Tetanus Shot After Injury

You may need a tetanus shot depending on how dirty the wound is and how long it has been since your last shot.

• For a dirty wound that has things like dirt, saliva, or feces in it, you may need a shot if:
  • You haven’t had a tetanus shot in the past 5 years.
  • You don’t know when your last shot was.
• For a clean wound, you may need a shot if:
  • You have not had a tetanus shot in the past 10 years.
  • You don’t know when your last shot was.