Hi , I Had A Flee Bite From A Rat

Posted on Sat, 16 Mar 2019

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 16 Mar 2019 Answered on

Last reviewed on

Question : Hi , I had a flee bite from a rat ! What kind of antibiotic shall I take?

Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (18 minutes later)

I had rash on my arms and I took amoxicillin before which did not work! Thx

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (42 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
no antibiotics, unless local guidelines suggest you should

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

we usually don't prescribe antibiotics for most insect bites (tick-bites is an exception in some areas) but local guidelines may differ, so you should ask a local doctor. Antibiotics are - normally - indicated only when a secondary infection has occurred. Scratching helps bacteria to spread, therefore you should try to avoid it. Secondary infection may present with worsening of the local manifestations and may include symptoms like pain, purulent discharge, swelling and even fever.

I hope I've answered your question. Please let me know if you need further assistance.

Kind Regards,
Dr Panagiotis Zografakis

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar