What Are Some Immediate Steps To Take After A Dog Bite?

In the time immediately following a dog bite, you may feel confused and overwhelmed. When a large dog causes a tear in your skin or another kind of injury, you may not know what to do.

Learning about basic first aid can help you or anyone else who is dealing with this kind of serious injury.

Look at the kind of injury

According to the Mayo Clinic, being cautious about the severity of the injury can help you determine whether to head to the hospital or not. If there is a continual amount of blood coming from where the dog hurt you, then you should make plans to get help from a professional.

In the meantime, take steps to reduce the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound. If your skin feels cold or clammy in the time after the bite, then this is also a sign that you should seek further medical help.

Find the right supplies

Choosing a proper kind of bandage to help slow the bleeding or cover the bite mark can help reduce stinging and pain. A clean piece of cloth is one of the best choices. Ointment or other kinds of topical antibiotic creams are important to clean out part of the wound and soothe the area of skin, if possible.

Take notice of the animal

Some dogs are at risk of carrying rabies or other diseases that can lead to serious health concerns. Wild dogs or animals that you do not know much about may carry these infections, even if they do not show immediate signs of any problems.

Being aware of the other kinds of dangers, beyond just the physical wound, can help you in the time after a dog bite.