2 y/o cut himself while playing in dirt, and we have free roaming chickens

[Rikki Jean]

nak

my unvaxxed 2 y/o ds just grabbed a pair of pliers and looks like the cut is under his nail (there was blood above the nail, but I can't find a cut, and there is blood under the nail as well). i can't tell if it's deep or not, but since it only bled slightly, i don't think it is.

the pliers were on a table, away from dirt and chickens. however, just previous to this, he was playing in the dirt, and we have free-roaming chickens who sometimes hang ou in that area. he had dirt all over his hand when he cut himself.

would you be concerned about tetanus?

x-posting in h&h

[BarnMomma]

My unvaxed 2.5 yr old DS is around our horse barn daily, often playing directly in stalls and getting covered head to toe in (sometimes) clean shavings and usually comes out with one or more cuts.

My routine is to run it under water well, then treat with tea tree oil and open air.

For an under the nail, maybe soak the finger in your choice of antiseptic.

[Gitti]

Tetanus can only grow in an oxygen free environment. Where there is blood (even one drop), and air, tetanus does not have a chance.

Young healthy people don't get tetanus anyway especially not children. It is not eve a worry unless there is a severe burn over a large part of the body or a severe crush-type accident where there is a lot of dead tissue inside a body. Otherwise, don't worry.

[Gitti]

I meant to add, for healing the best thing is honey and a band aid during the day and leave it open to the air at night.

[PlayaMama]

Originally Posted by Gitti

Tetanus can only grow in an oxygen free environment. Where there is blood (even one drop), and air, tetanus does not have a chance.

then how do people get tetanus? as, the bacteria must enter through some sort of puncture wound and there would be blood inside the wound? what am i missing?

to the op- i don't think i'd really worry. the only issue would be a lack of air in under the nail. you could try flushing it with hydrogen peroxide.

[onyxravnos]

Originally Posted by Gitti

Tetanus can only grow in an oxygen free environment. Where there is blood (even one drop), and air, tetanus does not have a chance.

.

: just clean well with soap and water. use hydrogenproxcide if you are feeling really parinoid and keep an eye on it for infection (same as with any other cut)

[bbrandonsmom]

Same as pp's. Good wash w/ soap and water. How does it look today?

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by PlayaMama

then how do people get tetanus? as, the bacteria must enter through some sort of puncture wound and there would be blood inside the wound?

It's actually the spores that enter the body inadvertently. They don't try to get in but get carried in by whatever causes the wound.

Let's say a bullet enters the body and does not come back out anywhere. It is trapped and there could be no blood that comes from the wound. The wound would have to heal over without bleeding. Inside the wound, the tissue and blood vessels are damaged. They cause dead tissue and a good oxygen free environment for the tetanus spores that entered with the bullet. Bacteria could evolve from the spores. The bacteria have a side product and it is that side product that causes us to react. We call that "tetanus infection".

Same with a crush wound. For instance there is a car accident and an arm or a leg gets crushed, some tissues inside a body would die and therefore no longer be supplied by oxygenated blood flowing through it.
Tetanus spores could find their way to the damaged tissue from other parts of the body (we all carry all bacteria in us at various times) and since it would be an oxygen free environment (without fresh blood) they could evolve into the bacteria with would cause the infection.

Do you see how difficult it is to even get tetanus? That is why it is so rare and mostly just seen in old people who have poor blood circulation because of diabetes, chemotherapy, etc.

For any injury, besides cleaning the wound, it is a good idea to take a dose of Vitamin C since it oxygenates the blood.