# Bit by a leech **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 20, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bit-by-a-leech/658917 "2013-05-20T22:44:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lalagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a4c791/32.png) [@lalagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bit-by-a-leech/658917/1 "2013-05-20T22:44:40Z")
a few days ago i was mudding with my family and went to thelake near by to rinse off and when i got back from rinsing off i noticed a black thing on me and i thought it was mud i didnt rinse off. i took it off and felt it wasnt mud and knew it had to be a leech. i bled for about an hour. it now looks like a red bump. is that normal? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bit-by-a-leech/658917/2 "2013-05-21T11:51:27Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, **lalagirl**. You bumped an old thread to ask your question, which is fine – but rather than confuse people, I moved your thread to IMHO, where medical questions go, and made it its own topic. Hopefully someone will be along soon who knows about leeches. **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bit-by-a-leech/658917/3 "2013-05-21T12:06:37Z")
> [@lalagirl](#): > > a few days ago i was mudding with my family Mudding? I’ve known a few guys that have pulled off leeches, and your description is typical. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bit-by-a-leech/658917/4 "2013-05-21T16:44:45Z")
Yes, that’s normal. Keep an eye out for signs of infection, particularly redness around the wound site. I miss **jjimm**. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bit-by-a-leech/658917/5 "2013-05-21T18:55:34Z")
The extended (1 hour) bleeding is probably due to Hirudin from the leech which prevents blood from clotting and confirmation that it was indeed a leech. ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bit-by-a-leech/658917/6 "2013-05-21T19:33:14Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Mudding? I think mudding is the sport of getting drunk and driving through wetlands in monster trucks. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bit-by-a-leech/658917/7 "2013-05-21T21:33:59Z")
> [@VernWinterbottom](#): > > I think mudding is the sport of getting drunk and driving through wetlands in monster trucks. Thanks for that. I wonder if they ever drink Mint Juleps whilst driving, thus having a muddled drink while mudding. ---
**Author:** ![Tara57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Tara57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tara57)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bit-by-a-leech/658917/8 "2013-05-22T19:46:45Z")
My son got bit by a leech. The bite mark looked like a round cigarette burn for maybe a week. It didn’t cause any problems. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bit-by-a-leech/658917/9 "2013-05-22T21:37:41Z")
**Bit By A Leech.** Sundays at 9 on ABC.