Dogs are usually referred to as a man’s best friend, but they still have their animal instincts and can very well bite you. Dog bites can result in severe injuries and infections and sometimes result in the death of the bite victim. The percentage of dog bites has drastically increased over the years, with young boys and men being the victims in most cases. Most dog bites are hardly ever from a stray dog but instead are from familiar and domesticated dogs.
There are some preventive measures that you should take and some proactive measures to lessen the injury if a dog bite occurs.
How Can You Be Prepared If A Dog Bites You
No level of preparation can get you ready for any form of injury and not especially a dog bite. A bite can be highly dangerous because it might come with a lot of bacterial infections. Here are four (4) simple steps to take when a dog bites you:
Stop the Bleeding: If the dog bite results in a deep wound, you need to try to stop the bleeding first. To do this, gently place a clean towel over the wound.
Wash the Injury: Next step is to clean the wound. Wash carefully under running water with an antibacterial soap. This will wash out any dirt around the injury and prevent further bleeding as well.
Apply Antibiotics: Apply an antibiotic ointment to further prevent any infection. Apply this ointment every day while the wound is still fresh.
Wrap The Wound: After cleaning and sterilizing the wound, it is best to wrap it with a sterile bandage to protect it from exposure to infection while it is still a fresh wound.
Make A Report: Whether you are the dog owner or not, reporting a dog bite to the local animal control is your social responsibility. Also, if you were bitten by a stranger’s dog, making a report and filing a claim with the help of a personal injury lawyer could be the first step to getting compensation.
These are just first aid treatments, and it is important to still go to the hospital afterward for proper care of the wound and follow due procedure. A dog bite that causes a skin laceration will require a dosage of antibiotics. The infections associated with a dog bite can result in serious health complications and even death in some severe cases.
When you visit a doctor, you may need to answer some questions to further determine the severity of the case. Questions like if you know the dog owner, the dog’s vaccination status, if the dog was provoked, etc.
Preventive Measure For Dog Bites
- When picking a family dog, it is best to pick a less aggressive breed with a calm temperament. All dogs can be trained, but not all dogs should be domesticated. Dog breeds such as Rottweiler, Dalmatian, American Pitbull, German Shepherd, etc., are better off as security dogs and hunting dogs than dogs to be domesticated and kept around humans. Some calmer breeds of dogs to consider are Lhasa Apso, Havana, Great Dane, Greyhound, etc.
- Whether you’re a “dog person” or not, it is best to stay away from dogs you do not know. Rather than familiarizing yourself within close distances with other people’s dogs, just admire it from a distance to stay safe.
- No matter how calm a dog is, it is advisable not to leave young children and babies around dogs. It is impossible to read a dog’s mind, so leaving a child with a dog that you “trust” may be dangerous, much less an unfamiliar dog.
- When approaching a dog, do so cautiously and slowly to not trigger territorial and danger alerts to the dog. If possible, give the dog the chance to approach you instead and don’t make any sudden moves.
- Never run away from a dog. They can smell fear. If a dog becomes aggressive, avoid eye contact and begin to back away slowly.
Apart from the medical aspects, another part of being knowledgeable about when a dog bites you is the legal aspect. States have six different classifications to determine the severity of a dog bite. Understanding these classifications will help you know why the dog’s behavior and help you understand the next action to take legally.
All states make it possible for a dog owner to be held legally and financially responsible for damages and injuries his/her animal causes but only under certain circumstances. Call a personal injury lawyer to help you file for a claim for your dog bite injuries.
This is part of the basic knowledge needed to prepare you for a dog bite, whether from your dog or a stranger’s dog. Stay conscious of the steps to take to prevent further hurt after a dog bite.