What is Lockjaw?

Posted on May 22, 2007 by Aimee Amodio

Just my luck… I get bit by a dog at the local dog park and my last tetanus booster shot was in 1999. Though the vaccine can last as long as ten years, experts suggest a booster every seven or eight years to be on the safe side. Tetanus — also known as lockjaw — is a disease caused by bacteria that can be found in dust, soil, and manure. These bacteria live all over the world and can enter the human body through even the tiniest wound. You may associate the disease with stepping on a rusty nail — … Continue reading →

Treating Dog Bites

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Aimee Amodio

In case you don’t know me in my other life as a Pets Blogger here at Families.com, I’m the owner of two dogs. We just weathered a cross country drive to relocate to the Portland, Oregon area… and had our first adventure at the dog park when a wheaten terrier attacked my Moose. In all the excitement, I got bit on the thigh. Well, let that be a lesson to me (and to you) — it’s never a good idea to try to physically break up two dogs that are fighting. But I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly; there was a … Continue reading →