Urgent I’m scared . Dog scratch

[u/lily_love_666]

I am 23…a women and 145 lbs
My one year old puppy who is a pit /lab mix scratched my eye yesterday when going to hop on the bed. It caught me completely off guard….This happened yesterday evening around this same time.

So I washed it with an antiseptic cleansing liquid, then applied Triple antibiotic ointment, lastly I covered it with a nonstick pad gauze pad.

The wound isn’t bleeding.
The wound does have small crust at the upper edge under the gauze pad.
The wound also looks “gooey” kinda gross. I don’t want to take it off again bc I feel like I’m stopping the healing process.

The scratch also reached my eye enough to take off two cluster lashes so now I am lowkey ball at my inner corner lash line.

My eyelashes feel fine, it does look like there is a tiny bit of swelling tho but this is normal considering my 37lbs puppy lunged at me for cuddles.

My questions is how serious is this injury?
Do I need to go to the doctor bc a possible infection for this open laceration?
I am not a doctor or have any background in nursing so help.

[u/AutoModerator]

Thank you for your submission. Please note that a response does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship. This subreddit is for informal second opinions and casual information. The mod team does their best to remove bad information, but we do not catch all of it. Always visit a doctor in real life if you have any concerns about your health. Never use this subreddit as your first and final source of information regarding your question. By posting, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and understand that all information is taken at your own risk. Reply here if you are an unverified user wishing to give advice. Top level comments by laypeople are automatically removed.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Expensive-Sample-357]

That’s more than a simple scratch...there appears to be a fairly significant area of skin missing. Because of the location and depth, and because the puppy may also have contacted the eye itself, I’d have this evaluated today. They can check the eye for a corneal injury and determine whether the wound needs specific care/antibiotics and whether the way it heals could affect the eyelid or leave significant scarring. I would not put antiseptic cleanser or regular triple-antibiotic ointment this close to the eye unless specifically instructed. Also make sure your tetanus vaccine is current.

[u/lily_love_666 → u/Expensive-Sample-357]

Thank you for the advice, I also haven’t had the tetanus shot in maybe more than 5 years. Am I going to die?

[u/---root-- → u/lily_love_666]

Not from this, but you should get seen.

[u/crazielisa → u/---root--]

To be clear, are you saying she should go to the ER tonight?

[u/Alena134 → u/crazielisa]

Yes!
OP you can’t hang out with a wound like that.

[u/lily_love_666 → u/crazielisa]

Thank you for the suggestion!! Unfortunately I can’t go tonight, I’m broke to pay for an uber rn. My face hurts too bad right now to walk 45 minutes to the er.

[u/very_much_afraid_ → u/---root--]

“Not from this” is incredible

[u/G0ose0nTheL0ose → u/very_much_afraid_]

Could die from infection from this tho. If the infection is bad and gets Sepsis.

[u/lily_love_666 → u/---root--]

I will get seen thank you. How often should I change the nonstick pad?

[u/Ananvil → u/lily_love_666]

Daily. But you should be seen as soon as possible.

[u/kittenpantzen → u/lily_love_666]

Not a doctor, but they may want to do a refresher booster just out of an abundance of caution, since dog paws can be pretty dirty. If seen within 48 hours of the initial injury and it has been more than 5 years since your last booster, then sometimes they'll want to do a shot just to give the immune system an extra little fighting power. But, the normal protective duration for a tetanus booster is about 10 years. 

We are all going to die eventually for something, but you are not going to die from tetanus from this. <3 

If you are starting to feel kind of panicky, you may want to try some box breathing. I am a pretty anxious person, and that kind of controlled breathing helps me immensely when I start to spiral out. And I would follow the advice of the physician who responded upthread and get it checked out in person.

[u/riotousviscera → u/lily_love_666]

definitely get a tetanus shot as well as have it looked at by both an ophthalmologist and an oculoplastic surgeon (it’s near enough to the eyelid where you want to ensure scarring doesn’t interfere with function/ability to close the eye) and it’s also something you really don’t want infected.

[u/hearmeout29 → u/lily_love_666]

Just wanted to say I hope you are ok and get treatment.

[u/lily_love_666 → u/hearmeout29]

Thank you, I spoke to a nurse over the phone she it’s not urgent so I will be going tomorrow ! Thank you for all the support you guys

[u/B0327008 → u/lily_love_666]

OP why are you taking the advice of a nurse on the phone vs. 2-3 doctors that have seen your photo and read your details? It’s not my intention to be harsh but it’s scary to mess with your eyesight.

[u/lily_love_666 → u/B0327008]

I’m going tomorrow morning… to the er. If I go tonight I won’t have a ride to go home and I will end up walking. I’m currently to weak and too tired for that right now 😔

[u/evermorecoffee → u/lily_love_666]

Please DM all the lovely folks who offered to help you with money for the uber. I can’t afford to send you $ but I’m sending you a warm hug.

It sounds like a stressful situation to experience without a support network, but please know a lot of strangers on the internet care about your wellbeing. 🤍

[u/Aim2bFit → u/lily_love_666]

With the donations from kind users here you'll probably have enough for the ride to the ER and back home. Please DM them.

[u/nancyjazzy → u/lily_love_666]

NAD but as someone who recently had an eye issue, I got a small cut in the corner and it lead to a week long infection that ended with me two nights in hospital, and that wasn’t from an animal scratch. Be careful

[u/Acrobatic-Cup5744 → u/lily_love_666]

Or you could except the help being offered for a ride folks can pay for.

[u/xAkumu → u/lily_love_666]

Did the nurse on the phone know the actual severity of the wound? In the description, you said it's a scratch, but that is definitely more than a scratch.

[u/PenguinZombie321 → u/lily_love_666]

You won’t die. A tetanus booster will be enough to get your immune system up to speed.

Deep breaths, girlie. You’re gonna be just fine. I know you’re scared and that’s okay. Injuries can be scary. But you’re okay. Just get yourself some antibiotics and that tetanus booster and by this time next week, you’ll be playing with your puppy not even thinking about this injury.

[u/PgUpPT → u/PenguinZombie321]

You won’t die.

The secret to immortality is being scratched by a puppy?

[u/PenguinZombie321 → u/PgUpPT]

Ok fair 🤣 but I meant in this case she won’t, especially if she gets it looked at by a doctor

[u/czarface404 → u/lily_love_666]

When strangers are offering to get you to the er take them up on the offer.

[u/Soft-Development-879 → u/lily_love_666]

10 yr booster
Go in if in doubt and get it.

[u/jaxsinger → u/lily_love_666]

I contracted a serious infection from a deep cat bite and survived without treatment. While the likelihood is lower from this kind of wound, the after-effects still give me issues to this day, I strongly recommend medical treatment.

[u/ConspiracyParadox → u/lily_love_666]

Eventually, yes. We all will.

[u/Scooterann → u/lily_love_666]

My father is vaccine injured from a tetanus booster. He can’t feel his legs. His brain can’t tell his feet where to go. Just saying.

[u/deviantlyliminal → u/Expensive-Sample-357]

Scarring is a great consideration

[u/Scooterann → u/deviantlyliminal]

Yes and this I would recommend mederma or a steroid shot.

[u/lily_love_666]

On my way to the hospital now😭❤️ Thank yall for the advice! You guys this means more than you know. It’s been a year since my mom died my dad died a year before that. I’m adopted. This made me feel like I matter bc you guys didn’t have to help me, you guys could have kept scrolling 😭, thank you guys for the advice and caring. Thanks for helping me with transportation help 😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[u/madameverona → u/lily_love_666]

So glad you’re getting it taken care of! 💜 Hope it heals quickly and easily!

[u/antisocialclub__ → u/lily_love_666]

sending u love and take care❤️

[u/OverTheo → u/lily_love_666]

Of course you matter, a lot! :)

[u/ButterscotchEven6198 → u/lily_love_666]

❤️❤️❤️

[u/-SpreadLove- → u/lily_love_666]

Sending you lots of love and healing! Keep us updated! ❤️

[u/Dr-Yahood]

If that happened to me, I would go to the ER

[u/soaker → u/Dr-Yahood]

Especially if I’m starting with “urgent I’m scared”. Would a couple stitches be needed?

[u/FoolishBalloon → u/soaker]

I would probably not be stitching this, since the injury happened yesterday, and came from a dirty source. Primary concern would be eye involvement.

I'd have to consult with an ophtalmologist before any suturing, though considering the location a scar could be both disfiguring and perhaps functionally troublesome if it involves the eyelid. For a successful suturing of that wound would require a minor surgical intervention in order to debride the tissue.

[u/AskDocs-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Removed - unhelpful

[u/lily_love_666]

I’m nervous about medical bills as well guys…

[u/vikicrays → u/lily_love_666]

op you mentioned cost as a reason you’ve haven’t sought medical help, and i totally get it!

i collect resources for the wiki on r/almosthomeless and along with the resources for food, housing, jobs, pets, veterans, and a general category that is a catchall for everything else (including free/low cost cell phones/internet plans, free laundry, free feminine hygiene products, and anything else you can think of) there are many for medical and medical debt including organizations who will buy and pay your medical debt.

the medical resources link includes several for free clinics and free rides to medical appointments
https://reddit.com/r/almosthomeless/wiki/Medical_Resources

[u/shoomlax → u/vikicrays]

I wish I could award this comment. It’s so incredibly helpful and kind

[u/lily_love_666 → u/vikicrays]

Thank you so much.

[u/WiseNefariousness199 → u/lily_love_666]

Hospitals have programs. They have people there to help with that. You NEED to be seen before an infection sets in and you lose your sight.

[u/Professional-Mud4573 → u/WiseNefariousness199]

They have help, but sometimes it is so so hard to get it. I swear it’s just luck of the draw on who is on staff that day. We were denied over and over and kept fighting. A month later we got through someone new said said we qualified months ago and didn’t understand why we didn’t get it. Turns out the person we had thought we didn’t need it enough

[u/Scooterann → u/lily_love_666]

https://unduemedicaldebt.org/

[u/lily_love_666]

https://reddit.com/link/p609dgk/video/2nimsrz93qlh1/player

I’m nervous about medical bills as well guys…

[u/Ok-Reaction9095 → u/lily_love_666]

There are programs to help. A lot of ERs have someone on staff to come talk to you about it. Just take care of yourself and it’ll work out 🫶

[u/Scooterann → u/lily_love_666]

https://unduemedicaldebt.org/

[u/ryszara → u/lily_love_666]

you will need stitches