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First Aid

What should I do if I have been bitten by a dog?

• Use soap and water to wash the wound.
• Keep the injury elevated above the level of the heart to slow swelling and prevent infection.
• Apply pressure with a clean towel to the injured part to stop the bleeding.
• Apply a sterile bandage to the wound.
• Report the incident to the proper authority in your community (for example, police or animal control).
• Apply antibiotic ointment to the area 2 times every day until it heals.

You should call a doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms:

• You have any signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, warmth, increased tenderness, oozing of pus from the wound, or fever.
• You have a dog bite on your hand, foot or head, or you have a bite that is deep or gaping.
• You have bleeding that hasn't stopped after 15 minutes of pressure or you think 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 my 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. He or she will also check for signs of infection.
• They might use stitches to close a bite wound, but often the wound is left open to heal, so the risk of infection is lowered.
• They might prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.
• They might give you a tetanus shot if you had your last shot more than 5 years ago.
• They might ask you to schedule an office visit to check your wound again in 1 to 2 days.
• If your injury is severe, or if the infection has not gotten better even though you're taking antibiotics, your doctor may suggest that you see a specialist and/or go to the hospital, where you can get special medicine given directly in your veins (intravenous antibiotics) and further treatment if necessary.

HOLDING WRONGDOERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DAMAGES THEY CAUSE SINCE 1978

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