Is it safe to swim in the ocean on a daily basis with a fresh dog bite?

Question

I was recently bit by a dog while vacationing in Hawaii. I wasn't seen by a doctor because the wounds are fairly superficial (not very deep).

I've got some swelling going on but it seems to be going down very, very gradually. I generally swim (in the ocean) on a daily basis anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours and I wanted to know if I should refrain from doing so in order to keep my risk of infection as low as possible.

Please provide an internet source with your answers. Thank you.

Answer 1

id say is fine because the salt water would be helpful. it is river water that you would need to be careful about getting into your skin because there could be rats etc. swimming about. saltwater should be fine

as for "please provide an internet source with your answers"

- DO YOUR OWN SEARCHES ONLINE

Answer 2

Well you risk infection whilst swimming with a "fresh" dog-bite... Not recommended by me, and keep that clean and make sure the dog didn't have rabies

Answer 3

i would say that because the ocean is salt water it will be fine as in the old day s thats all they used isnt it????

Answer 4

As kids we always thought swimming is sea water was good when we had wounds but maybe today things have changed with increased pollution.

The following is from a German medical study and relates to conclusions drawn from studies of people swimming with open wounds and/or chronic illnesses in reasonably warm sea water.

"If open wounds come into contact with sea water, vibrio bacteria can infect the wounds. Elderly and immunosuppressed people (e.g., with diabetes mellitus or liver disease) are at particular risk of infection. Without medical attention, superficial wounds can spread, necrotise and cause septicaemia. For this reason, prompt diagnosis, wound care, and appropriate antibiotic therapy are important, even if a vibrio infection is only suspected.

It should be stressed that people with open wounds and underlying chronic illnesses or who are immunologically compromised should not have contact with sea water. Vibrio infections should be considered in the differential diagnosis if there are supporting clinical symptoms. Patients presenting with wound infections should be asked whether they have had contact with sea water and if so, appropriate therapy needs to be prescribed."

Answer 5

sharks and jellies are what u should be aware of