Check with vet ASAP if dog is bitten

Dear Dr. John,

About two months ago, we thought our small HuskyX dog was possibly bitten by a wild turkey due to a small amount of bleeding on her right elbow area. It also looked like there could be a small puncture wound so we put some antibiotic ointment on the area for a few days. Should we be worried about any disease that a wild turkey could transmit like rabies, even though she is properly and currently vaccinated?

After a few weeks of watching it bleed and then scab up intermittently, we called our vet. We were told to keep an eye on things and if it did not improve to bring it in to be seen. We took her in this week. What started small turned into a flat ½ inch growth that was black in color. Our vet thought it to be a benign growth and excised it with a local anesthetic suggesting that it was nothing too significant. We were told that if it came back, they would go deeper and would insist on a biopsy. Sound right? Thanks. E.H.

Dear E.H.,

Sounds right! Turkeys do not and cannot transmit rabies to dogs since rabies is a mammal-specific viral disease. Rabies is transmitted in the saliva of an infected mammal biting another. The only other disease I can think of that is gaining a lot of attention is the bird flu, H5N1. It is conceivable that a dog can get this from a bird, but the bird would have to be infected first, and it would not be transmitted by a puncture. The only outcome from a bird puncture of dog skin would be a possible localized infection. In a case like this, I always suggest that pet owners work with their veterinarians, even if just a phone call initially, rather than treating things on their own.

It sounds as if things are well under control now though. As a general rule, it is always better to biopsy any growth that is removed to check for identification of the growth and to look for clear margins, but it is not uncommon to make a judgment call on something like this. Hopefully you will not see it again but keep an eye on things for the next few months. If the growth does return, then definitely a deeper and wider excision would be necessary, as well as a biopsy. Should that be the case, do not delay.

Dr. John de Jong is President of the World Veterinary Association. He owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic and can be reached at 781-899-9994.