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Wash a person’s raccoon bite or scratch with soap and water for 15 minutes, then promptly contact a healthcare professional or local health department for a rabies-risk assessment. If your dog was injured, wash the wound and call a veterinarian promptly; report the wildlife exposure to local public health or animal control. Don’t wait for symptoms, and don’t approach or try to capture the raccoon.
What should you do first after a raccoon bite or scratch?
Act promptly, even if the wound looks small. Rabies prevention is time-sensitive: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, “Rabies requires urgent medical attention.” A bite is not the only concern; a scratch can also warrant professional assessment. Washing the wound is an immediate first-aid step, not a substitute for deciding whether further care is needed.
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There are two issues to address: the injury itself and the possibility of rabies exposure. A wound may need urgent treatment because of its depth, bleeding, pain, or signs of infection. Separately, a healthcare professional and public-health authority can assess whether rabies-related care is appropriate. Taking one step does not replace the other.
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If a person was bitten or scratched
- Wash the wound immediately. Use soap and water and keep washing for 15 minutes. Do this even if the injury appears minor; wound washing is an important first step, but it does not settle the rabies-risk question.
- Contact a healthcare professional or local health department promptly. Explain that a raccoon caused the bite or scratch and ask for a rabies-risk assessment. Don’t wait to see whether symptoms develop or try to decide on rabies vaccination yourself.
- Get urgent medical attention for a serious wound. For uncontrolled bleeding, call emergency medical services, particularly if the injured person feels faint or weak.
- Share the exposure details. Be ready to say when and where it happened, where the wound is, what the raccoon was doing, and whether the animal can be located safely.
When contacting a professional, make clear whether the wound came from a bite or a scratch, when it happened, and where on the body it is. Mention any concerns about the wound, such as its depth, pain, or bleeding. If you do not know something about the raccoon or cannot locate it, say so rather than delaying the call to gather more information.
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If a dog was bitten or scratched
- Keep your dog away from the raccoon. Avoid any further contact with the wildlife.
- Wash the wound and contact a veterinarian promptly. Describe the raccoon exposure and provide your dog’s available vaccination and medical information so the veterinarian can advise you.
- Report the wildlife exposure. Contact your local health department or animal-control service for instructions about the raccoon and any local reporting steps.
- If your dog cannot be carried, wash the wound, keep it dry, and cover it. Follow veterinary advice for the next steps.
Tell the veterinarian when and where the contact happened, where your dog was injured, and what you observed about the raccoon. Have your dog’s available vaccination and medical records ready, but do not assume that vaccination history alone resolves the exposure. The veterinarian can advise on your dog’s care, while local public health or animal control can provide instructions about the wildlife exposure.
Do not let your dog approach the raccoon again, and do not try to handle or transport the wild animal. If the raccoon remains nearby, keep away from it and ask local animal control or public health how to proceed. If your dog cannot be carried, CDC advises washing the wound, keeping it dry, and covering it while you seek veterinary guidance.
When is the wound an emergency?
A possible rabies exposure and the wound itself are separate concerns: a wound can need urgent care even while public-health professionals assess rabies risk. Seek urgent medical attention for a deep or serious wound, extreme pain, loss of function, visible muscle or bone, or bleeding that is difficult to control. Call emergency medical services if bleeding cannot be controlled or the injured person feels faint or weak.
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These signs matter even if the exposure assessment is still underway. Tell the healthcare professional about changes in the wound and seek medical attention if infection signs appear. Washing is useful immediate care, but it does not replace clinical evaluation for either the injury or the possibility of rabies.
Does every raccoon bite mean you need rabies shots?
Not automatically. The word “raccoon” alone does not determine whether rabies-related care is needed or which care is appropriate. A healthcare professional and public-health authority assess the circumstances and advise on the individual case. The decision is not something to make from the wound’s appearance or from whether the raccoon seemed healthy.
For an unvaccinated person who needs rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, CDC clinical guidance describes a regimen that includes wound washing, human rabies immune globulin, and rabies vaccine. That guidance does not mean every person bitten or scratched by a raccoon should receive the same treatment. A clinician and public-health authority determine what is indicated in an individual case.
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The scale of rabies prevention in the United States reflects why prompt assessment matters: CDC reported in 2025 that about 100,000 Americans receive rabies vaccination each year after a potential exposure. This is a national figure for potential exposures of all kinds, not a count of raccoon bites or raccoon-related vaccinations.
What information will help health officials assess the risk?
Local rabies patterns matter, so the assessment can vary by location. Health officials may consider the animal species and behavior, what happened during the encounter, wound severity and location, and any available history or test information about the animal. Give an accurate account rather than trying to classify the raccoon’s behavior or judge the risk yourself.
When you call, share:
- When and where the bite or scratch occurred, as specifically as possible.
- Whether the injured subject is a person or dog, and where the wound is.
- What the raccoon was doing and how the contact happened.
- Whether the raccoon can be located safely, or whether anyone already has information about it.
Be straightforward about what you saw and what you do not know. Useful details include the place and time, whether the raccoon approached or was encountered in another way, and whether the animal is still in the area or is unavailable. Avoid guessing about rabies or relying on an impression that the animal looked healthy; the details are for professionals to assess in light of local conditions.
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Do not approach, corner, handle, or try to capture the raccoon to obtain more information. Contact local animal control or public health and follow their instructions. Reporting the exposure lets the appropriate authorities coordinate any next steps without putting you, your dog, or others at additional risk.
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Does the 10-day observation rule apply to raccoons?
No. The familiar 10-day observation recommendation applies to a healthy dog, cat, or ferret that exposes a person or pet. It is not a general rule for observing a raccoon after a bite or scratch. Wildlife bite management depends on the animal species, the circumstances, local rabies patterns, and available animal history, with public-health authorities coordinating the response.
Do not wait 10 days to seek advice or assume that watching the raccoon yourself settles the question. Ask the local health department or animal-control service what to do in your area. The fact that the domestic-animal recommendation exists does not make it appropriate to apply the same observation process to wildlife.
What if the raccoon cannot be found?
Tell the healthcare professional, veterinarian, or public-health authority that the animal is unavailable. Give the details you do know—especially the location and time of the incident, the wound location, and the raccoon’s behavior. The animal’s availability is one factor officials can consider; you should still seek prompt advice rather than trying to locate it yourself.
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What not to do after a raccoon bite or scratch
- Don’t wait for symptoms. Contact a professional promptly because rabies-related care decisions need urgent attention.
- Don’t assume washing resolves the exposure. Wash as directed, but still get a professional risk assessment.
- Don’t decide on vaccination yourself. An individual recommendation belongs with a clinician and public-health authority.
- Don’t handle the raccoon. Leave wildlife follow-up to local animal control or public health.
- Don’t apply the domestic-animal observation rule to wildlife. The 10-day recommendation described for healthy dogs, cats, and ferrets is not a raccoon rule.
- Don’t assume a small-looking wound or apparently healthy raccoon answers the rabies question. Professionals assess the circumstances, local rabies patterns, animal information, and wound details.
- Don’t focus only on rabies. Serious injury and possible infection also need medical attention.
Quick guide: who to contact
| Situation | First action | Who to contact |
|---|---|---|
| A person has a raccoon bite or scratch | Wash with soap and water for 15 minutes | Healthcare professional or local health department promptly |
| A person has uncontrolled bleeding, a serious wound, or feels faint or weak | Seek urgent medical attention; call emergency medical services if bleeding cannot be controlled or the person feels faint or weak | Emergency medical services or urgent medical care, as appropriate |
| A dog has a raccoon bite or scratch | Wash the wound and keep the dog away from wildlife | Veterinarian promptly; also report the exposure to local health department or animal control |
| The raccoon may be located | Do not approach or capture it | Local animal control or public health for instructions |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do after a raccoon bite?
Wash the wound immediately with soap and water for 15 minutes, then promptly contact a healthcare professional or local health department for a rabies-risk assessment. Seek urgent care for a serious wound or uncontrolled bleeding; call emergency medical services if bleeding cannot be controlled or the person feels faint or weak.
Should I get a rabies shot after a raccoon scratch?
A scratch can warrant professional assessment, but the word “raccoon” alone does not determine whether rabies-related care is needed. Wash the wound for 15 minutes and contact a healthcare professional or local health department promptly. A clinician and public-health authority decide what care is indicated; do not wait for symptoms or choose vaccination yourself.
What if a raccoon bites my dog?
Keep your dog away from the raccoon, wash the wound, and contact a veterinarian promptly. Report the wildlife exposure to your local health department or animal-control service, and provide your dog’s available vaccination and medical information. If your dog cannot be carried, wash the wound, keep it dry, and cover it while you seek veterinary advice.
Can I watch a raccoon for 10 days after it bites someone?
The familiar 10-day observation recommendation is for a healthy dog, cat, or ferret that exposes a person or pet—not a general rule for raccoons. Contact local public health or animal control for instructions about the wildlife exposure.
The Bottom Line
Wash a person’s raccoon bite or scratch with soap and water for 15 minutes and promptly contact a healthcare professional or local health department. For a dog, wash the wound, call a veterinarian, and report the exposure to local public health or animal control. Serious wounds, uncontrolled bleeding, or signs of infection need medical attention. Do not wait for symptoms, make your own rabies-vaccination decision, or approach the raccoon.
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