Son bitten by seagull - HELP!

From: Albatrosser (albatrosser_at_spam-me-not.com)
Date: 10/08/04 

Date: Fri, 08 Oct 2004 17:05:08 +0100

My son was out playing with his friends today when somehow he managed
to get close enough to a seagull to grab it by the leg as it tried to
fly away (silly I know, but he's only 10 and boys will be boys - he
likes birds and said he just wanted to hold and stroke it).

The gull wasn't amused and bit him several times on his hands as he
tried to hold it - he ran inside crying with his hands covered in
blood, with several fairly deep scratches.

I've washed and disinfected the wounds and put plasters on and he
seems okay in himself (suitably chastised and life lesson learned),
but I know my wife is going to go absolutely mental that I 'let it
happen' when she gets home.

I know that gulls are not the cleanest of birds and I'm worried that
it may have given him a nasty infection. Does anyone know what
diseases seagulls can carry? It was a 'big grey one', which leads me
to believe that it was probably a herring gull.

My boy's had his tetanus jab, but I'm beginning to wonder if I should
take him to the hospital and get him checked over. Can gulls carry
rabies or hepatitis?

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Son bitten by seagull - HELP!
    ... > to get close enough to a seagull to grab it by the leg as it tried to ... > likes birds and said he just wanted to hold and stroke it). ... > to believe that it was probably a herring gull. ... Discourage House Sparrows and Starlings ...
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  • Re: Son bitten by seagull - HELP!
    ... > to get close enough to a seagull to grab it by the leg as it tried to ... > likes birds and said he just wanted to hold and stroke it). ... > to believe that it was probably a herring gull. ...
    (sci.med)
  • Re: Son bitten by seagull - HELP!
    ... >My son was out playing with his friends today when somehow he managed ... >to get close enough to a seagull to grab it by the leg as it tried to ... >likes birds and said he just wanted to hold and stroke it). ... >to believe that it was probably a herring gull. ...
    (sci.med)
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