Dogs are beloved domestic pets, but they still have remnants of their wild nature – sometimes, they even bite. Every year, thousands of people require significant medical attention as a result of dog bites. If you were at the scene of a dog attack, would you know what to do?
What Do I Do After a Dog Bite?
The first priority in any first aid scenario involving a dog attack is to ensure the dog in question is no longer a threat; with any luck, the owner is on hand to control it. If not, you should move to a safe location. If the owner is around, you may want to ask them for their contact details, as there may be queries later about whether the dog has been vaccinated.
Note the dog’s appearance and breed if the dog is unaccompanied. Authorities may need to capture the dog and test it for disease. When you’ve minimized the risk of any further attacks, you can get on with the task of treating the dog bite.
Dog Bite Treatment
How a bite is handled depends on how serious the wound is. There is less risk of infection if the skin is not broken, but washing the area with warm water and soap is still a good idea. You should also apply antiseptic or antibacterial cream if available.
There is a much worse risk of infection if the skin is broken. Again, washing the area with soap and water is a good place to start. Press on the wound gently to allow some bleeding, if you can – this can help the blood to flush out bacteria.
Apply a clean cloth to the wound to stop blood flow if it continues bleeding, then apply some antibacterial or antiseptic cream after the flow has slowed down.
Can Dog Bites Cause Disease?
In a word, yes. You should monitor any dog bite carefully for signs of infection. If the area becomes red, swells, is unusually warm, or is tender to the touch, have it looked at by a doctor.
Even if none of these signs are there, it’s a good idea to show any bite that draws blood to a doctor, especially if you’re unsure when your last tetanus shot was. If they aren’t treated properly, animal bites can be dangerous, especially to small children.
How Can I be Better Prepared?
The sooner a dog bite is treated with first aid, the better, like any other injury. You could greatly reduce how severe an injury ends up by making sure you know how to help before you need to.
Accredited first aid training is one of the best ways to prepare yourself for treating a dog bite or any other medical emergency.
This may seem like a big step, but it doesn’t need to be – a first aid course can be found everywhere from Bucharest to Brisbane, and it only takes about a day to complete. That’s not a big sacrifice to ensure you’re prepared for any medical emergency.
