Bitten by other mammals, initial encounter

This code signifies an injury resulting from a bite inflicted by a mammal other than a domestic animal (e.g., dog, cat), rodent, or human. It indicates the initial presentation for evaluation and treatment of such an injury.

Apply this code when a patient presents with a bite wound sustained from a wild mammal like a raccoon, fox, squirrel (if not specified as a rodent bite), or a zoo animal. This is appropriate for the first encounter related to the bite, including initial assessment, wound care, and prophylactic treatment.

• Always sequence this code as a primary diagnosis when the bite is the reason for the encounter.
• Requires an additional code for the specific bite wound (e.g., open wound, puncture wound) and any associated infection.
• Do not use for bites from domestic animals (W54, W55.0-W55.4), rodents (W55.2), or humans (W50.0).