From the Guidelines
To manage a rooster bite, immediately clean the wound thoroughly with mild soap and warm water for at least 5 minutes to remove bacteria and debris, and consider prophylactic antibiotics such as amoxicillin-clavulanate 875/125 mg bid, as recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America 1. When managing a rooster bite, it is essential to prioritize wound cleaning and consider the risk of infection. The wound should be cleaned with mild soap and warm water for at least 5 minutes, and an antiseptic solution like povidone-iodine (Betadine) or hydrogen peroxide can be applied to the area.
- Control any bleeding by applying gentle pressure with a clean cloth or bandage.
- Once cleaned, apply an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin or Polysporin and cover with a sterile bandage.
- Change the bandage daily or when it becomes wet or dirty.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) as needed for pain.
- Monitor the wound for signs of infection, including increased redness, swelling, warmth, pus, or red streaks extending from the wound.
- Seek medical attention if the bite is deep, won't stop bleeding, shows signs of infection, or if you haven't had a tetanus shot in the last 5 years. The use of prophylactic antibiotics, such as amoxicillin-clavulanate, is recommended for high-risk wounds, including those that are deep, puncture wounds, or wounds involving the face, hand, or foot 1.
- The decision to give prophylactic antibiotics should be based on wound severity and host immune competence 1.
- Amoxicillin-clavulanate administered for a variety of full-skin thickness animal bites in patients presenting >9 hours after the bite resulted in a lower infection rate 1. It is also important to note that rooster bites can be particularly concerning because their beaks harbor bacteria that can cause infections, and their pecking motion can create puncture wounds that drive bacteria deep into tissue where infections can develop rapidly.
- Tetanus prophylaxis status should be current, and rabies prophylaxis should be considered for all feral and wild animal bites and in geographic areas where there is a high prevalence of rabies 1.
From the Research
Managing a Rooster Bite
To manage a rooster bite, it is essential to consider the risk of infection and the type of bacteria that may be present in the wound.
- The bacteriology of infected animal bite wounds includes Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, viridans streptococci, Capnocytophaga canimorsus, and oral anaerobes 2.
- Antibiotic therapy against these bacteria is indicated both for infected bite wounds and fresh wounds considered at risk for infection 2.
- Initial wound management consisting of irrigation and debridement is at least equally important with antibiotics for prevention of infection 2, 3.
Treatment and Care
- The treatment and care of animal bites, including rooster bites, depend on various factors such as the patient's tetanus status, species of animal inflicting the bite, and infection risk 4, 5.
- The choice of antibiotic is controversial, but initial empirical treatment generally relies on broad-spectrum coverage 5.
- Review of the patient's tetanus status is mandatory, and rabies prophylaxis is indicated for bites by carnivorous wild animals, bats, and unvaccinated domestic animals 4, 5, 6.
Important Considerations
- Timely presentation to a medical facility and/or physician is critical in treating animal bites, including rooster bites 3.
- Accurate identification of the offending animal is essential to guide medical and surgical algorithms, including specific antimicrobial treatment guided by the most commonly presenting pathogens specific to certain animals 3.
- Basic irrigation, debridement, and wound culture are common to almost every animal bite and should be the first step in treatment 3.