DogsVitalSigns

When your dog gets bitten, either by another dog or another animal, then that bite wound can be potentially very dangerous.  Animal saliva is filled with bacteria that can cause infection through the wound.  In addition, even small bites can severely damage your pet’s underlying tissue.

Any time your dog gets bitten, whether it is a big bite or a small bite, it is always a good idea to take your pet to the vet to make sure that the problem does not get any worse.  However, here are 5 things that you can do to keep your dog’s bite wound under control.

1.  It is common for dogs to lash out when they are in pain.  Therefore, the first thing that you need to do is to use a muzzle to protect yourself in case he suddenly snaps.  You need to wrap your dog’s mouth closed before you begin to treat the wound.  If you do not have a muzzle available, you can improvise one by using gauze or pantyhose.  Be careful not to cover the nostrils.  If your dog is having difficulty breathing or starts to get sick, immediately remove the muzzle.

2.  If your dog is too small to wear a muzzle, you can still protect yourself by wrapping his head with a towel before you begin the treatment.  However, do not leave the towel too long or wrap it too tightly because it could cut off your dog’s air supply.

3.  Your next step is to trim the hair around the area of the bite wound.  This makes the wound easier to clean and will also help the bite heal faster by airing out the area.  You can use scissors, a disposable razor, or electric clippers to trim his hair.  Before you start, gently smear a thin layer of water-soluble jelly such as K-Y jelly right into the wound in order to prevent stray hair from falling into the wound.  When you are finished trimming the hair, clean the bite wound thoroughly to avoid infection.  Clean the bite by flushing it for about five minutes with lukewarm running water.  However, if the bite was left unnoticed until after 24 hours later, bacteria may already have set in.  In this case, scrub the bite wound with an antibacterial soap and then flush it with warm, running water.

4.  When you have finished washing and drying the wound, apply an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin.  Next, bandage the area with gauze or a clean cloth.  Make sure that the bandage is loose enough that you can slip a finger underneath.  A tight bandage could interfere with your dog’s circulation.

5.  Last but not the least, it is very important to keep your dog’s vaccinations current, especially his rabies vaccination.  Rabies are a serious viral disease that is fatal if left untreated...