"After being scratched by a cat or dog, should I rush to the hospital for vaccination or treat the wound first?" This is the real confusion of many pet owners when facing unexpected accidents. Under the dual pressure of rabies prevention and control and wound infection prevention, the correct treatment order may directly affect the health outcome. Today, we will start with clinical norms to see how to operate more standardized.

Should you flush or get a vaccine first after being scratched?

The World Health Organization (WHO) clearly stated in the "Rabies Vaccine Position Paper" that wound treatment has a higher priority than vaccination. This is because bacteria carried by pets' claws (such as Pasteurella and Clostridium tetani) can invade tissues through wounds within 15 minutes, and the rabies virus is transmitted through saliva, so the risk of infection from scratches is low. Clinical data show that the infection rate of scratch wounds that are not cleaned in time can reach 30%, while standardized flushing can reduce the risk of infection to less than 2%. The correct operation is to immediately flush the wound with soapy water for 15 minutes to thoroughly remove animal saliva, dirt, and microorganisms.

How to handle wounds at home more standardizedly?

Many people have misunderstandings when handling wounds at home: using alcohol for direct disinfection, applying toothpaste or herbs, and bandaging tightly with Band-Aids. These operations will aggravate the injury. According to the "Guidelines for Trauma Wound Care", the correct process should be as follows: After rinsing, gently wipe with povidone-iodine solution (concentration ≤1%) to avoid repeated wiping and causing secondary trauma; superficial scratches do not need to be bandaged, keeping dry is more conducive to healing; if the wound is deeper or located in areas prone to friction such as hands and feet, you can choose a hydrocolloid dressing with good breathability, which can both isolate bacteria and prevent the dressing from sticking to the wound.

What is the golden time for vaccination?

Although wound treatment takes priority, vaccination must strictly follow the "golden time". The vaccination window period for rabies vaccine is usually within 7 days after exposure, but the earlier post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is started, the better the blocking effect. For pets that have not been vaccinated, or when the wound shows obvious signs of infection such as redness, swelling, and exudation, the first dose of vaccine must be completed within 24 hours, and rabies immunoglobulin must be injected simultaneously. It is worth noting that vaccination cannot replace wound treatment. The two are complementary rather than substitute relationships.

How to determine the risk level of a wound?

Not all scratches require "full treatment." According to the "Rabies Exposure Prevention and Treatment Work Specifications," wound risk needs to be assessed in three levels: Level 1 exposure (intact skin) only requires cleaning; Level 2 exposure (minor skin breaks) requires vaccination; Level 3 exposure (deep puncture wounds or head and facial wounds) requires vaccination + immunoglobulin. The health status of the pet is also a key reference: If the pet has been vaccinated with rabies vaccines and has no abnormal behavior, the "10-day observation method" can be adopted (observe whether the pet survives within 10 days to rule out the possibility of infection).

What are the fatal misunderstandings in in-home care?

In clinical practice, there are common cases of serious consequences due to incorrect treatment: some people use red and purple medicine to apply wounds to cover up signs of infection; some people use bandages to over-bandage, creating an anaerobic environment that causes tetanus; even worse, some people use "home remedies" to apply herbal medicine, resulting in chemical burns. The correct approach is to avoid using irritating disinfectants, do not apply medicines at will, do not bandage too tightly, and seek medical attention within 24 hours to assess whether tetanus vaccines or antibiotics are needed for prevention.

In the emergency treatment of pet scratches, wound care is the "immediate defense war," and vaccination is the "long-term defense war". Both are indispensable, but the order cannot be reversed. Remember: 15 minutes of standardized flushing is more important than rushing to the hospital 1 hour later, and the "time difference" of vaccination may be compensated by the "poor quality" of wound treatment. Only a scientific response can minimize the risk. For more information on Innomed®Hydrocolloid Dressing, refer to the Previous Articles. If you have customized needs, you are welcome to contact us; You Wholeheartedly. At longterm medical, we transform this data by Innovating and Developing Products that Make Life easier for those who need loving care.

Editor: kiki Jia