oh no, poor boy. No he may not need to be euthanized, but he needs to see a vet immediately to get a rabies vaccine and be quarantined for the next 10-14 days. Please take him into a vet immediately. Best of luck.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like the bite wound has become infected. Bite wounds typically require the attention of a veterinarian. If the wound is deep enough, it may require stitches and prescription antibiotics if it is infected. Depending on your local animal control and rabies laws, your puppy may need a rabies vaccine now and then a booster in 6 months. I would be sure to have Puppy seen by a veterinarian right away so he can have this wound evaluated.

If he gets in contact with such wild animals, yes,it is definitively best to have him vaccinated. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Teddy is current on his rabies vaccine, there is almost no concern in that department. If he is not up to date, you’ll need to call your vet because state laws vary on what has to happen next. I would warn first, that it may become infected and he may need an antibiotic so watch for swelling, redness, oozing, or excessive pain at the site. That being said, if that doesn’t seem to be happening yet, that’s a great sign. Next, I would recommend cleaning the wound as thoroughly as you can with dilute betadine or hydrogen peroxide. Then he needs an E-collar ASAP (most pet stores carry them) to prevent the licking so he doesn’t get it infected and lets it heal. If he cannot get to it, feel free to apply a triple antibiotic ointment like Neosporin. Repeat the cleaning and the Neosporin once daily until healed. If at any time the wound looks weird to you or Teddy is acting differently (lethargic, not eating, etc) take him to the vet right away. Side note: if he doesn’t already get regular flea/tick treatment, I’d get some because raccoons can carry fleas. Best wishes to you and Teddy!

The good news is she is current on her Rabies vaccine if it was administered 3 months ago. It would be recommended to have her evaluated, though, to ensure no additional treatment needs to be provided for any bite wounds that are present. Raccoons can also carry Canine Distemper Virus so make sure she is current on that vaccine as well.

Hello. Many bite wounds can lie quiet for a couple of days until an infection sets in. Then, things seem to get worse in a short period of time. Once your vet gets the area cleaned up & antibiotics are started, Alfie should heal very quickly. In the meantime, you can try applying warm compresses to the swollen cheek. The water should be quite warm & if you can do this for 5-10 minutes a couple of times a day until his appointment, this will be helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.