What to do if you are bitten by a stray dog

First aid for a dog bite

Many people do not know how to treat a dog bite, which is why they often do it incorrectly. The first rule is that before treating a wound with an antiseptic, it must be thoroughly washed using water and soap, and it is better if the soap is laundry soap.

This is because it contains many times more alkali, which prevents bacteria from entering the wound. This must be done in any case, even if the dog did not bite until it bled, because invisible scratches may remain on the skin, which are also a “gateway” for infection.

You should not use alcohol, vodka, brilliant green, etc. to treat the wound. You can resort to such antiseptics only if you do not have hydrogen peroxide on hand. It is with its help that it is better to treat a bite. And the antiseptics listed above can slow down wound healing due to tissue burns.

After this, it is advisable to apply a tight gauze bandage to the bite site and consult a doctor. Well, if there is heavy bleeding at the wound site, do not waste time and call an ambulance.

First aid

Before you figure out what to do initially if a dog bites you, you should know information about the types of dog bites. The following types of bites are distinguished:

puncture – a wound that is deeper than wide. Blood loss is observed, which requires stopping it. Afterwards, cleansing is carried out with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory drugs, applied over gauze;
laceration – occurs when a dog’s teeth slide across the skin and apply pressure at the same time. This dog bite is characterized by noticeable damage to the skin. Peeling and scalping of the skin is possible. Often the hands, fingers, and feet are affected. The most vulnerable spot in children is if the dog bites the face or head.

The algorithm for initial assistance to adults if a dog has attacked and bitten is often the same.

The bitten area is treated.
Going to the hospital.

bite treatment

First aid for a dog bite is as follows:

if there are many wounds, they bleed heavily, bites are life-threatening, then immediate medical attention is required;
with small blood losses, it is not stopped immediately; as the blood flows, the pathological organisms that entered during the bite will leave the bitten area. If there is strong blood flow, a tourniquet is applied;
the victim should drink plenty of fluids;
how to treat the wound? Treat the bitten area by making a mixture of laundry soap, rub it on a grater and fill it with water. Thanks to the alkaline environment of soap, rabies viruses that penetrate when a dog bite occurs are deactivated;
We treat dog wounds with a soap solution, soaking bandages and cloth napkins in it, and wash the bites for 15 minutes;
treating the wound after a dog bite with an antiseptic - Chlorhexidine, Miramistin;
do not fill the wound with peroxide, brilliant green, iodine, this causes a chemical burn;
Cover the treated area with a napkin or bandage;
call doctors or go to the clinic yourself to get help.

If a domestic dog has bitten you, take the veterinary passport to the doctor. After examining the records in it, the doctor will determine what vaccinations have been given, whether it is worth vaccinating the dog now, whether the pet was vaccinated on time and whether it needs a rabies vaccination.

going to hospital

If a stray dog is running down the street with a chip on its ear, this means that it has been vaccinated. At the same time, even if a vaccinated dog has bitten, a doctor is visited to clean the wound.

If there is an assumption that the bite was from a rabid dog, you need to induce bleeding. In this case, the affected area is strongly massaged and the skin may be incised to allow blood to escape. Only after the bite area is disinfected and a bandage is applied. For lacerated wounds, they need to be stitched up. To eliminate the adverse consequences of a dog bite, injections are given with an antibiotic - Amoxicillin, Clavulanate, Metronidazole. If there is reliable information that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies, then only a tetanus injection is given.

Dog bite - treatment

Animal bites should not be treated at home! Firstly, bite wounds can often be lacerated and accompanied by severe blood loss, secondly, a lot of pathogenic microorganisms that can cause suppuration and infection enter the bloodstream with the animal’s saliva, thirdly, a stray dog bite in most cases requires vaccination against rabies which is carried out only by a doctor.

And don't be afraid. Rabies vaccination today is not 40 injections in the stomach, but only 6 over 3 months (1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 90 days after the bite), and even then in the shoulder, which is transferred to times easier.

When deciding how to treat a dog bite, doctors evaluate the severity of the bite, its location, the presence of dead skin around it, signs of inflammation and suppuration, etc. Beforehand, the surgeon may even remove some skin around the injury to avoid infection.

After this, the wound is washed and thoroughly cleaned, the patient is prescribed a course of antibiotics, the purpose of which is also to prevent suppuration. With all this, the wound may not be sutured during this time in order to prevent infection and other complications. Instead, a sterile bandage is applied to it, and only after a few days is it stitched up.

Your doctor may also refer you for a tetanus vaccination if you have not had this vaccination, because in addition to rabies, the animal’s saliva also poses a risk of this dangerous infection. Fortunately, the tetanus vaccination is just one shot, not 6.

What to do if a dog attacks a child

If you are bitten by a dog, do not panic. This can make the situation even worse. Actions are only clear and reasonable.

Immediately after the bite, the child's wound is washed.
Laundry soap is used.
Treat the area with brilliant green and iodine. Products should not get into the wound.
A visit to the emergency room is required.

Often, the hospital carries out washing and treatment using disinfectant medications. Next, a bandage is applied. In severe situations, surgery is required.

Damage is dangerous if earth and dirt penetrate into it. The child will certainly be vaccinated against tetanus.

Basically, an animal bites a child out of fear. Children may not perceive that their interaction with a dog is like a toy, squeezing and grabbing. Even a well-mannered dog cannot cope with these taunts; instinct and rage are higher than an animal. The animal thinks he is in danger, so he bites the child. In this situation, you need to pay more attention to the child, and not to the dog.

dog bites child

Which doctor should I contact if I have a dog bite? After a bite, you urgently need to go to the emergency room. Rabies therapy is carried out by a rabies specialist, but not every clinic has one, so you can address the problem to a traumatologist or infectious disease specialist. Especially when the dog bit the face, neck, arm, fingers and they became swollen, which indicates an infection. When an animal attacks children, it is necessary to work with a psychologist.

A child was bitten by a dog - what to do?

If a child has been bitten by a dog, you shouldn’t even think about how to treat a dog bite at home! The child’s body is even more susceptible to infection, and if the wound is lacerated, it requires a neat suture that will not leave scars.

The first thing you need to do if a child is bitten by a dog is to calm him down. In a gentle manner, stop the child’s crying, explain that everything will heal, that the doctor will treat the wound and there will be no trace left of it.

If a domestic dog has bitten the child, the child may need the help of a child psychologist, since there is a high probability of fear of dogs and other pets, fear of betrayal, etc.

Help DOC.ua : If you are bitten by a dog, without wasting a minute, consult a surgeon.

What to discuss with the dog owner

What to find out

Preventing Dog Bites name and phone number. You will need this to find out if your dog has rabies.

Also find out when and what vaccinations the animal received. If the vaccinations are available and they are fresh, then you will be calmer, and epidemiologists or veterinary services will not be looking for the dog’s owner.

What can I offer

Suggest that the owner have the dog tested for rabies by a veterinarian and monitor it for 10 days. If everything is fine with the animal, you will receive fewer vaccinations.

What to warn about

If the dog's owner refuses to cooperate, explain to him that information from the emergency room is automatically sent to the epidemiology center, veterinary service and police.

The owner can be held accountable for violating the rules for keeping pets and fined 5,000 rubles.

Algorithm of actions in case of a bite

It is necessary to understand in advance that dog bites cannot be treated at home. This is too serious damage related to physical trauma. Otherwise, you can easily lose the bitten part of the body. A careless attitude often results in additional problems.

If bitten by a small domestic dog, the wound still needs to be carefully treated

Even if the dog slightly bit your arm or leg without leaving a deep wound, it is still recommended to see a doctor. Consultation with medical personnel will not be superfluous here. Let's consider the sequence of actions.

Safe distance. The first thing to do is take a position away from the animal. If a child is bitten by a pet dog, you need to act quickly and without hesitation. A safe distance will protect you from new attacks.
Call an ambulance. As soon as the threat of a second attack has passed, you should immediately call a team of medical personnel.
Treatment of the wound. Before the ambulance arrives, you must try to alleviate the victim’s condition. It is necessary to clean the wound from dirt and animal saliva. To do this, it is recommended to wash the wound surface with clean water and soap. The use of hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine is also acceptable. The edges of the wound can be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or iodine.

Bleeding

If the blood loss after a dog bite is small, then it can not be stopped until specialists arrive. In case of a significant wound, a sterile pressure bandage should be applied to the wound. These simple steps will help prevent further serious complications. Heavy bleeding can significantly worsen the situation, so you should try to eliminate it as soon as possible.

A sterile pressure bandage should be applied to the wound.

Psychological shock

A dog bite is a severe psychological test for the psyche. After an event, a person often feels depressed, confused, and unwilling to communicate with others. These are manifestations of psychological shock. When the usual picture of the world collapses, the individual is left alone with his anxiety and does not know how to live further. At the same time, oddly enough, it doesn’t really matter how hard the dog bites.

What vaccinations should I get?

Photo: ivanovgood/pixabay.com

After you have stopped the bleeding and talked to the dog's owner, you will need to go to the emergency room. If you don’t know where the nearest one is, call an ambulance - they will tell you everything. It must be said that this rule is relevant even if you were bitten by your own pet, and even when you were not bitten at all, but dog saliva got on your skin.

At the emergency room, you will receive rabies and tetanus shots. Both of these diseases are deadly , so you can’t hesitate - after a day it may be too late.

The first rabies injection is given immediately after the bite, the next ones on the third, seventh, fourteenth, thirtieth and ninetieth day. However, if the dog that attacked you turns out to be healthy, you can get away with three vaccines. This scheme is common for everyone: children, adults and pregnant women, only the first one is vaccinated in the thigh, and the rest - in the shoulder.

But not everyone gets tetanus vaccinations - it depends on the severity and contamination of the wounds, as well as on the number of similar vaccinations you have already had. One way or another, vaccines against rabies and tetanus are administered free of charge.

In addition, during the attack, the dog could damage your internal organs, muscles and tendons, and this situation also requires urgent medical attention. Do not forget that stitches on lacerated wounds must be applied in the first 12 hours after their appearance - otherwise you may be left with deep scars on your body.

Causes of bites

In many cases, you can avoid animal aggression by following the rules of communication with unfamiliar dogs:

You should not get close to the animal, especially while eating;
Small children who pull animals by the ears or tail should be taken away;
do not touch puppies - the maternal instinct of protection is triggered in animals;
when sniffing a strange dog, you should not make sudden movements - it is perceived as a threat;
At close range you should not look a stranger’s dog in the eyes - this is perceived as a challenge.

There are cases of owners of fighting breeds inciting fighting breeds against people. Persons for such acts face not just an administrative fine for a dog bite, but a real prison term, although this can be difficult to prove.