Routine cultures not useful; use in established wound infections/sepsis
Trauma management and definitive wound care: Wound pathogens
Cougars/large cats - Pasteurella, Pseudomonas
Bears- similar to dog flora- Micrococcus, Streptococcus
Ungulates- Pasteurella, Acinetobacillus
Crocodiles/alligators- Aeromonas
Trauma management and definitive wound care: Antibiotic prophlaxis
Choose broad spectrum coverage
Cover animal-specific pathogens
Good choices for most
Best: Amoxacillin-clavulanate
Cephalosporins (cefuroxime/cephalexin) + metronidazole
Clindamycin + trovafloxacin (?risk), doxycycline, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin
Experimental: ketolides, GAR-936 (semisynthetic glycylcycline, Daptomycin? (cyclic
lipopeptide)
Mechanism of and prevention of attacks: Black bears
Black bear (Ursus americanus)
Generally smaller than other North American bears
Most numerous/widely distributed
Attacks
Usually easily frightened away by aggression
Sows with cubs not aggressive
Mechanism of and prevention of attacks: Brown bears
Brown bear (Ursus arctos)
Grizzly (Ursus arctos horribilis)
Kodiak (Ursus middendorfi)
Attacks
Predation rare; attempt to minimize perceived threat
Avoid human interaction
NOT easily frightened away by aggression
Sows with cubs VERY aggressive- account for 80% of attacks
Mechanism of and prevention of attacks : Brown bears
Brown bear attacks
Face/head often first attacked
Bite/chew
Claw
Batting
Falls from trees
Consumption more common in habituated bears
Mechanism of and prevention of attacks: Brown bears
Prevention:
Avoid habituation
Avoid encounters
Travel in groups of 4 or more
Make noise-avoid surprising a bear
Extra vigilance when hiking upwind
Remain alert (tracks, carcasses, scat)
Mechanism of and prevention of attacks: Brown bears
Minimizing injury in an encounter
Predatory- FIGHT (pray)
Provoked/sudden encounter
Remove the threat!
Avoid eye contact
Identify yourself as human
Back away (DON'T RUN)
Play dead AND STAY DEAD
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