What Is The Care Of Dog Bites?

The statistics on dog bite care indicate two important facts. The first is that nearly two-thirds of these incidents occur with domestic pets. The second important fact is that, in most cases, the victims are children.

Dogs are friendly animals and are supportive of humans. However, there are times when they attack for different reasons. That doesn’t mean they changed their character. There are simply circumstances in which the instinct to bite overwhelms the affection that animals feel for their owners.

Dog bite care needs to be a little more delicate when it comes from an unknown dog. In these cases, it is difficult to determine the health status of the animal and, therefore, greater care needs to be taken.

The main cares with dog bites

Chief among dog bite care is prevention. There is a set of basic measures that must be taken into account before something unwanted happens. These are some of them:

• It is important to know the characteristics of the breed of dog chosen as a pet. Each breed and each dog has specific temperament traits. Some are more likely to attack.
• It is very helpful to teach children the basic rules of respect for animals.
• It is not recommended to leave a child alone with a dog, especially if the animal is unknown.
• You must be very careful when approaching a dog that is eating or a female that is with her puppies.
• Approaching an unknown dog must be done carefully, never suddenly.
• It is important to become familiar with dog language. If you don’t know the dog, it’s best to stay away from him.

It is recommended that the dog have a fixed place to eat. This place must be relatively isolated. If there are people walking near him while he eats, it can make him nervous or aggressive.

If someone is attacked by a dog you don’t know, it’s best to stay calm. Then try to back away slowly. You should avoid looking at the dog as he will interpret this as a threat.

Care of light dog bites

Normally, dog bites are mild. In such cases, it is possible to give the situation home treatment. The first thing to do is to examine the lesion to make sure it is not deep. Sometimes animals can make us sick.

If the bleeding is not too great, the wound should be allowed to bleed for a moment. This will remove some of the bacteria that may be on the skin. Afterwards, it is recommended to apply pressure to help stop the bleeding.

Then the wound should be washed with hot water for 5 minutes and then with cold water for the same time. It is advisable to use antibacterial soap. The wound should be dried with gauze or a paper towel. Common towels should not be used as they may contain viruses or some impurities.

Then apply antibiotic ointment and cover the wound with a sterile bandage. The bandage should completely cover the affected area. It shouldn’t be too loose, but it can’t exert pressure to the point of discomfort.

The wound must be washed every day with antibacterial soap. After that, it is necessary to change the dressing. It is not advisable to use hydrogen peroxide as it usually causes dryness of the skin.

More serious complications and injuries

If, when checking the wound, it is found to be deep, it is advisable to go to the veterinarian immediately. This measure is one of the precautions with dog bites, especially urgent, if the bleeding is very heavy.

It is very important to check that the dog is vaccinated against rabies. If the dog is unknown, follow him for 10 days. If at the end of that time he’s still alive, he’s probably not angry.

In cases where it is impossible to check the dog’s health status, you should not hesitate to go to the emergency department immediately. Rabies is a serious illness that can lead to death if not treated in time.

In all cases,  if signs of inflammation and redness appear around the wound, the doctor should be consulted as soon as possible. The same is true if the bleeding doesn’t stop within 10 to 15 minutes.

Most likely, a doctor will prescribe antibiotics to prevent any complications. It is important to strictly follow the indications on doses and times for taking these medications.

Main image, courtesy of Viv Lynch.