Gastrointestinal surgery: animal bite management: practice question

A General Surgery question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Surgery · Gastrointestinal surgery: animal bite management

Sample item

A 6-year-old is bitten on the forearm by a stray dog in India, and the bite is bleeding. The dog cannot be traced. What is the correct management?

AApply antiseptic and observe the dogBWash with soap and running water, leave unsutured, give rabies vaccine and immunoglobulinCGive tetanus toxoid aloneDSuture to control bleeding and give vaccine alone

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Wash with soap and running water, leave unsutured, give rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin

A bleeding bite is a category III exposure and needs thorough washing, rabies vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin infiltrated into the wound. Primary suturing is avoided. Tetanus prophylaxis is added but does not replace rabies treatment.

Option by option

A. Apply antiseptic and observe the dog
Observation of the dog is impossible when the animal cannot be traced.
B. Wash with soap and running water, leave unsutured, give rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin (correct)
Correct. Wash, leave open and give vaccine with immunoglobulin.
C. Give tetanus toxoid alone
Tetanus toxoid does not protect against rabies.
D. Suture to control bleeding and give vaccine alone
Suturing and vaccine alone omit immunoglobulin and trap infection.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is B, Wash with soap and running water, leave unsutured, give rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin. A bleeding bite is a category III exposure and needs thorough washing, rabies vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin infiltrated into the wound.

Why is "Apply antiseptic and observe the dog" not the answer?

Observation of the dog is impossible when the animal cannot be traced.

Why is "Give tetanus toxoid alone" not the answer?

Tetanus toxoid does not protect against rabies.

Why is "Suture to control bleeding and give vaccine alone" not the answer?

Suturing and vaccine alone omit immunoglobulin and trap infection.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Gastrointestinal surgery: animal bite management in General Surgery. Primary suturing is avoided. Tetanus prophylaxis is added but does not replace rabies treatment.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Gastrointestinal surgery: animal bite management?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.