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First Aid for Dog Bites
What should you do if you have been bitten by a dog?
See a doctor immediately if the injury seems serious.
Use soap and water to wash the wound.
Keep the injured area elevated above the level of the heart to
slow swelling.
Apply pressure with a clean towel or cloth to stop the
bleeding.
Apply a sterile bandage to the wound.
Report the incident to the proper authority in your community
(for example, police or animal control).
Contact a doctor immediately if you have any of the
following symptoms:
You have any signs of infection, such as redness, swelling,
warmth, increased tenderness, fever or oozing from the wound.
You have a dog bite on your hand, foot or head, or you have a
bite that is deep or gaping.
You have bleeding that hasn't stopped after 15 minutes of
pressure or you think you may have a broken bone, nerve damage
or other serious injury.
You have diabetes, liver or lung disease, cancer, acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), or other conditions that
weaken your ability to fight infection.
Your last tetanus shot was more than 5 years ago. (If so, you
may need a booster shot.)
What will the doctor do to treat your bite?
Clean the wound with a special solution and remove any damaged
tissue.
Examine the wound for possible nerve or tendon damage, or bone
injury. The doctor will also check for signs of infection.
The doctor might use stitches to close a bite wound, but often
the wound is left open to heal, so the risk of infection is
lowered.
The doctor might prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.
The doctor might give you a tetanus shot if you had your last
shot more than 5 years ago.
If your injury is severe, or if the infection has not gotten
better even though you're taking antibiotics, your doctor may
suggest that you see a specialist and/or go to the hospital,
where you can get special medicine given directly in your
veins (intravenous antibiotics) and further treatment if
necessary.
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