DR. WALLACE: When I was playing with our dog, he accidentally bit my finger when trying to get a ball that I was throwing. My mom washed my finger with soap and water and put some hydrogen peroxide on the bite wound, and it healed in about two weeks. A month later, my 3-year-old brother bit me on the arm because I wouldn't give him a piece of my candy bar. He was disciplined, but I'm the one who suffered.

Again, my mom washed the wound with soap and peroxide, but 10 days later I went to a doctor because the bite wound became infected. The doctor told my mom and me that a human bite was more serious because of the possibility of infection. Why would a human bite be worse than a dog bite? I hope you can answer my question because our whole family is depending on you. — Stacey, Moncton, New Brunswick

STACEY: Dr. Elliot Goldstein, a bite specialist in California, can explain the difference between a human bite and a dog bite. When asked, he said that he would rather be bitten by a dog than by a human because human bites transmit more bacteria and are more likely to become infected. That doesn't even take into consideration the bite from the infamous Count Dracula!

I LIKE TO WEAR COMBAT BOOTS

DR. WALLACE: My parents recently divorced, and I am now living in another state with my grandparents, who are very nice but stuffy. When I moved in, the first thing they told me was that they loved me very much — that's good! Then they told me they didn't like my choice of clothes (sweatshirts and baggy jeans) and were going to dress me like a young lady.

I don't think this is fair! If my parents were still living together, I wouldn't have to change my clothing styles. My grandparents want me to wear sweaters, loose-fitting slacks and "normal" shoes instead of combat boots.

There is a possibility that my mom might get married in four or five months. If that happens, I'll live with her and her new husband. That would mean I could go back to my sweatshirts and baggy jeans. And it would also mean the new wardrobe my grandparents plan to buy for me would be given to the Salvation Army. What can I do to get them to understand all this? — Serena, Atlanta.

SERENA: Since you are living with your grandparents, you're going to have to relent. I suggest you give their clothing style a chance. Who knows, you just might like the new look. If you do move back with your mother and decide to return to sweatshirts, baggy jeans and combat boots, so be it.

The Salvation Army is a wonderful charitable group and will be happy to benefit from your almost-new clothes. Someone will be happy to acquire them at bargain prices! I sure hope it will be a teen.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.