Dog Bites: First Aid and How to Prevent Them

Whether it's your own dog or a stranger's, a bite should never be taken lightly. Besides the risk of infection, dog bites are linked to rabies, a disease that is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. This guide explains what to do right after a bite, how to handle the dog, and how to reduce the risk of bites.

First aid right after a dog bite

1. Get away from the dog: move the person who was bitten to safety to avoid further bites. Don't hit or chase the dog.
2. Wash the wound thoroughly: wash under clean running water with soap for about 15 minutes, even for small scratches. This is a key step in reducing the risk of infection.
3. Disinfect: after washing, you can apply an ordinary wound antiseptic.
4. Stop bleeding if needed: press gently with clean gauze or a cloth.
5. Don't: squeeze, suck or cut open the wound; apply leaves or folk remedies; or bandage or stitch the wound shut at home.
6. Get to a medical facility as soon as possible: to have the wound examined and treated and to get advice on rabies and tetanus vaccination. Whether vaccination is needed, and how, is decided by medical staff.

Don't wait to see whether the dog develops rabies before seeking care. Getting checked early is always the safe choice.

What to do about the dog

If it's your dog

• Confine your dog safely, away from people and other animals.
• Find the vaccination record to check whether your dog has had a rabies vaccine and when. Both medical staff and your veterinarian will need this information.
• Monitor your dog's health and behavior for the period advised by the medical facility and your veterinarian. Don't sell, give away or put down the dog, because observing the animal helps assess the risk to the person who was bitten.
• Inform your veterinarian and local authorities if the rules where you live require it.

If it's an unknown or stray dog

• Note the dog's appearance, where it usually hangs around, and its owner if known.
• Report it to local authorities for help.
• Don't try to catch the dog, especially if it is behaving strangely.

Why dogs bite

Most bites come from familiar dogs, such as the family dog or a neighbor's. Dogs usually bite when they are:

• Afraid: cornered, hugged tightly, or approached face to face by a stranger.
• In pain or ill: a dog in pain may bite even its owner when touched.
• Guarding something: food, a bone, a toy or a resting place.
• Protecting puppies: a mother dog nursing her litter.
• Startled: woken suddenly from sleep.
• Overexcited in play: puppies that haven't learned to control the force of their bite.

Before biting, dogs usually give warning signals: turning their head away, lip licking, showing the whites of their eyes, freezing, growling or baring teeth. Don't punish a dog for growling. A dog punished for warning may skip the warning and bite straight away.

Preventing dog bites

For owners

• Keep your dog's rabies vaccination up to date as advised by your veterinarian and required locally.
• Socialize your dog from an early age with many people, sounds and situations.
• Teach basic cues with rewards, and avoid physical punishment.
• Use a leash in public, and a muzzle when needed or required.
• Don't let your dog roam the streets.
• If your dog shows aggression, have your veterinarian check its health and find an experienced behavior-focused trainer.

For everyone, especially children

• Ask the owner before touching an unfamiliar dog, and let the dog sniff your hand first.
• Don't disturb a dog that is eating, sleeping or caring for puppies.
• If an unfamiliar dog barks aggressively: stand still, don't run, avoid direct eye contact and back away slowly.
• Don't hug a dog tightly or put your face close to its face.

When to see a vet

The person who was bitten should go to a medical facility right after first aid, especially when:

• The bite is deep, bleeding heavily, or on the face, neck, head, hand or near a joint.
• The bite came from an unknown dog, a dog with uncertain rabies vaccination, or a dog behaving abnormally.
• The wound becomes swollen, hot, red or oozes pus, or the person develops a fever in the following days.

As for the dog, take it to a veterinarian if it suddenly changes temperament, stops eating, drools heavily, has trouble swallowing, is sensitive to light or noise, or walks unsteadily. In that case, keep direct contact with the dog to an absolute minimum and report it to your local veterinary authority right away.