Treatment for dog bite: For thousands of years, dogs are the best friends of humans. They are loyal and friendly to humans but we can not forget the fact that they are animals. They can bite. In fact, there are around 4.7 million cases of dog bites in America.

Not only stray dogs, but our family pet can also bite. The major risk of a dog bite is always from our friendly dog in case if we select the wrong pet. Children are even more prone to injury by a dog. So before selecting your new family member, you should take care of the following facts:

Always prefer a dog with a good temperament.

Keep distance with dogs you are unfamiliar.

Don’t try to play with the dog even your friendly dog that is feeding her puppies.

Never leave your kids alone with doge and especially with an unfriendly dog.

Treatment for dog bite

In case you have been bitten by a dog, you must visit your doctor. You can get the first aid at your home also, but it is important to visit a doctor especially when an unfamiliar dog bites you.

The visit to the doctor also becomes important if the wound is deep and you feel difficult to stop bleeding. The wound can also lead to infection.

Now we are going to give you some tips, you should do after a dog bite:

Just after a dog bite, all you need to do first is manage your injury. Put a towel over the injury and try to control bleeding.

Now wash the bite to remove dust, saliva, and any infection with soap and water.

If the wound is deep, then immediately visit your doctor. Otherwise, apply a sterile bandage to the wound.

Never forget to apply antibiotic ointment over the injury. If there is severe injury, then you should also intake antibiotics as per doctor’s advice to prevent infection.

The next important step after your primary wound management is to visit your doctor.

Before visiting the doctor, you should collect information on whether the dog is stray or pet. If the dog is tame, then get the information about vaccination done to the dog. Also, get the information that the dog is aggressive or not.

You should also tell your doctor about your health condition? In case you are diabetic or have any liver disease, then consult with your doctor. These diseases suppress the immune system and may lead to severe infection.

At the doctor’s clinic

In the clinic, your doctor will examine your injury. He will examine the severity to see whether the bit causes deep damage to muscles, tendons, nerves or bones.

Depending on the severity of the wound, the doctor will thoroughly wash the injury to remove open wound infection and may also remove some dead tissues for faster healing.

Sometime, there may be a need for the suture to close the wound.

Suturing is generally avoided in case of a dog bite as it may increase the risk of infection.

Infections are due to dog bite.

Dog bite not only cause severe wound but can also make you prone to tetanus and most important rabies. Pet dogs are generally vaccinated against rabies.

You should follow the complete procedure of vaccination against rabies where you have been bitten by a pet dog or stray dog. But in case, stray dog bites you, never forget to take vaccination against rabies.

Due to injury caused by a dog bite, there is an increase in the chances of tetanus. So also vaccinate yourself against tetanus also.

Vaccination schedule for rabies prevention

Treatment for rabies is IMOVAX Rabies vaccine is indicated for pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis against rabies.

Pre-exposure vaccination is generally done to rabies researchers and persons in high-risk groups like veterinarians and their staff.

If you are exposed to rabies then the doctor will focus on the treatment for rabies first and after that, they will work on other diseases.

Pre-exposure vaccination includes three 1.0ml IMOVAX rabies vaccine administered intramuscularly on 0 days, 7th day and 21st day. 

The post-exposure vaccine is essential for a dog bitten previously unvaccinated patients. Previously unvaccinated dog bitten patients must receive 5 intramuscular doses of IMOVAX Rabies vaccine.

One dose of rabies vaccine should be administered intramuscularly immediately after exposure on ‘0’ day. And then administer on ‘3’, ‘7’, ‘14’, and ‘28’ days after exposure.

Will dog bite always leads to Rabies?

Exposure to dog bit not always lead to Rabies. But prophylactic treatment and vaccination must always be done.

Sometimes, a dog bite is in the form of just abrasion. If dog saliva does not reach to blood, then there are minimum chances of rabies. More the deep wound more will be chances of Rabies. If the wound reaches more to muscles, tendons, nerves, more will be chances of rabies.

But proper prophylactic treatment against rabies can prevent you from this severe disease.

Also, not all dogs are rabid. If the dog is not rabid, then how it will transfer rabies to you. Bite by a healthy dog only leads to injury or maybe some infection but not rabies.

How to identify a Rabid dog?

Dog with rabies will look furious. The rabid dog becomes more aggressive and there is continuous salivation from the mouth. You will also notice the change in the voice of the dog.

But whatever the cause or severity of the wound, always take prophylaxis against rabies after a dog bite. There is no harm to taking prophylaxis against rabies. It is also good to get vaccinated after dog bite as once the symptoms of rabies appear, it usually leads to death.

Conclusion

So this was all about treatment for a dog bite. With the article, we conclude, always take prophylactic treatment after a dog bite that will keep you safe from rabies.

Hope this article helped you to understand the treatment of dog bite. Please feel free to share this with your family and friends.

Stay safe, stay happy.

Thank you