Accidents with animals, especially dogs is quite common and may happen almost every time. Dogs may injure humans using either their claws or teeth. Dog bites itself may either be minor or fatal. According to the degree of severity and the biting dog’s background, you need to consider the most proper treatment method. The most crucial thing is that any wound caused by a dog bite—or other animal bites should be treated immediately after you are bitten. Do not wait as it may lead to unexpected more severe health problems.

What to be concerned when bitten by a dog

Many dog bite cases happen when the dog territory is trespassed or disturbed. An aggressive dog also tends to bite when distracted. When a dog bites a person who struggles to free himself, its instinct lead to even a firmer mouth grip, resulting in either an injury with torn surrounding skin or a deep puncture wound. There are some things to consider when you happen to be bitten by a dog. These are important to prevent further threat from the dog and to provide a proper treatment for the wound itself.

• Despite how scary or aggressive the dog is, do your best to remain sane when you are bitten. Do not struggle to free yourself by pulling the bitten part away from the dog’s mouth, as instinctually, the dog is going to grip it firmer and tighter.
• In case you are bitten by an unknown stray dog, do not touch or hit him to make him stop. Instead, attempt to identify the dog’s condition by paying attention to its physical signs. Dogs which are partially paralyzed and have bubbly gums can possibly be rabid, and this is definitely a threat for your entire health.
• Once the dog has released the bitten part, immediately seek for the first aid for your wound. A puncture wound coming from dog’s teeth penetration needs to be cleansing by letting it to bleed before washed under running tap water.

Treating a dog bite which breaks the skin

Although most dog bites are minor, it is possible to experience a dog bite which causes breaks on the skin. Treating a dog bite that causes breaks on the skin can be done based on how severe the breakage is.

• Dog bites causing superficial breaks to the skin

If the skin suffers from superficial scrapes or gash, let it bleed and clean it under running water. Do not use warm water as it may damage the skin tissues. After patting the wound dry, apply alcohol or hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting the wound. You can cover the wound using cotton bandage afterwards.

• If the bite causes deep puncture wound with slight skin breakage, you need to let the wound bleed. Put a pressure on the skin around the wound to encourage bleeding. Cleanse the wound under running water. Dog bite does not usually leave any debris, so that this will be enough for a cleansing purpose. However, do not apply iodine, peroxide, or alcohol the wound as it may slow the healing process. Instead, clean the wound with mild antiseptic soap. Puncture wound can be left unbandage, but if you choose to bandage it, be sure you have cleaned the wound thoroughly.
• If the wound is badly torn and the breakage happens to each side of separated skin edges, you might need to go to the ER immediately. Do not put any butterfly bandage to the wound, as it may increase the chance of infection if the wound is not thoroughly cleansed. Instead, put a pressure onto the injured area by covering it with a clean towel for several minutes. After observing the dog’s possible health condition from your explanation, the doctor is going to decide whether or not sutures can be performed to give the breaks proper enclosure. A shot for preventing rabies infection will probably be given as well.
• Antibiotics and other medications might be required for treating a dog bite wound with badly torn skin. Check with your doctor to get an accurate diagnosis and thus, proper medications.