What Would Cause A Red Circle Arond A Dog Bite? Does That Mean Infection?

Posted on Mon, 26 Mar 2012

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

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 Answered on

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : WHAT WOULD CAUSE A HUGE RED CIRCLE AROUND A DOG BITE, DOES THAT MEAN INFECTION?

Answered by Dr. Rajinder Bajoria (2 hours later)

Hi,
Thanks for writing in.
The most common cause of redness around dog bite site is infection. You would need a course of antibiotics like amoxicillin-clavulanate and metronidazole or clindamycin to take care of this.
I would also suggest that you keep the wound dry and clean.
Further, I hope you have taken adequate measures to protect yourself against rabies. Please speak with your physician about the need for anti-rabies immunoglobulins and vaccines to protect you against rabies. You would also need a tetanus shot if the bite was less than 24-48 hours ago.
I hope I have addressed your concerns.
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Aparna Kohli