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Original poster

oh bugger, help please

15 replies

doziduck · 01/09/2004 18:50

it's one thing after another. ds2 (age 5 ) has just been playing with my mil dog and it accidently nipped him, very slightly breaking the skin. Does this mean he needs a jab? he hasn't had his pre school booster.

OP posts:
Branster · 01/09/2004 19:00

has the dog been vaccinated?

Heathcliffscathy · 01/09/2004 19:00

first thing, make sure cleaned and disinfected. tetanus can only develop where there is no oxygen, so if the wound is clean you shouldn't have a problem. however, there might be lots of people that disagree and feel you should take him for a jab.

Tissy · 01/09/2004 20:03

if the wound is only very slight and didn't bleed much, and is clean your ds should be fine. The dtp should cover him- in adults a booster is only given every 10 years. Anyway I'd be less worried about tetanus from a dog bite than about other germs he isn't vaccinated against. It will be safe to leave it till tomorrow, and if it looks inflamed, take him to the practise nurse or doctor.

Original poster
doziduck · 01/09/2004 20:45

god, i am so paranoid. I am suffering from anxiety at the moment aswell and ds seems to keep on adding to it! spent a night in the hospital last week after banging his head and going drowsy and sick now this and it's first day back to school tomorrow (he doesn't want to go)
by tomorrow no doubt i will be convinced the bite has infected him and his numbers up
aaaaaaaah

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Jimjams · 01/09/2004 20:49

You only need to worry about tetanus if its a puncture wound. You can't get single tetanus for under 10's now anyway- he'd have to be gievn the 5 in 1. (or infanrix maybe no idea what they'd do actually). if he's 5 chances are the primary vaccination should still be effective.

BTW I've been bitten over and over again by wild rodents - who carry much nastier things than your average pet dog, and I've never caught anything from them.

sportyspice · 01/09/2004 21:12

If in doubt and you know he hasn't had his pre school booster why not arrange for a dr's appointment this week to just have it anyway to be on the safe side and to protect him for the future.

MummyToSteven · 01/09/2004 21:13

doziduck - you doing anything to help your anxiety? any counselling/relaxation etc?

biketastic · 01/09/2004 21:13

Unlikely that the bite will do him any harm. Keep it really clean and let the air at it. It probably will bruise too, as there is usually quite alot of pressure in a dog bite.
Very rare to catch anything from a dog bite (my DS ate cat poo last week - now that is more of a worry!!)

Original poster
doziduck · 02/09/2004 08:11

I am taking saint johns wort at the moment mummytosteven but i don't think it's working. I have also, this morning taken bach rescue remedy and stressless tablets. I should be rattling. My stomach is still in knots. I was really hoping he wouldn't have to have the booster as he always seems poorly afterwards, he has a low immune system anyway and a couple of his jabs had been found not to have worked (he has blood tests every few months).

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MummyToSteven · 02/09/2004 08:55

oh dear, Doziduck, didn't realise that there was more to the booster thing than just not wanting to take him down the docs. If you're still worried, could you book a doctors appointment, or go to a GP walk in clinic after school?

For the anxiety - not sure personally that SJW would be the best thing - think it has more of a reputation as an anti-depressant than reducing anxiety. I always think that if you feel rotten enough to be looking at self-medication, its worth going to the docs tbh. How long have you been on SJW for? If you don't want to go down the Anti-Depressants route, then I guess theres the usual forms of self help - eating and sleeping as regularly as you can, yoga, relaxation tapes, plenty of exercise, a break from the kid/kids, counselling, CBT.

take care and hope the lo enjoys his first day of school!

Original poster
doziduck · 02/09/2004 15:01

i am really scared to let ds have the dtp booster, i spoke to the doc this morning who said that he would need to have it now because of the bite and because it's overdue anyway.
He cried for hours on end after having it at 4 months and although the pead he sees about his immune system has said he can have that and the live polio, i have read so much that i am scared to death. dh is telling me to get a grip but he said that after the mmr and he was poorly for a week with a high temp, headache, rash etc
if anyone can reassure me that the dtp and polio wil be o.k please do

OP posts:
Fio2 · 02/09/2004 15:02

as a dog owner, a small nip wont hurt. Not from my own experience anyway

Fio2 · 02/09/2004 15:03

dozidck sorry about your anxiety too

susanmt · 03/09/2004 01:39

doziduck - can't help with the bite I'm afraid but I wanted to tell you I'm on a n antidepressant that also helps with anxiety and it has been fab - no more of that ghastly panicking feeling in your gut!
Dont want to hijack this thread but feel free to contact me through Mumsnet if you want to chat about it.

Hope ds is better soon.

Original poster
doziduck · 03/09/2004 13:37

hi susan mt, tried to contact you but it wouldn't work. Try again later.

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