Hey Blast, thanks for the pics & writeup. We can joke about it here online, but imagine getting a nasty wound in a survival situation and then as each day goes by the wound gets infected... a sobering lesson.

Thanks for the illustrated timeline of a bite infection, Blast.

I've been lucky enough to have avoided bad infections in my life, except in a hospital... I know... Shocker...

Anyway, my question is this:
I know I mentioned luck up there, but can people be prone to getting infections?

Is there anyone reading this that gets an infection in the slightest cut no matter how hard you take care of the wound?

I went to the dentist a few weeks ago and on a questionnaire it asked, "Do you get infections?", which I thought was a weird way of asking the above questions, if that is indeed what it was asking.

Isn't a cold or virus an infection just by a different type of exposure?

Sorry if these questions are idiotic...

Having had waaaaayyyyy too many dog bites, I can vouch for the need to see a doc right away on these. It does go beyond this though, any puncture wound introduces infection deep into the tissue and the closes over it effectively sealing it in. Very difficult to clean (been there) even with a irrigation syringe. This is particularly important say for example when building a shelter and put a nice long splinter in your palm, grabbing a rusty nail by accident (tetnus), etc. Having to lance in the field may be the difference between good and very bad. Hope your finger gets better quick.

Bill

I just thought about my last post...

I guess it all comes down to an individual's immune system?

And the health of an immune system can fluctuate no matter how robust or be suseptible to different types of infection?

I need to go back to highschool health class. LOL

Something to consider, I've heard various disparaging things about Hydrogen Peroxide as far as its efficacy in cleaning wounds. I think there are much better cleansers availible. Providone iodine comes immediately to minds. I've heard of other iodine solutions as well, one in particular which I can't remember the name of is supposed to be much gentler and stain far less. Someone here mentioned another cleanser that wasn't iodine based but is common in hospitals (again the name slips my mind).

Providone iodine is what we used at the vet clinic I worked at for scrubbing animals before surgery and wounds of all sorts including animal bites to people. A small dropper might be almost indispensible for dirty wounds sustained in the woods.

I always took my cat (now departed) out for a bath and to have his claws reduced -- taken down to just short of the quick. he was much much pleasant with stubs.

That is how my wifes forearm would have looked had we not visited a dr the second day (were traveling the first) after the bite. She does have some nice scars...

Me Too!

Was it Benzalkonium Chloride (Bactine) (but it's not an idodine solution)? I've heard this antiseptic's microbe range covers the rabies virus but of course it's not sufficient because of the nature of the wounds.

I guess getting a dose of antibiotics would be a good addition to the FAK in the BOB eh? That and a basic dental kit with some topical lidocane. Thanks for sharing Blast!