To care for a minor animal bite or claw wound, such as one that only breaks the skin, take these steps:

• Wash the wound with soap and water.
• Apply an antibiotic cream or ointment and cover the bite with a clean bandage.

Seek prompt medical care if:

• The wound is a deep puncture or you're not sure how serious it is.
• The skin is badly torn, crushed or bleeding severely. First apply pressure with a bandage or clean cloth to stop the bleeding.
• You notice increasing swelling, skin color changes, pain or oozing. These are signs of infection.
• You aren’t sure whether the animal that bit you has rabies. Bats often carry rabies and can infect humans without leaving obvious signs of a bite. This is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people in contact with bats seek medical advice about rabies shots. This is a good idea even if they don't think they've been bitten.

If you haven't had a tetanus shot in the past five years and the wound is deep or dirty, your healthcare professional may recommend a booster. Get a booster shot within 48 hours of your injury.

If the wound was caused by a cat or a dog, try to confirm that its rabies vaccination is up to date. If it was caused by a wild animal, seek advice from your doctor about which animals are most likely to carry rabies.