Which is more dangerous, a dog bite, or a cat bite? Let’s look at the statistics. The majority of dog bites are sustained from a pooch that is either a family pet or one that is familiar to the bite-ee. Children aged five to nine have the highest rate of bites from dogs, most likely because they inadvertently hurt or frighten the animal.

The oft-repeated adage “a dog’s mouth is cleaner than yours!” is not true. Even the healthiest dog (or cat) who is up-to-date on all his shots has approximately 100 different disease-causing microbes in their saliva. The most common infection transmitted from an animal bite is Pasteurella, a bacterium carried by virtually all dogs and cats. Even though dogs have much stronger jaws, their teeth are relatively dull. The majority of dog bites cause cosmetic damage (skin tears that may require stitches), but only five to 20 percent of their chompings actually get infected. Cats, on the other hand, have thin, needle-sharp teeth which usually cause deep puncture wounds. Up to 80% of cat bites become infected if proper care is not taken.

Whether it’s a dog or a cat, any bite to the hand should be treated with the utmost attention. The human hand contains many bones, tendons, and joints and there is less blood circulation in these areas, making it difficult for the body to fight off infection. A cat bite might inject bacteria directly into a tendon, and serious complications could result.