(And Your New Patient at Night Watch)

Christmas morning. The kids unwrap the last present. Inside the crate: one adorable, wiggly, 8-week-old puppy.

Everyone screams with joy. The puppy is thrilled. Maybe a little too thrilled.

Fast forward three days: Your 7-year-old has scratches down both arms. Your teenager has a puncture wound on their hand. You have a bite mark that’s starting to look… concerning.

Welcome to new pet ownership.

🐕 Why Puppies (and Kittens) Bite

First, let’s be clear: Your new puppy isn’t aggressive. They’re just being a puppy.

Puppies explore the world with their mouths. They play-bite. They nip. They chew on literally everything—including your fingers, your toes, your kid’s hair.

Kittens? Even worse. Those tiny needle-sharp claws and teeth can do serious damage, especially when they’re playing or scared.

The problem? Their mouths are full of bacteria. And those cute little teeth can break skin surprisingly easily.

🚨 When That Cute Bite Needs Medical Attention

Come to Night Watch if:

• The bite broke the skin (especially if it’s a puncture wound)
• It’s on the face, hand, or near a joint
• The wound is deep or won’t stop bleeding
• Signs of infection appear (redness, swelling, warmth, pus, red streaks)
• It happened more than 8 hours ago and wasn’t cleaned properly
• You’re not sure of the pet’s vaccination status (adopted from shelter, stray, etc.)

🐱 Cat Scratches: Small But Mighty Dangerous

Got a new kitten for the holidays? Those tiny scratches are not harmless.

Cat Scratch Disease (yes, it’s real): Caused by bacteria in cat saliva that gets on their claws. Can cause fever, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, and in rare cases, more serious complications.

Watch for:

• Red, raised bump at scratch site (appears 3-14 days after)
• Swollen lymph nodes (especially under arms or in neck)
• Fever
• Fatigue or headache

Dog Bites: Not Just About Infection

Even your sweet, friendly new puppy can cause injury:

Puncture wounds:

Deep, narrow wounds that don’t bleed much but push bacteria deep into tissue. High infection risk.

Crushing injuries:

Even without breaking skin, dog bites can crush tissue, blood vessels, nerves. Can cause serious damage to hands especially.

Tearing:

Jagged wounds that may need stitches.

What We Do at Night Watch

When you come to Night Watch with an animal bite or scratch:

• Thorough wound cleaning (irrigation to remove bacteria)
• Evaluation for tissue damage (nerves, tendons, blood vessels)
• Stitches if needed (though some bites are left open to prevent infection)
• Antibiotics (especially for punctures, cat bites, hand/face wounds)
• Rabies evaluation (if vaccination status unknown)

Preventing Pet Injuries at 🏡

Tips for the first few weeks:

• Supervise all interactions with young children
• Teach kids not to put hands near puppy’s mouth during play
• Redirect biting to appropriate chew toys
• Trim kitten nails regularly
• Don’t use hands as toys (teaches them it’s okay to bite/scratch)
• Start training early (puppy classes, bite inhibition)

🩹 First Aid at Home

If your new pet bites or scratches someone:

• Wash immediately with soap and running water for 5+ minutes
• Apply pressure if bleeding
• Don’t seal puncture wounds with bandages – let them drain
• Then get it checked at Night Watch

New pets are adorable. Animal bites are not. Get it checked before it gets infected.