2025 ICD-10-CM code W53.8
(Active) Effective Date: N/A External causes of morbidity - Exposure to animate mechanical forces 20 Feed
Contact with other rodent.
The W53.8 code can be used with 7th character extensions to indicate the encounter type:A (initial encounter), D (subsequent encounter) or S (sequela).
The medical necessity for the use of this code is determined by the need to document the external cause of the injury or condition. This information is important for epidemiological tracking and may be relevant for treatment decisions.
It is the clinician's responsibility to accurately document the nature of the contact with the rodent and any resulting injuries.The clinician should also ensure that the primary diagnosis reflects the injury itself, with W53.8 used as a secondary code.
- 20
- Accidents (V00-X58)Other external causes of accidental injury (W00-X58)Exposure to animate mechanical forces (W50-W64)
In simple words: Contact with a rodent other than a mouse, rat or squirrel.
Contact with other rodent.This code describes the circumstance causing an injury, not the injury itself.A corresponding code for the injury itself should be used as the primary code.
Example 1: A patient presents with a bite wound on their hand after being bitten by a hamster. The hamster bite is the primary diagnosis, and W53.8 is used as a secondary code to indicate the source of the bite., A patient presents with rat-bite fever.The rat-bite fever is the primary diagnosis, and W53.1 is used as the secondary code, since a rat is a specific type of rodent., A patient slips and falls while trying to avoid contact with a guinea pig. The appropriate codes for the slip and fall would be the primary codes, with the W53.8 code used to indicate the external cause of the fall.
Documentation should clearly specify the type of rodent involved, the nature of the contact (e.g., bite, scratch, other), and the resulting injury or condition.If the encounter is for an injury, details of the injury should be documented.
** This code excludes the toxic effect of contact with venomous animals and plants (T63.-).
- Specialties:The specialties that would use this code include, but aren't limited to: primary care, emergency medicine, and any specialty treating the resultant injury.
- Place of Service:The place of service can vary depending on the nature of the contact and resulting injury. Possible locations include physician's office, emergency room, hospital inpatient, and others.