Objective: To compare the infection rates in patients receiving amoxicillin versus amoxicillin-clavulanate as a prophylactic antibiotic in dog and cat bite or scratch wounds.

Materials and Methods: The present report was a single-blind, true experimental study conducted in patients at the risk of rabies exposure category III and presented within 24 hours after dog or cat bites or scratches at the emergency department in Banbung Hospital between February 2018 and May 2018. All patients were randomized to the block size of four and randomized into amoxicillin or amoxicillin-clavulanate group for five days. The outcome of wound infection was evaluated on the third day and the seventh day after receiving the antibiotics.

Results: The overall infection rate was 3%. No statistically significant difference in infection rate between amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate groups was found (1.7% versus 4.2%, p=0.447). The patients in the amoxicillin-clavulanate group had more adverse drug reactions (17.5% versus 10.3%, p=0.113) than patients who received amoxicillin.

Conclusion: Amoxicillin can be used as a prophylactic antibiotic in dog and cat bite or scratch wounds, and there is no significant difference in infection rate from amoxicillin-clavulanate.

Keywords: Bite wound, Antibiotic prophylaxis, Wound infection, Amoxicillin, Amoxicillin-clavulanate

Received 29 Oct 2019 | Revised 2 Jan 2020 | Accepted 7 Jan 2020