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Animal Bite: Other Types of Animal Bite to a Human

Take these important steps after any animal bite:

  1. Wash all bite wounds immediately with soap and water, and continue washing for at least ten minutes.
  2. Contact your health care provider as soon as possible. Animal bite wounds contain bacteria, so a tetanus booster and/or antibiotics may be needed.

What do I do if the biting animal was livestock?

  1. Contact your local animal control or sheriff for assistance. Or, if the animal has an owner, get information about the animal's history of rabies vaccination and contact information about the owner.
  2. Call the local county health department sanitarian to report the animal bite. The sanitarian will help confirm the animal's condition and rabies vaccine status.
    1. Please have the owner’s name and contact information;
    2. The type of animal that bit you;
    3. The date you were bitten; and
    4. If you were seen by a physician

Please note: Rabies submissions currently involve a specific delivery process for the OSDH Public Health Lab to test animal specimens. Learn about the submission process for animals to be tested for Rabies. All other test samples (excluding Rabies) will need to be mailed or delivered to the Public Health Lab location in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

What do I do if the biting animal was an owned exotic animal (monkey, wolf, lion, bear, etc)?

  1. Contact your local animal control or sheriff for assistance. Or, if the animal has an owner, get information about the animal's history of rabies vaccination and contact information about the owner.
  2. Call the local county health department sanitarian to report the animal bite. The sanitarian will help confirm the animal's condition.
    1. Please have the owner’s name and contact information;
    2. The type of animal that bit you;
    3. The date you were bitten; and
    4. If you were seen by a physician

Please note: Rabies submissions currently involve a specific delivery process for the OSDH Public Health Lab to test animal specimens. Learn about the submission process for animals to be tested for Rabies. All other test samples (excluding Rabies) will need to be mailed or delivered to the Public Health Lab location in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

What do I do if I find a bat?

  1. If you think you or another person was exposed to the bat, it should be safely collected, euthanized, and submitted to the OSDH PHL for rabies testing.
    1. Capture the bat using GLOVES or protective equipment and place it inside a container.
    2. Contact a veterinarian to euthanize the bat and submit for rabies testing.
  2. If you feel a human has been exposed and the bat is unavailable for rabies testing contact the Epidemiologist-on-Call for further consultation at (405) 426-8710.

Please note: Rabies submissions currently involve a specific delivery process for the OSDH Public Health Lab to test animal specimens. Learn about the submission process for animals to be tested for Rabies. All other test samples (excluding Rabies) will need to be mailed or delivered to the Public Health Lab location in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

What do I do if the biting animal was a wild animal (i.e. skunk, coyote, fox, etc.)?

  1. The animal should be safely captured, euthanized, and submitted for rabies testing.
  2. Please DO NOT shoot the animal in the head.  The OSDH Public Health Lab may not be able to test the animal if it is shot in the head.
  3. If you were bitten by a wild animal, and the animal is unavailable for rabies testing, contact the Epidemiologist-on-Call for further consultation at (405) 426-8710.

Please note: Rabies submissions currently involve a specific delivery process for the OSDH Public Health Lab to test animal specimens. Learn about the submission process for animals to be tested for Rabies. All other test samples (excluding Rabies) will need to be mailed or delivered to the Public Health Lab location in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

What do I do if I am bitten by a small rodent (mouse, rat, squirrel, hamster, guinea pig, gerbil, or chipmunk)?

Rabies post exposure prophylaxis is NOT recommended. If an unusual circumstance has occurred involving the bite, please contact the Epidemiologist-on-Call at (405) 426-8710 for further information.
 

 

Diseases A-Z Rabies General FAQ
Animal Bite: Cat, Dog, Ferret Healthcare Provider Resources
Animal Bite: Other Animals Veterinarian Resources
Submitting an Animal for Rabies Testing

Rabies Surveillance Data and Stats

Contact Information

Mailing Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Acute Disease Service
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave, Ste. 1702
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-6406

Physical Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave
Oklahoma City, OK

Phone: (405) 426-8710
Fax: (405) 900-7591
Email: adsservice@health.ok.gov