Last Updated on: November 8, 2024
Table of Contents:
According to a study released by the Center For Disease Control (CDC), it was indicated that there were about 4.5 million reported dog bites in the United States each year, and of these bites, around 800,000 sought medical attention. Rabies is one of the most concerning conditions that can be transmitted during a dog bite. However, a properly vaccinated dog usually does not pose to be a carrier for this condition.
Domesticated and well-trained dogs don’t usually cause a dog bite. But that does not promise the fact that they will never cause a bite injury. Any trigger or provocative action that irritates the dog can often end up in a dog bite. In this blog, we shall discuss all the necessary steps for dog bite first aid and factors to be taken into consideration when encountering a dog bite.
Dog bites are not life-threatening if caused by a vaccinated and non-rabid dog. Such a bite does not cause any potential harm. However, if left untreated, it can become infectious. The main factor affecting the severity of this infection is nothing less than the delay in treatment.
Since the chances that a dog will never bite its owner are 0 percent, make sure not to skip your dog’s vaccine schedule. Ensure that their rabies inoculations are done in a timely manner.
Dog bites from a non-vaccinated dog can result in rabies in humans. Around 99% of rabies cases reported in human beings have been transmitted from non-vaccinated dogs.
Apart from whether a dog is vaccinated, a couple of other factors determine the answer to “Is a dog bite dangerous?” This includes the depth of the bite wound, the distance from the bite site to the nearest blood vessel or nerve, the underlying tissues affected, etc.
Depending on how near a nerve is present to the bite site, the greater the threat to damage of that nerve. In addition, once all the symptoms of rabies are set in a victim, the condition is 100 per cent lethal.
The major dangers what you can get from a dog bite could be listed as:
When you come to encounter a dog bite, receiving first aid is of utmost importance. However, the kind of first aid you will need depends upon the severity of the wound from the dog bite.
If the dog bite has not broken your skin, washing with soap and water is sufficient first aid. After thorough washing, applying an antibacterial ointment or lotion can serve as a precaution to avoid any further wound infection.
If the dog bite has resulted in your skin breaking, don’t panic. Start the first aid by thoroughly washing the bite wound with soap. Then, gently press on the side of the wound to promote a small amount of bleeding. Promoting this kind of small bleeding can help you flush out any microbe that could have entered through the wound. Later apply an antiseptic ointment over the wound.
If the dog bite has resulted in immediate bleeding, bring it to the attention of anyone around you.
Irrespective of the wound size, note the progress of wound healing and monitor for any infection until the wound is completely healed. Once the first aid is completed, the affected person must undergo medical supervision under a doctor who can help with vaccinations to avoid further damage.
The answer to this can be neither yes nor no. Saying that a puppy bite is not dangerous is misinformation. Puppy bites are dangerous but less dangerous as compared to dog bites. The extent of the danger of a puppy bite is determined by several factors, such as:
Therefore, a puppy should also be vaccinated on time. The bite from a pup is usually of lesser depth compared to a dog bite. However, the bite can expose the wound to bacteria. So, it’s necessary to keep your puppy’s mouth clean.
Apart from that, a puppy showing a tendency to bite could be a part of its teething process. However, it should be taken care to train them well and early to prevent them from biting at later points in time to express biting as a method of showing aggression.
Read More: Top 10 Essential Emergency First Aid Tips
The general method of dog bite treatment involves providing sufficient first aid immediately and then rushing the victim to the nearest hospital for medical supervision.
Here, the doctor would look for any signs of infection. If an infection is prevented, they will provide medications:
Read More: Complete Guide to First Aid Kits: Contents, Types, and Usage
After the dog bite wound is taken care of by first aid, seeking professional medical care helps in avoiding further infections. You should also look out if any of the following symptoms occur.
Please do rush to a hospital if you also feel dizzy, disoriented, weak or if you don’t remember when you received your last tetanus shot.
Encountering a dog bite oneself or that around you truly comes unpredictably. Any trained dog can also cause dog bites sometimes. The chances of the severity of the infection you can get from a dog bite highly depend on the fact that the dog has been vaccinated or is free from rabies.
Therefore, knowing how to carry out first aid in a dog bite is of utmost importance to prevent the dangers of a dog bite. Proper training in dog bite first aid enables you to help an individual avoid complications from the infection. Immediate action to provide dog bite supportive therapy helps in faster recovery and avoiding complications, too.
