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What to do if…
an unfamiliar animal bites you and the skin is broken

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Move away from the animal, wash the bite with soap and warm water, cover it with a clean dressing, and get same-day medical advice because bites that break the skin can become infected.

Do not do these things

  • Do not ignore a bite that has broken the skin, especially on the hand, foot, face, head, or near a joint.
  • Do not try to close the wound yourself with glue, closure strips, or tape.
  • Do not put thick creams, butter, oils, or powders into the wound.
  • Do not scrub hard into puncture holes or dig around in the wound.
  • Do not try to catch, corner, or follow the animal if that could put you at risk of another bite.
  • Do not take leftover antibiotics.

What to do now

  1. Get to a safe pause first. Move away from the animal and get somewhere you can wash the wound without rushing.
  2. Wash the bite.
    • Rinse it under running water.
    • Wash the wound and the skin around it with soap and warm water.
    • If it is a puncture bite, wash around it carefully; do not push anything deep into the hole.
  3. Let it bleed slightly if it is not already bleeding. Gently squeeze the wound so it bleeds a little, then stop any ongoing bleeding with firm pressure using a clean cloth or dressing.
  4. Cover it. Pat the area dry and cover it with a clean, non-stick dressing or a clean cloth.
  5. Go to A&E or call 999 now if any of these apply:
    • the wound is large or deep
    • you cannot stop the bleeding
    • part of a finger, ear, or other body part has been torn off
    • you feel faint, very unwell, confused, or rapidly worse
    • you cannot safely get to A&E without an ambulance
  6. Get urgent medical advice today if any of these apply:
    • the bite is on your hand, foot, face, or head
    • the bite is near a joint, tendon, or fingernail
    • you think teeth, hair, dirt, or another object may be in the wound
    • the bite is becoming hot, swollen, red, darker than nearby skin, more painful, leaking fluid, or smells unpleasant
    • you feel hot, cold, shivery, feverish, numb, or unable to move the bitten area normally
    • you are not sure whether your tetanus protection is up to date, especially if the wound is dirty
    • the animal was wild, stray, unwell, unusually aggressive, or could not be identified
  7. Use the right urgent route. Use NHS 111 where available, or your local urgent medical route if 111 is not available. Use 999 for emergency help.
  8. If the bite happened abroad, or involved a bat, say this clearly. Animal bites or scratches abroad, and bat bites or scratches in the UK, need prompt rabies risk assessment.
  9. Write down the details without taking risks.
    • the time, date, and place it happened
    • what animal it was, as best you can tell
    • whether the animal seemed unwell or unusually aggressive
    • whether the bite happened in the UK or abroad
    • any owner details and vaccination information, only if it is safe to ask
  10. Keep the bitten area still and raised if it is swelling. This is especially important for hand or finger bites until you have been assessed.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide right now whether to formally report the incident.
  • You do not need to prove exactly what animal it was; give the best description you can.
  • You do not need to repeatedly change the dressing unless it becomes wet, dirty, or loose.
  • You do not need to decide about antibiotics, tetanus, or rabies treatment yourself; a clinician can assess that.

Important reassurance

It is normal to feel shaken, disgusted, or jumpy after a bite. The useful first steps are simple: get safe, wash the wound well, cover it, and get medical advice the same day.

Scope note

These are first steps for the hours after an unfamiliar animal bite. A clinician may need to assess infection risk, wound depth, tendon or nerve injury, tetanus protection, and rabies risk.

Important note

This is general information, not medical diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. Use emergency services if the situation feels immediately dangerous or you are rapidly getting worse.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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