What Is the Treatment for a Mouse Bite?
The first thing that should be done to treat a mouse bite is cleaning the wound, according to FreeMD. After the wound is properly cleaned and bandaged, the bitten individual should make sure he is up to date on his tetanus shots and keep an eye on the wound for infection.
According to FreeMD, the wound should be cleaned by holding it under running water for 10 minutes and washing it with a mild soap. It is important to make sure that there is no dirt or any remaining debris in the wound. It should not be cleaned with scrubbing motions; instead, the wound is dabbed with hydrogen peroxide to clean and remove the clotted blood. An antibiotic ointment should then be applied to the bite, before applying bandage with gauze.
Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be taken to ease the pain of the bite. The wound should be closely monitored. If there is worsening redness and tenderness at the sight of the bite; worsening skin redness at any point on the body; red streaks coming from the wound or noticeably swollen lymph glands, a doctor should be consulted immediately.
A more possible, but uncommon infection from a mouse bite is a disease called “rat-bite fever.” Symptoms for this include rash, fever and arthritic symptoms. This disease is often misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis.
