JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The recent series of coyote attacks in Atlantic Beach put a spotlight on the potential for rabies and other diseases that can come from an animal bite.
The coyote believed to be behind the attacks on residents and pets was found dead in a junkyard on Thursday, but the threat of contracting rabies remained a possibility.
Karen Cagdill’s husband was bitten on the leg by the coyote. Ashton Kennedy was also bitten.
Dr. Shalika Katugaha is the medical director of infectious diseases for Baptist Health. She said the first thing to do after a bite is thoroughly wash the wound.
“Wash it with soap and water for 15 minutes to decrease the risk of rabies transmission,” Katugaha said. “After that, if you have something that kills viruses like Povidone Iodine, you should apply that. Then you should head to the emergency room for what we call post-exposure prophylaxis.”
Following the antibody treatment, you should immediately undergo a series of rabies vaccine shots.
“And those vaccines are on day 0. Then the 3rd day, the 7th day, and the 14th day,” Katugah said.
But while you’re in the ER undergoing your first round of rabies shots, you could also find yourself receiving a tetanus shot. Tetanus is also a potentially life-threatening disease that attacks the nervous system.
Doctors advise patients to receive a tetanus shot every 10 years to prevent a cut or wound from becoming severely infected. But if you get bitten by a wild animal and it’s been at least five years since your last tetanus shot, you’ll likely get another shot just to be safe.
The final step is to receive additional antibiotics.
“Animals carry a lot of different bacteria, especially in their mouth, and so doctors will see if you need common antibiotics like Augmentin to cover that,” she said.
It’s still unclear if the coyote responsible for the attacks was rabid.