2025 ICD-10-CM code W54

Contact with dog. Includes contact with saliva, feces, or urine of dog.

This code should be used as a secondary code to a code from another chapter indicating the nature of the condition if applicable. If a bite or other injury occurred, a code from Chapter 19 (Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes) should be used primarily.

IMPORTANT W54.0XXA: Bitten by dog, initial encounter

In simple words: This code represents an encounter with a dog, including contact with its saliva, feces, or urine. It excludes bites or other injuries caused by venomous animals.

Contact with dog. Includes contact with saliva, feces, or urine of dog. Excludes: toxic effect of contact with venomous animals and plants (T63.-)

Example 1: A patient presents to the clinic after being licked by a dog. The patient has no injuries but is concerned about potential infections. The appropriate code is W54., A child playing in a park accidentally rolls in dog feces. The child's parents bring him to the clinic for a check-up. Code W54 is assigned., A patient is cleaning a dog kennel and is exposed to dog urine. They experience skin irritation and seek medical advice. The encounter is coded as W54.

Documentation should clearly specify the nature of the contact with the dog, including details such as licking, exposure to feces or urine, or any resulting symptoms. If there is an injury or bite, codes from Chapter 19 (Injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes) should be used primarily, with W54 as a secondary code.

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