Raccoons are medium-sized mammals that are found throughout North America. While they can look cute and mischievous, raccoons will bite if threatened or cornered. Raccoon bites can be dangerous because these animals can transmit rabies, a deadly viral disease.
If you’ve been bitten by a raccoon, it’s important to know how to identify the wound so you can get proper medical treatment.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: A raccoon bite will likely leave two rows of puncture wounds from the animal’s sharp teeth. The surrounding skin may become red, swollen, and bruised over the next few hours and days as the bite injury develops.
Seek medical care as soon as possible after a raccoon bite to get the wound cleaned and receive rabies preventive treatment if needed.
Distinctive Features of a Raccoon Bite
Two rows of puncture wounds
One of the most telling signs of a raccoon bite is the presence of two rows of small puncture wounds. Raccoons have very dexterous front paws that allow them to grasp and manipulate objects. Their paws resemble human hands in that they have five digits, including an opposable thumb.
When a raccoon bites down, its upper and lower canines make distinct impressions in the skin, resulting in two parallel rows of injuries.
The spacing between individual tooth marks tends to be less than half an inch. Raccoon teeth are quite sharp, so the bite wounds appear as neat punctures rather than ragged lacerations. The injury often looks remarkably clean and precise, with very little tissue damage beyond the defined tooth imprints.
Reddening and swelling
Like any wound, raccoon bites will often become red and swollen shortly after the incident. There may be mild to moderate inflammation around the individual tooth marks as the body reacts to the insult. This inflammatory response helps fight potential infection and stimulates healing.
Swelling is caused by fluid and blood vessels leaking into the surrounding tissue. It serves to isolate and wall off the wound site. The degree of swelling depends on the location of the bite and amount of tissue trauma. Facial bites often swell dramatically due to the vascular nature of the face.
Bites on the extremities don’t swell as quickly but may still become very enlarged.
Bruising
Raccoon bites may develop noticeable bruising around the wound. This is caused by minor blood vessel damage leading to leakage of blood into the tissue. Gravity will cause this blood to settle in the lower layers of skin and connective tissue, creating a purple or blue discoloration.
Bruising may not appear until a few hours or days after the initial injury as it takes time for the blood to pool and become visible. Areas that are richer in blood vessels, like the face and neck, tend to develop more severe bruising.
Bites on the legs or arms will bruise as well but may take longer to manifest.
Potential Complications
Infection
Raccoon bites can lead to serious bacterial infections that require medical treatment. The most common bacteria transmitted through raccoon bites are Pasteurella multocida and Capnocytophaga canimorsus.
Pasteurella multocida is found in over half of bite wounds and can cause painful swelling, abscesses, joint pain, and fever if left untreated. Capnocytophaga canimorsus is rarer but can lead to severe sepsis, especially in those with weakened immune systems.
Other potential bacterial infections from raccoon bites include streptococcus, staphylococcus, tetanus, and rabies. Seeking prompt medical care for cleaning and antibiotics is crucial after a raccoon bite to prevent dangerous complications.
Rabies
Rabies is one of the most serious potential complications of a raccoon bite. Raccoons are common carriers of rabies in the United States, with over 6,000 cases reported in raccoons in 2020 (CDC). Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal and is almost always fatal once symptoms develop.
After a raccoon bite, the wound should immediately be washed with soap and water, followed by post-exposure rabies shots. Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis consists of one dose of rabies immune globulin and four doses of rabies vaccine over 14 days.
With timely treatment, the development of rabies can be prevented.
Other Diseases
In addition to rabies, raccoons may transmit other viral and parasitic diseases through bites and scratches. These include canine distemper virus, West Nile virus, leptospirosis, and Baylisascaris procyonis roundworms.
Canine distemper causes respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological symptoms in infected animals. Baylisascaris procyonis roundworms can lead to severe or fatal neural larva migrans if humans ingest infective eggs from raccoon feces that are present in soil or on surfaces.
While not as common as bacterial infections, these other raccoon-related diseases should also be considered after a bite to determine if testing or treatment is warranted.
When to Seek Medical Care
Raccoon bites can lead to serious medical issues, so it’s crucial to monitor the wound site and symptoms closely. Here’s guidance on when to seek medical attention for a raccoon bite:
Signs of Infection
Some key signs of an infected raccoon bite include:
- Pus or discharge from the bite
- Redness and swelling that spreads from the bite
- Intense pain at the bite site
- Fever or chills
An infected bite needs immediate medical care. Left untreated, the infection can spread quickly. See a doctor right away if you notice these or other symptoms of infection.
Rabies Risk
Raccoons are one of the most common carriers of rabies in the United States. According to the CDC, around 30% of reported raccoon bites may result in rabies transmission.
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms start. But the good news is rabies can be prevented if treatment begins soon after exposure. See a doctor promptly for any raccoon bite to assess your rabies risk. You may need rabies shots to prevent the disease.
Severe Bites
Some raccoon bites, especially on the face or hand, can cause severe injury and bleeding. Deep puncture wounds and tears to the skin increase chance of infection. Get immediate care for any raccoon bite that seems severe or is bleeding significantly.
The doctor will clean and close the wound to lower infection risk. You may need stitches and antibiotics. Prompt care also allows thorough wound assessment for potential rabies exposure.
Other Cases When to Seek Care
It’s also wise to consult a doctor for any of the following:
- Bite from a potentially rabid animal
- Bite to an immune-compromised person
- Bite to a person unable to get rabies vaccines, like pregnant women or infants
- Signs of nerve damage from bite, like numbness or tingling
- Bite from wild animal (as opposed to pet) or animal whose rabies vaccine status is unknown
For children, the elderly, or anyone with chronic medical conditions, it’s best to have a doctor evaluate any animal bite.
When to Wait-and-See
Minor bites with little bleeding and no other symptoms may not require immediate medical care. Clean the wound thoroughly with soap and water, apply antibiotic ointment, and watch for signs of infection. If any concerning symptoms develop, seek medical attention right away.
Treating a Raccoon Bite
Wound cleaning
If a raccoon has bitten you, the first step is to immediately wash the wound with soap and warm water for at least 5 minutes. This helps remove saliva, dirt, and bacteria from the bite. According to the CDC, proper wound cleaning can greatly reduce the risk of infection.
After washing, be sure to apply an antibiotic ointment and cover the wound with a clean bandage.
Antibiotics
Your doctor will likely prescribe a round of antibiotics as a precaution against infection. Commonly prescribed antibiotics for animal bites include amoxicillin, Augmentin, doxycycline, and cefuroxime. You’ll typically need to take the antibiotics for 5-10 days.
It’s crucial to finish the entire course as prescribed, even if the bite looks like it’s healing.
Rabies vaccine
Since raccoons are common carriers of rabies, your doctor is likely to recommend getting the rabies vaccine as a preventative measure. The vaccine is given in 4 doses over 14 days and can successfully prevent the onset of rabies if administered promptly after a bite from a rabid animal.
According to the CDC, prompt rabies vaccination is life-saving after exposures to raccoons, bats, and other wildlife prone to rabies infection.
Tetanus shot
You’ll also need to ensure your tetanus vaccine is up to date by getting a booster shot if you haven’t had one in the past 5 years. Tetanus is a serious bacterial disease that affects the nervous system and is fatal in about 10-20% of unvaccinated cases, per the JAMA.
Keeping your tetanus protection active is crucial for preventing the illness should raccoon bite wounds become infected with the tetanus bacteria.
Preventing Raccoon Bites
Remove food sources
One of the best ways to prevent raccoon bites is to remove any potential food sources that may attract them to your property. Raccoons are opportunistic eaters and will scavenge for any scraps of food left outdoors.
This includes pet food dishes, garbage cans, compost bins, grills, fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and any feeders meant for birds or other wildlife.
Be sure to bring pet food dishes inside, secure trash can lids, clean up any spilled food around outdoor eating areas, and pick ripe fruit from trees. You can also install raccoon-proof bins and enclosures around compost piles.
Eliminating easily accessible food will make your yard less desirable to foraging raccoons.
Seal up entry points
Raccoons are excellent climbers and can also squeeze through very small openings. To prevent them from accessing attics, crawl spaces, sheds, and garages, carefully inspect your home and outbuildings and seal any holes they could use.
Pay special attention around soffits, vents, chimneys, and where the roof meets the upper walls.
Cover larger gaps with wire mesh, plywood, metal flashing, or caulk. You may need to install chimney caps and vent covers. Trimming overhanging tree branches can also eliminate access points to the roof.
Making it more difficult for raccoons to enter these areas will reduce the chances of close encounters.
Use humane trapping
If raccoons have already moved into your home or you need to remove them from the premises, humane trapping can be an effective solution. Live cage traps baited with food are a safe way to capture raccoons without harming them.
Once trapped, the raccoon can be transported and released in a suitable habitat away from populated areas.
Be sure to check the traps frequently, as raccoons can injure themselves while confined. It’s also important to address the reasons they are on your property in the first place, such as a lack of natural habitat or easily available human food sources.
You may need to use preventative exclusion methods so new raccoons don’t move back in after trapping.
Conclusion
Raccoon bites can be dangerous and lead to complications like infections and rabies. Seek prompt medical attention if you are bitten. Clean the wound thoroughly and you may need antibiotics, rabies shots, and a tetanus booster.
Try to prevent raccoon bites by managing food sources, sealing up possible entry points on your property, and using humane trapping techniques when necessary. With proper treatment and prevention, raccoon bites don’t have to be a major cause for concern.
