Well my dogs got into a fight and I was stupid enough to try and break them up. Well I got a bite on the finger that broke skin. Last night it hurt like crazy and this morning my whole finger was swollen. The bite is at the tip of the finger. The OB nurse said i'm at risk for a staph infection no rabies though cause dogs had their shots *thankfully* I'm kind of scared to goto the Hospital for it because my parents told me the dog would be put to sleep. Can an infection in the finger harm an unborn child? I know it has to be infected cause pus was leaking out of it cause it was so swollen. The father talked me out of going to the ER and i'd rather not take a trip to the ER over a small dog bite. Any ideas on the infection?
I have no idea regarding the infection but it sounds to me like these dogs may be hazardous to your baby when it is born. You might want to give them up. Imagine if they are fighting and your baby crawls over to them (being that children are generally nosy) Your baby could get seriously injured..
Well the dog shouldn't be put to sleep! Its your dog, and its up to date on shot and you where breaking up a fight between it and another dog, its not like it attacked you. If you are worried don't tell them who's dog bite you, but that it had had its shots. Its not really their business, they just need to treat the bite.
I would do what the Dr/nurse says, I would hate to take a chance. The only way I would think it could be a problem would be if the infection somehow got into your blood stream and then some how caused problems for you or the baby. If its infected I would think it needs cleaned out well (usually best if done as close to time of injury as possible) and you will need antibotics.
__________________
Teresa,
Kaleb 6/23/04 aftr TTC 4yrs
Miscarried 12/31/04 @ 6wk 5 days
It's a GIRL EDD Jan 12, 2006
Absolutely GO to the hospital!!!!! Pregnancy immune system isn't great. My son bit me while I was 35 weeks PG and I developed an infection in my thumb and forefinger. I put it off til my next appointment because I thought it was too minor to go to the ER for. The pain was really bad by this time. There, they gave me some mild antibiotic for it, and after 4 days of this antibiotic and the infection only getting more painful and deeper, I went to the hospital and told them to take me seriously. At this point the pain had spread from my fingertips to the center of my palm, my bottom thumb joint, and down into my wrist. I couldn't even grasp anything and couldn't sleep because of the pain. My lymph nodes under my arm were enlarged and everything. I ended up having to take a mega antibiotic because apparently it was staph or something resistant to the antibiotic they'd given me already. By this time the infection was setting into my joints and threatening my tendons.
After that I developed phlebitis (inflammation of the veins) and a small blood clot in the area of my hand between my thumb and forefinger. I had to see the hand specialist who said it was probably secondary to the infection, because clots happen more easily during pregnancy but it was resolving on its own. It took me several weeks to get over this, and you don't want to be dealing with it with a newborn.
They shouldn't put the dog to sleep since it's your dog! But trust me, if they are taking it seriously, don't put this off!
__________________
--Kellie
Married 09/28/2002
DS born 07/05/2003
DD born 3/24/2005
I have a little one at home 16 almost 17 weeks and they've never once attacked her we think it's because i'm pregnant and they're reacting to it. Right now i'm home alone with her doing laundry and well posting here for a sec. Dad's going to take a look at it after he gets back from donating blood for my surgery. Some of the swelling went down after a bit of pus came out. I was kind of worried because it was mixed with blood then came fluid mixed with blood. Dad said I needed to goto the hospital to, but the father just left for work and i'm not about to call an ambulance and scare my little one over this :/ Hopefully tomorrow I can go during the morning after I get up. <early> I've checked for fevers none here yet, but if I get a fever before the night's over I may go ahead and go tonight. I'm kind of shocked that no one else at home took this seriously considering the swelling. I guess they thought I was overreacting :/
You definitely need to go get it checked out. Any kind of infection in your body needs to be taken care of and can affect your baby.
They will not put your dog to sleep or do anything with the dog. My 10-year-old was bitten by a neighbor's dog in December (It viciously attacked her and bit her in the face causing 16 stitches worth of damage). The hospital is required to file a report with animal control (I don't know if they do that if it's your own dog), but all animal control does is verify that the dog is up to date on it's rabies shot and quarantine it for 14 days (all that means is rhat it has to stay home for that time, no big deal). Don't worry about your dog, nothing will happen to it; you really should get it looked at as soon as you are able.
For one, has your dog bit you before? If this is the first time and you got an infection it has nothing to do with bring pg. The infection might effect the baby though. My sister when ever any animal breaks her skin in any way she is prone to serious infections. As in she immediately gets blood poisoning. You will know if you have this if you see a red line or any color line traveling under your skin from the bite mark. This will harm the baby as it is your blood. My parents take her to the dr and hospital all the time for these things. They never ask questions. I don't know where you live but we are in NJ and they are very tight on the animal stuff here. We have cats and they just have to get there nails in her and she has blood posioning and swells up and puss comes out and there is that line. Go to the dr for medication. If he asks to many questions, don't answer them all. Also I highly doubt they will, it is your dog and it has it's shots. There is nothing they can do about it after that. I am telling you they never ask when my sister goes.
I showed my dad the dog bite and he said just put peroxide on it and it'll heal. Mom laughed at me for being so worried about a dog bite :/ The father said "well did anyone take you to the hospital?" Of course not they expected him to, but he kept putting it off til he had to goto work and couldn't do it. Oh well will tell ya how it goes tomorrow if anyone decides that i'm important enough to take there.
