Treating Dog Bites

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

21 May 2007 07:46 PM

In case you don't know me in my other life as a Pets Blogger here at Families.com, I'm the owner of two dogs. We just weathered a cross country drive to relocate to the Portland, Oregon area... and had our first adventure at the dog park when a wheaten terrier attacked my Moose. In all the excitement, I got bit on the thigh.

Well, let that be a lesson to me (and to you) -- it's never a good idea to try to physically break up two dogs that are fighting. But I wasn't exactly thinking clearly; there was a dog attacking my Moose and I had to save him. Moose ended up needing stitches in his ear for his booboo. I got a tetanus shot for mine.

Dog bites are actually pretty common, as far as household and yard type injuries go. And treatment is relatively easy, too.

1. Separate the dog and the bite victim. In my case, this wasn't as much of a problem. The dog's owner quickly got a leash on him and got him under control. But you don't want to start doing any first aid until you're sure the dog won't be chomping again. If the owner is present, ask if the dog is up to date on all shots. If the dog isn't, you may need shots for rabies -- and that sure isn't fun.
2. Stop any bleeding. Apply pressure to the wound until the bleeding stops. If you can't get the bleeding to stop relatively quickly, you may need to head to the emergency room for stitches.
3. Clean the wound with soap and water. Some experts suggest running water over the wound for at least five minutes to be sure to rinse everything away. I washed my bite twice: once before rushing Moose to the vet for stitches and again when I got home an hour later.
4. Cover the wound with a clean, dry bandage or sterile gauze. Use antibiotic ointment if you want, though you may want to check with your doctor first.
5. Watch for infection -- redness, swelling, pus, pain, and heat.

It doesn't hurt to visit your doctor's office, either. I was due for a tetanus shot, so I got one from the local emergency clinic. If the bite starts to get infected, I've got two different types of antibiotics to take to clear things up. Hopefully, I won't need them!

If you are caring for a person who has been bitten by a dog and is bleeding, be sure to protect yourself before administering any first aid. Wear gloves to prevent contact with another person's blood.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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