How To Treat A Dog Bite

Introduction

If you’ve ever been bitten by a dog, you know the immediate pain and panic. Suddenly, your best friend’s adorable pooch seems to have turned into a snarling beast, and you’re not sure how to take care of yourself. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States—and most are children. But with some knowledge of what to do right away, plus a few days of follow-up treatment at home, you can help reduce the risk of infection or scarring that sometimes accompanies dog bites.

Check the wound–if it’s oozing blood, or if the bleeding doesn’t stop after 10 minutes of pressure, go to the ER.

As soon as you realize that your dog has bitten you, the first thing you need to do is keep pressure on the wound. Use a clean cloth, paper towel, or gauze to apply pressure directly onto the puncture site of the bite. Keep it there for 10 minutes, and if any bleeding starts up again after ten minutes have passed (or if it doesn’t stop), go straight to the emergency room.

If everything goes well and no more bleeding occurs after ten minutes of applied pressure, then take care of your wound at home by washing with soap and water as soon as possible after removing any dirt or debris from around it. Then apply an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin or Polysporin before covering it with gauze wrap or medical tape wrapped securely enough around so that there’s no chance for it coming off in case someone sneezes next time they see him!

Keep your dog and others away from the bitten area.

If the bite is on your hand, you’ll have to keep it elevated so that blood flows back to your heart. If you’re bitten on the arm or leg, try to keep it still and straighten it out as much as possible before applying a bandage.

If your dog’s teeth are visible when they bite down, they probably punctured the skin with their canines (the large pointy teeth). This is more likely to cause infection than if they chomped down with their molars (which look like narrow triangles).

Wash any open wound thoroughly with soap and water before trying any treatment methods to prevent infection.

Clean and disinfect around the wound, but don’t scrub it.

When it comes to cleaning a dog bite, you want to be as thorough as possible. If you don’t clean the wound properly and thoroughly, you run the risk of infection. After all, dogs have been known to carry rabies and other diseases that can cause infections in humans. For this reason alone, it’s important for a dog bite victim to clean the affected area with soap and water immediately after being bitten by a canine (and before seeking medical treatment).

Soap and warm water will help remove any dirt or debris from around your wound while also disinfecting it. Be sure not to scrub too hard—you don’t want to damage your skin further! Once done washing with soap and water (use antibacterial soaps if possible), use a clean towel or paper towel dry off around your wound before doing anything else with it. Next up: alcohol!

Put an antibiotic ointment on the wound to prevent infection.

• If you have an antibiotic ointment, apply it to the wound. This should go without saying, but do not apply the ointment to your dog’s skin. It’s meant for use on wounds only.
• The amount of ointment needed will depend on how much blood is flowing from the bite and how deep it is. Lightly coat the wound with a thin layer of antibiotic ointment (not too thick or too thin). Leave this on until it dries up naturally and flake off on its own by itself—this can take anywhere from two hours to several days depending upon how much damage was done by the dog bite before being treated with an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin® Plus Pain Relief Ointment or Polysporin® Original Ophthalmic Solution Eye Drops Suspension in each case less than 24 hours after applying topical antibiotics three times per day over seven days until healed completely)

Cover with a bandage, changing it every day.

Cover the wound with a bandage, changing it every day. Make sure that the bandage is not too tight. You don’t want to cut off circulation to your dog’s paw or tail, but you also don’t want to get blood everywhere when you change the dressing. Don’t use tape—it can pull at skin and fur when removed, which can be painful for both of you! And definitely do not use an Ace bandage: those things are known for slipping off in the middle of some extremely important tasks (like chasing squirrels), so they’re out of consideration as well.

It’s important that your first-aid solution isn’t too big or too small—if it’s either one of these things, then it could fall off easily while playing outside with friends (or even just walking around!). This will only lead to more pain on both ends since neither party wants their wounds visible in public places where everyone is watching them closely while they try their best not look worried about getting hurt again tomorrow morning during another round of backyard soccer practice with all their favorite people who live next door – including

their beloved family members who came over after lunch today because there were leftover hotdogs leftovers from yesterday evening’s potluck dinner party hosted by one neighbor over another.”

Dog bites are a reality of life–here’s how to treat them!

Dog bites are a reality of life, and they can be dangerous. Dog bites can cause infections, scarring, pain and emotional stress–not to mention financial stress when you need to pay for treatment.

If you have been bitten by a dog or know someone who has been bitten by one, here’s what you need to know:

• First aid is important! You should wash the bite area immediately with soap and water if it’s available; this helps prevent infection by removing dirt or bacteria from the wound. If it’s too painful for you to wash it yourself then ask someone else in your household who doesn’t live at home (e.g., your neighbor) or call 911 so that emergency responders can do this instead.*

Conclusion

Dog bites are a common occurrence, and they range from minor scratches to major wounds that need medical attention. Keep these tips in mind the next time you encounter a dog bite, or have one of your own furry friends nip at you! You’ll be prepared no matter if it’s just a scratch or something more serious.