If the bite is not bleeding severely, wash the wound thoroughly with mild soap and running water for 3 to 5 minutes. Then cover the bite with antibiotic ointment and a clean dressing. An animal bite may not appear to be life-threatening, but if left untreated the bite can lead to a serious infection.
If the wound is not bleeding heavily, clean it with soap and water, and hold it under running water for several minutes. Dry the wound, apply antibiotic ointment, and cover it with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. Call your doctor if the bite or scratch broke or punctured the skin, even if the area is small.
If you've been bitten by an animal or another person: clean the wound immediately by running warm tap water over it for a couple of minutes – it's a good idea to do this even if the skin doesn't appear to be broken. remove any objects from the bite, such as teeth, hair or dirt.
Although you can provide first aid for a dog bite at home, it's very important to see a doctor, especially if an unfamiliar dog bit you, the bite is deep, you can't stop the bleeding, or there are any signs of infection (redness, swelling, warmth, pus).
Animal bite infections are serious and can even be life-threatening if left untreated. Animal bites that don't break the skin are not at risk for infection. Scrapes or scratches that just graze the skin's surface have a minimal risk of infection. Cuts or lacerations have a higher risk of infection.
To avoid developing tetanus, seek medical advice immediately if you are bitten and the skin is broken. Tetanus is a serious bacterial infection that releases toxins into the blood, and it can be fatal. Your healthcare professional may recommend you have a tetanus booster injection.
After being bitten, most people who become ill will show symptoms within 3 to 5 days, but this can range anywhere from 1 to 14 days. Most Capnocytophaga infections usually occur with dog or cat bites.
Level 1: No skin-contact by teeth – can be exuberant obnoxious behavior or aggression. Level 2: Skin contact made but no punctures. There may be small lacerations. Level 3: One-four shallow punctures from a single bite and potentially small lacerations from pulling the biting dog or victim body part away.
Dog bites are classified by severity. Level 1: The dog's teeth don't touch the skin. Level 2: The dog's teeth touch, but do not break, the skin. Level 3: There are one to four shallow puncture wounds in the skin. Level 4: One to four punctures from a single bite.
According to the Academy of Pediatrics, infection occurs in about 10 to 15 percent of dog bites. Dog bites that go untreated without proper cleaning and medical care are at increased risk of developing infections, which can be passed to another through bacteria.
Can a Dog That Bites Ever Be Trusted Again? With enough patience and care, many dogs can learn how to manage their stress levels more effectively. As you build better communication skills with your dog, you'll also start to rebuild your trust with them.
Rabies is transmitted only when the virus is introduced into a bite wound, open cuts in skin, or onto mucous membranes such as the mouth or eyes.
Dog bites can introduce dangerous bacteria into the body. This can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections to occur when left untreated. It's very important to wash the wound as soon as you're bitten and to use topical antibiotics, such as povidone iodine, in and around broken skin.
Always seek professional medical treatment after being bitten or attacked by a dog. The risk of infection from a dog bite is far too great to ignore. After you've been medically treated -- even if the injury was minor -- file a dog bite report with the proper city or county authorities.
The 10-day confinement and observation period for dogs and cats that bite humans has stood the test of time as a way to prevent human rabies. This quarantine period avoids the need to destroy the biting dog or cat in order to test its brain for the rabies virus.
A dog bite that visibly oozes pus or feels hot to the touch is one of the more obvious signs that the wound is infected. In a case like this, the doctor may need to clean and debride the wound, or prescribe a round of antibiotics.
Level Two:
At a level two bite, a dog's teeth will make contact with a person's skin and leave some redness or light bruising but does not break the skin.
Level 3. One to four punctures from a single bite with no puncture deeper than half the length of the dog's canine teeth. Maybe lacerations in a single direction, caused by victim pulling hand away, owner pulling dog away, or gravity (little dog jumps, bites and drops to floor).
Experiencing a dog bite can be traumatic, with lasting impacts beyond just the physical injuries. Often, dog bite victims may experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after being bitten, especially children.
How Necessary Is Medical Care For a Dog Bite? In general, most experts recommend seeking medical care within 24 hours after you've been bitten—especially if the bite has broken the skin. Dog bites can cause medical problems that aren't immediately obvious, such as rabies.
Only 15 to 20 percent of dog bite wounds become infected. Crush injuries, puncture wounds and hand wounds are more likely to become infected than scratches or tears.
A tetanus shot may be required if you have not had one within 10 years; if you are not sure when you had your last tetanus shot, and you've been bitten, you should get one within 72 hours after your injury. If bitten, but the bleeding is minor, cleanse and treat the wound as you would a minor wound.