What To Do If Bitten By A Dog

There are many reasons why it can happen, from a puppy biting you in the teeth to a strange dog on the street.It should be handled on a case-by-case basis.There are steps to be taken when handling a dog bite, but how to do so will depend on the situation and the severity of the injury.

Here’s Advice on Dealing with Dog Bites：

• Superficial Wounds
  If it’s a superficial scrape or gash, clean the wound with running water, and then hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl alcohol. Apply a topical antibiotic and cover with a bandage.

• Puncture Wounds

First of all, don’t be afraid to let the wound bleed. Unless you’ve lost a lot of blood or it is gushing out forcefully, or the wound is in your head or neck, (in which case call 911 immediately), wait five minutes. The flow of blood out of the wound will help to cleanse it. Five minutes later, try to stop the bleeding with direct pressure. Once again, if it does not stop, call for emergency assistance. If it does stop, wash the wound for 5 minutes with gentle soap. For puncture wounds, do not apply rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, or mercury. It can slow the healing. Puncture wounds do not usually require dressing, but if you choose to do so, make sure to clean your wound thoroughly. Fortunately, dog bites usually don't leave any debris or other items in the wound that would require removal.

• Disease and Rabies

The American Red Cross recommends that if you get bitten by an unfamiliar dog, don't attempt to stop, grab, or hold the animal. Get in touch with animal control so they can try to catch the dog, and call 911 so you can start the rabies shot immediately. If the animal that bit you seems to be partially paralyzed, acts aggressively, or behaves in a strange way, then it may be rabid. For any bite, be sure to clean and disinfect the wound thoroughly, because all animal bites can transmit bacteria and cause infection.

• What to Do if Your Puppy Bites You

puppy teething, they may bite you to establish dominance. This is just one stage of puppy growth. To break the puppy's habit, look for signs that he is about to bite, and then quickly stop him before he decides to. This will allow her to redirect from her biting instincts and eventually teach her not to. But the less you react to it, the less your puppy will value it. If you do get bitten, it is likely to be a superficial scratch, so refer to the instructions under "superficial wounds" above.

• What to Do if Your Dog Bites You
  Follow the general procedures, and then look at the causes of the bite. If it happened during a dog fight, then it was most likely accidental — your dog was in an aggressive zone and you were in the wrong place — so it was nothing personal, and you probably don’t have to worry about your dog suddenly biting you again.
  Do not discipline your dog long after the fact. She won’t connect discipline now with what she did in the past, so it will just confuse her. If she does remember biting you, she may show signs of submission afterwards (ears, tail, and head down). Practice no talk, no touch, and no eye contact for a while and remain calm.
  If your dog suddenly nips at you for no apparent reason, consult your veterinarian first. This may be a sign of pain or a hidden injury, which your vet can diagnose. If there are no obvious medical causes, then you have to look at what happened leading up to the bite. For example, did you suddenly sit too close to him on the couch, try to take away a favorite toy, or get too near the food bowl while he was eating?
  In those cases, you need to work with your dog to eliminate budding aggression by establishing rules, boundaries, and limitations, consulting with a professional trainer if necessary.

• What to Do if Someone Else’s Dog Bites You
  If the dog’s owner is present, then share names and contact numbers so you can get proof of rabies vaccination from them. Treat the wound as noted above.
  Afterward, check with the dog’s veterinarian to make sure the rabies vaccine is up to date. Animal control and the police should be notified of the incident so they ensure that the owner of the dog takes steps to prevent their dog from biting someone again.

Precautions for dog ownership:

1. People who have dogs must take their dogs to get vaccinated, which is to ensure the safety of the dog and to ensure their own safety.

2. For people's safety, pet owners should bring leashes when they go out to walk their dogs, and also train dogs moderately so that they can learn to get along with humans. When training a dog, there are snack rewards, and the effect will be better.

3. Train the dog's awareness of rules. When the dog still has counterattacks, attacks and other actions, it can be temporarily locked up in the dog cage for education and training.

Have you ever been bitten by a dog？