First Aid for Dog Bites
Courtesy of www.dogbiteinjuries.com
What should you do if you have been bitten by a dog?
· See a doctor immediately if the injury seems serious.
· Use soap and water to wash the wound
· Keep the injured area elevated above the level of the heart to slow swelling.
· Apply pressure with a clean towel or cloth to stop the bleeding.
· Apply a sterile bandage to the wound
· Report the incident to the proper authority in your community
Contact a doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms:
· You have any signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, warmth, itchiness, tenderness, fever or oozing from the wound.
· You have a dog bit on your hand, foot or head, or you have a bite that is gaping.
· You have bleeding that hasn’t stopped after 15 minutes of pressure on it as you may have a broken bone, nerve damage or other serious injury.
· You have diabetes, liver or lung disease, cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), or other conditions that weaken your ability to fight infection.
· Your last tetanus shot was more than 5 years ago. (If so, you may need a booster shot.)
What will the doctor do to treat your bite?
· Clean the wound with a special solution and remove any damaged tissue.
· Examine the wound for possible nerve or tendon damage, or bone injury. The doctor will also check for signs of infection.
· The doctor might use stitches to close a bite wound, but often the wound is left opened to heal.
· The doctor might prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.
· See a doctor immediately if the injury seems serious.
· Use soap and water to wash the wound
· Keep the injured area elevated above the level of the heart to slow swelling.
· Apply pressure with a clean towel or cloth to stop the bleeding.
· Apply a sterile bandage to the wound
· Report the incident to the proper authority in your community
Contact a doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms:
· You have any signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, warmth, itchiness, tenderness, fever or oozing from the wound.
· You have a dog bit on your hand, foot or head, or you have a bite that is gaping.
· You have bleeding that hasn’t stopped after 15 minutes of pressure on it as you may have a broken bone, nerve damage or other serious injury.
· You have diabetes, liver or lung disease, cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), or other conditions that weaken your ability to fight infection.
· Your last tetanus shot was more than 5 years ago. (If so, you may need a booster shot.)
What will the doctor do to treat your bite?
· Clean the wound with a special solution and remove any damaged tissue.
· Examine the wound for possible nerve or tendon damage, or bone injury. The doctor will also check for signs of infection.
· The doctor might use stitches to close a bite wound, but often the wound is left opened to heal.
· The doctor might prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.
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