If a licensed wildlife rehabilitator is bitten by a mammal, what should they do?

• A. Wash the wound with soap and water, report the bite to the local Health Department, and consult a physician about antibiotics or rabies treatment.
• B. Ignore the bite and continue work.
• C. Only report if the animal is suspected to have rabies.
• D. Self-prescribe antibiotics without medical advice.

Answer: (A)

When a mammal bites, treat it as potential rabies exposure and act quickly with wound care and medical guidance. First, thoroughly clean the wound with soap and running water for several minutes to reduce both viral and bacterial contamination. Then report the incident to the local public health department and to your supervising veterinarian or program administrator so the proper protocols can be followed. They will determine, based on the animal’s status and exposure risk, whether rabies post-exposure prophylaxis is needed and how the animal should be handled or tested. A physician should evaluate the bite to decide if antibiotics are warranted to prevent bacterial infection and to discuss rabies treatment if indicated. Rabies is preventable with timely action, so delaying care or handling it without medical guidance is not appropriate.