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My dog was near a knife. Is tetanus a risk if there's no wound?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | 1 year and 8 months old | 51 lbs

Casper was near a vegetable cutting LARGE KNIFE And Board. It's a primitive machine. It's completely black in colour but its not rusted. I don't know if Casper got cut by it. His face was near it and he moved. He acted normal after then and did not show any discomfort or pain. I don't see a wound or blood . Is it possible that he may get tetanus. I have attached pictures of the cutting board.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 4th, 2018

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If you do not see any evidence of a wound, it is not likely that we was injured by the cutting board. While tetanus is commonly associated with rusty objects, it is not rust objects that harbor the tetanus bacteria. Rusty objects can often be found in dirt and in areas that tend to harbor bacteria, which is why it is commonly said rusty objects cause tetanus. Just because it is rusty does not mean it will cause tetanus. If Casper was not wounded, I would not be too worried about the risk of him getting tetanus. Even if he was injured by the cutting board I would not be too concerned. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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