2007-10-01 08:17:37 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ First Aid
Not for part of a fingernail ripping off, no. Tetanus shots are needed when a person steps on/is impaled by metal, or gets an animal bite/scratch. People should receive a tetanus shot once every 10 years regardless of any injury obtained. As long as a person had had a tetanus shot within the last ten years, they won't need another one even if they've been injured by metal or an animal.
Hope this helps. :-)
2007-10-01 08:25:46 · answer #1 · answered by Peatea 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tetanus shots prevent the tetanus present in any dirt from reproducing in your bloodstream, then producing toxins which paralyze the muscles.
Any puncture injury by a dirty object can produce tetanus.
If a foreign object or dirty branch, etc., ripped it off, and it has been more than five years, go and get the shot. If you accidently caught it on something, then NO.
Clean it, apply antibiotic ointment, and a bandage. Change at least once a day, after cleaning it. Keep covered until no longer tender to touch.
2007-10-02 13:48:33 · answer #2 · answered by Nurse Susan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No you only need a tetnas shot if you got a bad cut or puncture for a rusty object. Even if your nail was removed by a rusty piece of metal you should be fine because you receive a shot every few years
2007-10-02 07:04:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends as to whether or not your wound came into contact with an object that may leave you exposed to the neurotoxin. If you've had a tetanus shot within the last 7 years, you should be fine, however if it has beed longer, or if you are not sure, you will want to request one. If you went to visit the doctor regarding your wound, they would most likely give you a tetanus shot.
2007-10-01 08:26:02 · answer #4 · answered by gelfling 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you really do not need it unless you were bit by an animal or stabbed by metal, but it would never hurt to get a tetnas shot
2007-10-02 13:46:14 · answer #5 · answered by Matt 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends. If the tear bled and involved metal, or something dirty, and you haven't had a tetanus shot within the last 10 years, yes you should have one. If you're not sure when your last shot was, you should have one. If you tore your nail inside the house and/or it didn't bleed, you're okay without one. Good luck.
2007-10-01 08:28:10 · answer #6 · answered by NMFlamingo 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not unless you encountered some sort of metal that ripped it off. But you do need to take care of the place that it ripped off so it doesn't get infected.
2007-10-01 20:51:18 · answer #7 · answered by kahlah23 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
All about Tetanus:
http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?ei=UTF-8&p=do+i+need+a+tetanus&fr=yfp-t-308&u=www.metrokc.gov/health/prevcont/tetanus.htm&w=need+needs+tetanus&d=TY82nOdmPcT6&icp=1&.intl=us
2007-10-01 08:21:20 · answer #8 · answered by naturegirlkole 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not unless you haven't had one recently and it was metal that ripped it off...and punctured ya a bit too.
2007-10-01 08:20:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only if you simultaneously got stabbed with something and it's been five (or seven, can't remember which) years since your last shot.
2007-10-01 08:20:15 · answer #10 · answered by gilgamesh 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋