George K.
While a dog is a man’s best friend, they can bare their fangs from time to time. More often than not, when a dog bites you, it’s out of fear. If they are a puppy or overly playful, dogs will also bite out of excitement.
There are also times dogs will bite you because they believe you are a threat or they are scared. This happens often with dogs you encounter on the street. Being bitten by a dog is frightening and happens more than you may think. Every year nearly 5 million adults and children suffer from dog bites.
What do you do when it’s done? How do you move forward to treat injuries? Keep reading to find out.
Do Not Panic
In the moment and right after a dog bite experience, your mind and body are processing a lot of information. You are either sensing pain or you may not sense any pain at all due to the adrenaline rush that occurs.
Although it is hard to completely control the actions of a dog, you may be able to prevent a dog bite from getting worse if you do not panic and attempt to get them to stop.
Some dogs may bite once or twice and pull away. Others may continue to bite you or hold on to your limbs for an extended period. Whenever possible, try to take control of the situation to get them away from you.
Treating Puncture Injuries
You should inspect your injury well following a dog bite to get a general idea of the extent of the damage. When you have a puncture wound, the teeth enter deep into your skin so do not be worried to allow the wound to bleed first before cleaning it.
This will help reduce the number of germs from the bite. However, if you are losing a lot of blood, or you notice blood is coming out forcefully, it is better to seal off the wound to stop it from bleeding.
When the dog bite is on the head of the neck, you want to make extra sure you stop the loss of blood. Be to clean the wound, do it with water and soap. Never use harsh cleansers.
Treating Superficial Injuries
Superficial injuries are the least frightening and involve less blood loss and injury. You want to run the injured area over water and apply a gentle cleanser. Apply a good antibiotic and cover the wound using a bandaid.
Check for Potential Disease
When you are bitten by an unknown dog, you have to worry about the potential for disease. The American Red Cross informs people to never stop, catch, or hold the canine afterward. Instead, you need to contact animal control for professionals to capture the animal.
You need to call 911 for help to inform authorities of the situation so they can take you to the right place for vaccinations to be started immediately. It helps to take note of the dog’s behavior. When they act strangely or aggressively or move in a partially paralyzed manner, they may be rabid.
Head to the Doctor
After calling 911, you may find your way at the hospital for a doctor to see you. If you are in a situation where you do not call authorities or did not get it looked at by a healthcare professional, you should make it a priority to do it yourself.
Any wound, no matter how large or small, can cause infection. If you go by how a wound looks alone, you may have issues later. In the case where the wound is deep, you will need stitches. Anytime you are unsure about a wound, get the advice of a doctor.
When Someone Else’s Dog Bites You
A rogue dog on the street can bite you, and the solution to controlling that animal is to contact animal control. You should never try to restrain the dog by yourself. In cases where you experience a dog bite from someone else, you will need to speak with the dog owner and work with a dog bite attorney. Be sure to exchange information such as your name and number with the dog’s owner.
After a bite, you are left with physical and emotional damage that requires medical attention. This treatment not only takes time and energy from you, but it involves money too.
Aim to work with the owner and a lawyer to work on a settlement to help rectify and resolve the issue. Do not forget it should be a priority to check with a vet whether or not the dog is vaccinated.
When Your Dog Bites You
There are moments when your dog may attempt to bite you. If you have a puppy and you are alarmed with the biting, be aware that this is typical dominance behavior. These bites can hurt, but no not often cause injury. It is best you assert dominance to let them know biting is not ok.
When it is a grown dog that bites you, you want to identify the cause. It may be accidental. There is no need to discipline them if they do it once, but you should if they attempt more than that. Some dogs understand the behavior is wrong and will show signs of submission.
However, if your dog is showing signs of aggression, this may be either a sign of pain or another matter. Get your veterinarian involved and widen the space between you and your dog. Work to reduce aggression first then re-establish boundary rules
When You’re Bitten by a Dog You Should Make Treatment a Priority
Getting bitten by a dog has a different reaction for those when it is their dog versus a stranger’s. As the scenario is different, the way to resolve the problem is also different. What isn’t different is the way you should handle the matter in regards to treatment.
When your dog bites you, you may have to worry less about the disease, but the physical and emotional injury from the sense of betrayal can be strong. When someone else’s dog bites you, you also should make physical and emotional treatment a priority.
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