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If your pet dog bit you, do you need to get vaccinated? What to do if bitten by a dog

Dog bites vary in severity.

With a superficial bite, the animal damages the skin with its teeth, resulting in a superficial wound.

A lacerated bite is often accompanied by great loss blood and therefore is the most dangerous to human life.

What to do if bitten by a dog?

Causes of animal aggressiveness

Any dog can bite, regardless of breed and size. No one is safe from being bitten even by their “pet”. Dogs are capable of biting during play. Dogs pose the greatest danger to children.

Hunger, illness, bad attitude master, nurturing anger - all this sooner or later causes aggressive behavior. Considered especially evil stray dogs that gather in flocks. They attack without apparent reason, targeting ankles, thighs, palms, person. Children are bitten on the face and forearms.

What to do if bitten by a dog - first aid

1. The first thing to do after a bite is to wash the area with soap and water. Better with economics. It contains alkali, which has a destructive effect on viruses and bacteria. Use warm water.

2. After washing, the wound must be treated with iodine, brilliant green, a solution of potassium permanganate - any of the available products will do. IN as a last resort You can disinfect the wound with hydrogen peroxide.

3. After the manipulations, treat the skin with an antibiotic ointment, for example, Syntomycin.

4. Cover the wound gauze bandage, but do not bandage tightly.

These steps are effective first aid. In case of a bite, you must consult a doctor who will professionally assess the patient’s condition and prescribe appropriate treatment.

It is advisable to provide the doctor with information about the dog’s health and what vaccinations the animal has received. If a stray dog bites you, it will be laboratory test in order to identify signs of infection with rabies and tetanus.

What to do if bitten by a rabid dog

Rabies is viral disease, which is caused by the microvirus Neuroryctes rabid. The virus enters the blood, spreads along nerve endings, and affects the nervous system. Transmitted through saliva or the bite of an infected animal.

How can you tell if there is a mad dog in front of you? A sick animal, firstly, is too calm or, conversely, too violent. Secondly, it is unable to drink (due to spasms in the throat). Third, he drools a lot. Fourthly, the dog does not bark, but only howls or whines pitifully.

How can you tell if you are infected with rabies if you are bitten by a dog? The disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

Swelling and redness of the wound from 1 to 3 days after the bite

Itching at the site of injury

Fever, elevated temperature body

In severe cases, photophobia, soundphobia, hydrophobia

Nervous excitement

Inability to swallow saliva

Last stage- paralysis and death

After being bitten by a rabid dog, you need to wash the wound with soap and water, treat it with an antiseptic, apply a bandage and immediately go to see a doctor. The rabies vaccine is effective only in the first 3 days after the bite.

Attention! There is no cure for rabies; only a timely administered vaccine will help avoid terrible consequences.

During the period when you are given injections: on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 30th day after the bite, as well as six months after it, you should not use alcoholic drinks, otherwise healing effect will be reduced to "no".

Rabies is extremely dangerous. Signs of the disease may not appear immediately, but within a year. After being bitten by a sick animal, treatment must be started immediately.

What to do if a dog bites a child

The main task of parents in the event that a child has been bitten by a dog is to try to remain calm and begin to act clearly and systematically.

1. Immediately wash the wound with warm water and soap.

2. Treat it in a circle with brilliant green or iodine.

3. Seek help from a doctor at an emergency room.

In a medical institution, the doctor needs to tell about what happened, restore the picture of events in order to anticipate possible complications. If a pet is bitten, provide information about its health and vaccinations.

As a rule, in the hospital the wound is washed, disinfected, and a sterile bandage is applied. In case of a threat to life, carry out surgery. If dirt gets into the wound, the child is given anti-tetanus serum. Rabies vaccination is given when a stray animal is bitten or when the doctor deems vaccination justified.

Why does a dog attack children? First of all, because of fear. Children perceive dogs as toys: they hug them, pull them by the tail. Meanwhile, this is an animal, with its own instincts, fears, emotions. Even the most “domestic” dog, given the existing (as it seems to it) threat, is capable of attacking a child.

In addition, the animal gets irritated when it is sick. If you hurt it, it will undoubtedly show aggression.

A dog can be jealous. If she sees a rival in the child’s face, this can cause irritation and, as a result, a bite.

Parents at any time emergency You must remain calm and, if possible, take all measures to protect your child.

What to do if bitten by a dog - home remedies

In some cases, it is not possible to seek help from medical institution. For fast healing wounds use home remedies:

1. Combine turmeric powder and a little honey, apply the mixture to the washed and disinfected wound. Turmeric has antiseptic properties, and honey is very calming.

2. Take vitamin C every day until the wound heals.

3. Prepare a healing ointment: grind the kernels walnut(3 pcs.), add a small amount of salt and onion pulp. Mix everything, apply the mixture to the wound and bandage it loosely. The healing mixture is a real antidote.

4. Chop the onion, add a spoonful of honey and a small spoonful of vinegar to the pulp. Mix everything and put the mixture on the sore spot.

5. What to do if a dog bites you? Prepare burdock root oil. Pour 75 g of fresh raw materials with any of the available oils: sunflower or olive (1 glass). Let the healing mixture brew for at least a day, then boil over low heat and, after straining, pour into a clean container. The ointment works great on any wounds. Store it in the refrigerator, use 2 times a day to lubricate damaged areas.

6. Rip it off fresh leaves celandine and apply to the wound.

7. Boil a eucalyptus leaf (50 g) in half a liter of boiling water. 3-5 minutes is enough. Cool the mixture, strain and add a couple of tablespoons of honey. The ointment for healing dog bite wounds is ready!

8. Combine the strongest anti-inflammatory agent - garlic with a small amount honey and apply to the wound. Chop the garlic into a paste first.

Under no circumstances should these treatment methods be used if the wound is deep. In severe cases, you need to calm down, try to stop the bleeding yourself (applying a tourniquet or tight bandage will help with this), and immediately call an ambulance.

Consequences of a dog bite

In most cases, an animal bite has negative consequences for human health:

1. presence of the wound itself

2. bleeding

3. exposure to the rabies virus

4. infection with harmful microorganisms, infections

5. severe stress for the nervous system

How to protect yourself?

In order to prevent a dog from attacking, you need to do everything in your power to reduce the animal’s aggression. You cannot wave your arms, shout, look into your eyes, or smile.

If the dog is at a distance, try to hide from it as quickly as possible. It is important not to show that you are afraid. Although, of course, this is difficult to do in this situation.

Try to control your fear, do not give in to your instincts. There have been cases when, in response to a dog’s aggression, a person showed reciprocal anger with all his appearance, and the animal, frightened, left.

Women tend to wave their bags in an attempt to protect themselves from dog attacks. This is not recommended. Mongrels are afraid of stones and sticks. You can scream, call people for help, but not in a squeal, but in a low voice. The main thing is not to reveal your fear, gather yourself and act according to the situation.

A handful of sand or earth thrown in the face, an open umbrella, and a confident cry: “You can’t!” will help stop a raging dog.

If you don’t panic, the chance of not being bitten increases many times over. The dog senses fear by smell. Assess the situation. If you manage to cope with the animal with force, show it, if not, try to “take” it with affection. In any case, remain calm and sober, and do not let fear paralyze you.

How to Prevent a Dog Bite

1. Don't touch an unfamiliar dog.

2. Do not interfere in animal fights.

3. Don't disturb your dog while he's eating.

4. Do not approach the mother dog when she is guarding the puppies.

5. Don't leave small child alone with the animal.

6. Learn to recognize signs of aggression and teach this to your children.

If you or your loved ones are the victim of a dog attack, quickly and calmly carry out the necessary procedures and seek help from a doctor. Only in a timely manner measures taken will help you avoid negative consequences in the future.

Dog - best friend person. These four-legged creatures, fluffy and smooth-haired, tall and short, tailed and with cropped ears, protect people, save people, act as guides for people with visual impairments, and save them from depression.

But it also happens that an animal bites, and then many people do not know what to do in this situation, how to provide first aid, what the threat of such an unfriendly attitude is.

Regardless of whether the animal was bitten by a domestic or wild animal, in both cases there is a high probability of developing severe complications.

What can happen:

Heavy bleeding. Without timely assistance, a person may bleed to death and die. The risk of death increases if the artery is damaged. The possibility of internal bleeding due to extensive trauma cannot be ruled out. Danger this state is that there may be no symptoms immediately. After an animal attack, even in the absence of external bleeding, it is necessary to mandatory consult your doctor.
The entry of pathogenic infections into the wound, most often E. coli. Bacteria penetrate along with saliva, coli always found on mucous membranes oral cavity animal, posing a danger to human health. An infection can get into a wound from the outside, with particles of dust, earth, or dirty clothes. This happens in the absence of timely antiseptic treatment of the skin.
Psychological stupor. A dog bite causes a state of panic and fear in a person, especially in children. Often one incident of attack can cause strong fear in front of animals for life, which will manifest itself as panic attacks.
Rabies infection is the most dangerous complication. The rabies virus is transmitted from an infected animal to humans through saliva. The highest risk of rabies infection is the bite of a wild dog or a domestic dog, in the absence of vaccinations. Without timely treatment, which involves the introduction of a special vaccine - an antidote, death inevitably occurs.

Providing first prehospital aid

First aid measures depend, first of all, on whether the bite was received from a vaccinated dog or from an animal that does not have the appropriate vaccination:

Vaccinated dog	Wild, domestic animal without vaccination
Stop bleeding by applying a tourniquet. In case of damage to the artery - above the bite site, in case of damage to the vein - application pressure bandage
· wound treatment antiseptic drugs– hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine; · applying a bandage (cotton swab, gauze, bandage soaked in antiseptic solutions, ointments); · daily treatment of the bite site with local spectrum drugs with a healing effect - Akutol, Panthenol.	Thoroughly wash the wound with soapy water, if possible using laundry soap(rinse for at least 15-20 minutes); · extracting animal saliva from a wound using a syringe with a cut off tip; · antiseptic treatment; · taking several tablets antihistamine; · Immediately go to the hospital.
· treatment of the edges of the bite site alcohol solution(do not pour into the wound); · applying ice, frozen food, wrapped in a towel or thick cloth to the area of damage for relief severe swelling; taking painkillers for severe pain; · in case of strong pain symptom in a limb and lack of normal mobility, immobilize the limb by applying a splint ( medical splint, sticks, wide boards) consult a doctor immediately, as these signs indicate possible fracture or a crack in the bone.

Symptoms

If the bitten animal that has been vaccinated is a pet, and the owner is absolutely sure that it does not have pathogenic infections, in the absence of bleeding, fracture, damage to the roots of nerve endings, muscles and tendons, in the case of normal motor function and small or small wound sizes, further treatment can be done at home.

If the following signs occur, the victim must be immediately taken to medical institution:

rapid deterioration general condition health;
lethargy, drowsiness and apathy;
frequent, severe headaches;
aches and pain in muscles and joints;
increased body temperature;
internal chills;
fever;
nausea;
gagging;
decreased visual acuity and hearing;
hallucinations;
abdominal pain;
severe swelling at the site of the bite, which is not relieved by cold compresses and topical medications;
convulsions;
spasms.

These symptoms indicate complications such as infection in the wound, internal bleeding, or infection with the rabies virus.

It is worth considering that signs of rabies, a deadly disease, can appear within 12-48 hours and have an average, short-term intensity. Then they may disappear. But the pathogenic virus will begin to infect the central nervous system and that’s it internal organs upon completion incubation period, which, on average, lasts from 30 to 90 days.

Although medical practice There are known cases of longer incubation periods, up to a year. Considering the fact that the first signs of rabies are similar to food or toxic poisoning, and over time a person may forget about the incident with the dog, not everyone is in a hurry to seek medical help.

Only when a person is attacked domestic dog If you are regularly vaccinated, you do not have to worry about the risk of contracting rabies.

In all other cases, you must immediately go to the hospital, having first checked primary processing wounds. Without medical tests It is impossible to determine the presence of a virus. If the animal is wild and it is not possible to monitor it, the patient is immediately given a vaccine.

In the event of a pet attack, there are two ways to test for rabies. The first is radical, the dog will be euthanized, and the presence of the rabies virus will be examined based on the results of the biopsy obtained.

The second method is that the pet is sent to quarantine, where it is monitored for three days. If behavioral deviations no, the health status remains unchanged, which means the animal is not infected.

If rabies is confirmed, the patient is immediately injected with a special serum. Previously, for the treatment of a dangerous disease, a course of 40 injections was carried out in the abdominal area. Today, the rabies vaccine is a drug obtained by extracting from the blood of horses that have undergone hyperimmunization.

The medicine is injected into the wound and shoulder (deltoid muscle). The course of treatment with the vaccine includes 6 injections, they are given on day zero (the day of treatment at a medical institution), and then according to the scheme - on days 3 - 7 - 14 - 30 and exactly on day 90 after the first injection.

Rabies antidote is an emergency medicine. It has no contraindications; it is given to women during pregnancy and to small children.

During therapy and the next six months, it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol.

Getting dirt into a wound can be no less dangerous than becoming infected with the rabies virus. Lack of proper and timely treatment of the bite site with antiseptics often causes blood poisoning and the development of gangrene of the limb, the only treatment for which is amputation. But there are also such things neglected cases gangrene, what death inevitable.

In most cases, medical care necessary for extensive lacerations oh and arterial bleeding. In the hospital, the patient’s wounds will be treated thoroughly and stitches will be placed. If there was earth, clay or other dirt in the wound, anti-tetanus serum is injected.

In order to destroy pathogenic microflora and to prevent infection, antibacterial therapy. Antibiotics are usually prescribed penicillin group. If the patient has allergic reactions to these drugs, Doxycycline or.

Preventive measures

People are bitten not only by wild animals, but also often by pets. In many cases, a bite can be received during active play with an animal.

Often dogs attack due to hunger, extreme thirst, or if a person behaves inappropriately, provoking the animal into aggression. How to protect yourself from attack in such situations?

Contact of young children with household and wild dogs. If a female has puppies, there is no need to take them in your arms from the first days. The animal will primarily view this as a threat and may attack its owner. If the animal is sleeping, it is not recommended to touch it. Vulnerability in a dream often leads to the fact that a dog may get scared from a sudden awakening and attack the offender.

A common cause of a bite is a person trying to separate fighting dogs. In this case, you can get multiple deep wounds, bone injuries that will be incompatible with life.

If you cannot avoid a bite, you must remember the rules of first aid. Human life sometimes depends on how correctly and quickly it is carried out.

Even if the owner of a vaccinated dog is absolutely sure that he did not contract the rabies virus from the bite, and the wound is shallow, it is necessary to consult a doctor in any case.

After examination and medical tests, provided there is no threat to health, further treatment of the wound can be carried out at home, carefully following medical recommendations.

Probably, in an ideal society, all owners would walk their dogs on short leashes, and all homeless dogs would live in well-maintained kennels. However, in reality, everything is not so good - the yards are full of stray dogs, from whom it is not known what to expect, and the owners huge pit bulls and Staffordshire Terriers proudly walk their “four-legged friends” without a leash or even a muzzle! Is it any wonder that people come to trauma centers every day with complaints of dog bites?

A dog bite is not only severe psychological trauma. The fangs of our smaller brothers are large and extremely sharp, and therefore each such incident leaves a deep mark on the human body in the form of puncture or lacerations from the teeth of an angry animal. Both of them carry serious danger health and even human life. It is important to know about this and accept everything necessary measures on providing first aid to someone who has been bitten. But first things first.

Why are dog bites dangerous?

As we have already mentioned, a dog can cause serious damage to human health. Most often, dogs bite into human feet, ankles, thighs, palms and forearms. If a dog attacks a child, it often bites the face, neck, arms or back. The most dangerous are bites to the neck and head, i.e. to areas where vital blood vessels accumulate.

First of all, in terms of bite, the danger is large dogs and also dogs fighting breeds, who are specially trained to cause damage. A fight with such an animal can result in muscle and tendon ruptures, bone fractures and internal bleeding. In addition, a person risks losing a lot of blood or receiving injuries incompatible with life. And puncture wounds from the sharp teeth of an animal seem harmless only at first glance. As a rule, they are very painful and require first aid.

However, the bites small dogs They are also not at all harmless. If you are bitten by an angry dog, regardless of its size and skills, in addition to the injury itself, you risk getting infectious disease, because a dog’s mouth contains many microbes. According to statistics, 25% of animal bites are complicated by infectious diseases. A dog bite can transmit staphylococcus, E. coli and other equally dangerous infections to you.

Signs of infection development

To confirm that the incident with the dog did not pass without a trace, the person who was bitten may experience following signs introduced infection:

redness, swelling, small rash And It's a dull pain in the area of the bite;
purulent discharge from the wound with a specific unpleasant odor;
increased body temperature;
general weakness and headache;
enlarged and painful lymph nodes.

However, infection of infection is different. It’s one thing for a dog’s saliva to transmit E. coli to a bitten person, and quite another for a dog to infect a person with rabies!

Why is rabies dangerous?

Rabies - especially dangerous infection, which is transmitted to humans through a bite with the saliva of a sick animal. And the most dangerous thing is that there is no drug for rabies! That is, having received even a light dog bite, and ignoring it without seeing a doctor, a person risks getting a fatal disease and dying in terrible agony!

According to statistics, in 60% of cases a person becomes infected with rabies from a dog bite (in 24% of cases from a fox bite, in 10% of cases from a cat bite, in 3% of cases from the bite of wolves and other wild animals).

The incubation period of the disease lasts from several days to a month (usually 2 weeks). If you do not visit a doctor in a timely manner and do not begin emergency vaccination, the infection will nervous system reaches the brain and begins in the human body irreversible changes, dooming him to inevitable death.

Signs of developing rabies

To understand that the deadly Neuroiyctes rabid virus, better known to us as the rabies virus, has settled in the body of a bitten person, pay attention to characteristic features infections:

increased activity, irritability and aggressiveness towards others;
visual and auditory hallucinations;
confused thoughts and incoherent speech;
increased salivation;
panic fear of water (the mere mention of water causes spasms in the throat and convulsions);
spasms of the pharyngeal muscles and respiratory tract;
paralysis.

As you can see, rabies infection does not leave the bitten person a chance to live. The only way to salvation is to provide first aid to the victim, and then, without wasting time, take him to the nearest emergency room. Please note that the animal that committed the bite must also be taken to the doctors, even if it was shot after the bite. Doctors will test the dog's saliva and be able to quickly determine whether the aggressive dog has rabies. If you do not show the animal to specialists, the bitten person will be required to undergo an emergency rabies vaccination for safety reasons.

Having considered possible consequences dog bite, let's move directly to practical actions, which are designed to help prevent infection and prevent rabies.

First aid for a dog bite

In the event of such an unpleasant incident, first of all, it is necessary:

1. Wash the wound surface with warm water, preferably using laundry soap. The fact is that laundry soap contains alkali, which resists the insidious rabies virus. Others will do too disinfectants, for example, 3% hydrogen peroxide. Rinse the wound with these products for 5 minutes.

2. If the wound does not bleed much, do not rush to stop the flow of blood. Perhaps the bleeding from the wound will remove the pathogenic microbes that have entered there.

3. The skin around the injury should be treated with brilliant green, iodine or 70% alcohol.

4. It is allowed to use antiseptic ointments (Betadine), as well as any ointments that act as an antibiotic.

5. Apply a sterile bandage to the wound, then go straight to the medical center.

Treatment for suspected infection

In a medical facility until clarification accurate diagnosis, the patient is usually prescribed antibiotic injections (Amoxicillin + clavulonic acid). If the patient has allergic reaction to antibiotics of the penicillin group, this combination of drugs is replaced with a combination of Doxycycline and Metronidalose.

Treatment of rabies

If, upon examination of the dog, it turned out that it had rabies, or the dog was simply not taken to a medical facility, and the likelihood of a fatal disease remains, the patient is prescribed a course of rabies vaccinations.

If a bitten person feels well a few days after the incident and does not experience the above symptoms, this does not mean that he has avoided infection. Rabies may appear after two weeks, a month, or exceptional cases even after a year! The rate at which the disease manifests depends on:

bite depth;
the extent of the wound;
site of the bite (the disease manifests itself most quickly with a bite to the face, head or wrist, and much later with bites to the foot and ankle).

By the way, statistics say that starting vaccination within 3 days after the bite of an infected animal gives 99% survival rate, starting vaccination on the 6th day ensures the patient’s survival in 80% of cases, and starting from the 10th day, the probability of survival decreases to 30%. The deadline for administering the first vaccine is the 14th day from the moment of the bite. If vaccination is not started before this day, the infected patient will have no chance.

The rabies vaccination course consists of six vaccines:

1st is entered directly on the day of application;
2nd – after 3 days;
3rd – 7 days after the start of treatment;
4th – 14 days after the start of treatment;
5th – on the 28th day;
6th – on the 90th day of treatment.

All vaccinations are given in deltoid muscle or in the inner thigh. By the way, during the course of treatment it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol, because alkaloids can neutralize the effect of the vaccine.

Folk remedies against infection

If you have been bitten by a dog, and there is no way to get to the first aid station in the next few days, take note of a few traditional methods combating infectious diseases.

1. Take a bottle of cognac, dilute 2 tbsp in it. salt. Apply a swab soaked in the solution to the bite site and simultaneously drink 50 ml of the solution.

2. Dilute 1 tbsp in two tablespoons of honey. turmeric powder. Apply the prepared mixture to the affected area in the form of a compress, changing it 2 times a day.

3. A tablespoon of honey should be mixed with 4 crushed cloves of garlic and applied to the bitten flesh and secured with a bandage.

4. Grind three walnut kernels. Add half a chopped onion and a pinch of salt to the powder. The resulting mixture will help well in case of suppuration at the bite site.

5. In parallel with compresses and others folk remedies eat 3-4 cloves of garlic a day, and also take vitamin C or foods that contain this vitamin (lemon, black currant, rose hip, rowan or sea buckthorn).

Finally, let’s say that no one is safe from a collision with an angry dog. Therefore, try to avoid stray dogs or fighting dogs, even if they are on a leash. If aggression occurs, if you cannot avoid a confrontation, immediately look for means of protection - a lying stick, a large stone, or even house keys. Having struck an angry dog in the vulnerable spot, preferably in the nose, tongue, upper jaw or groin area, you will scare off the attacking animal or at least gain the necessary time to make the next decisions. But you shouldn't run away from the dog. In this case, her hunter's instinct awakens and the beast becomes even more furious. If you are near a wall, try to press your back against it and fight off an angry dog with a stick or bag, and if you are on a bicycle, protect yourself with it. If you have a child with you, you should not pick him up, as this is equivalent to running away and the dog will certainly try to bite him. It's better to hide the child behind you. Take care of yourself and your children!

We are all familiar with the expression “a dog is man’s friend” and, undoubtedly, this is true, however, despite the fact that these animals are really smart and very attached to humans, we often have to deal with the aggression of these pets. A bite from a domestic dog is fraught with consequences negative consequences, because when bitten, it enters our body through saliva huge amount harmful bacteria and viruses, which, if not detected in a timely manner, subsequently develop into serious illnesses. In this article we will tell you about what you need to do if you are bitten by a dog.

Causes of dog aggressiveness

So, first of all, you should never forget that a dog is a predator, therefore, despite the fact that you, like no one else, are confident in your pet “friend,” you should always pay attention to the behavior of your dog. The most common reasons Dog aggression is hereditary or genetic factors. Also, your pet’s anger may be provoked by hunger or excessive severity towards him. You should be careful with your dog when playing: the animal can get too playful and accidentally bite you.

While on a walk, your dog can also show aggression if it smells an individual of the opposite sex nearby. Of particular danger are stray dogs, which in most cases are predisposed towards humans aggressively. Such dogs should never be teased or attracted to their attention.

Why is a dog bite dangerous?

Dogs are predatory animals, which means, like any other predator, they have two fangs on the lower and upper jaws which, when bitten, cause very dangerous damage. Dogs also have the peculiarity of not chewing, but swallowing food whole, and therefore a dog bite can lead to rupture of blood vessels, nerves and tendons. Sometimes the “attack” of this animal can even lead to broken bones.

The bites themselves can be divided into several types. The first type of bite is when the animal pierces the skin, resulting in a puncture wound. The second type includes a bite, which subsequently forms a lacerated wound, where you can observe profuse bleeding which is very difficult to stop.

streptococcus;

staphylococcus;

hemophilus;

enterobacter;

fusobacterium;

Moraxella.

In addition to the harmful bacteria themselves, there are a number of diseases that are transmitted through a dog bite to a person:

rabies;

tetanus;

blood poisoning;

if joints or bones were affected by the bite, then diseases such as arthritis and osteomelitis may develop;

meningitis.

The first sign that after a bite you are infected with some disease is the release of a whitish fluid from the site of injury. Also, during the first 2-8 hours after the bite, a reddish rash may appear around the wound. Also special attention worth paying attention to following symptoms:

a sharp increase in body temperature;

hallucinations;

aversion to water;

profuse sweating, fever;

muscle spasms.

All of the above symptoms may indicate infection with such dangerous diseases, like sepsis (blood poisoning) and rabies. If you have these symptoms, you should immediately consult a specialist, because these diseases can only be cured in the early stages.

What to do if you are bitten by a dog

the wound should be thoroughly washed (for 15 minutes) with a solution of warm water and laundry soap; the alkali it contains has a destructive effect on bacteria and viruses that have entered the wound;

if possible, apply an ointment to the wound that acts as an antibiotic;

After providing first aid, it is strongly recommended to contact a specialist who will prescribe you competent treatment. Regardless of how deep your wound is, you will be prescribed antibiotics and, at the discretion of your doctor, you may also be vaccinated against tetanus and rabies.

What not to do if a dog bites you

If after a bite you do not have too much bleeding, it is not recommended to immediately try to stop it, since it is with the blood that harmful microorganisms and viruses will be removed from the body.

Also, under no circumstances should you apply a tight bandage to the wound.

In addition, it is worth remembering that it is absolutely forbidden to self-medicate without visiting an appropriate specialist! Even if the bite was committed at a late time, after providing first aid you should definitely consult a doctor.

How to Avoid a Dog Bite

In addition to the fact that a dog can inherit its aggressiveness, most often we ourselves act as provocateurs of their anger towards us. We should be especially careful in the following moments:

during a fight between several dogs; no matter how confident you are in your pet, another dog can bite you;

Do not approach the dog while eating; they fiercely defend their “prey” even from their masters;

You should not take puppies from the dog;

do not disturb an animal that is sleeping;

be extremely careful and attentive while playing with your pet; very often dogs bite completely by accident;

be careful with stray dogs; try to prevent them from “communicating” with your home “friends”;

Don’t forget that dogs are very smart creatures: you shouldn’t shout, much less use physical strength for the purpose of punishment - sooner or later the dog may “take revenge” on you.

The victims are those who have no experience with animals, mainly children. The problem is acute stray dogs. Among them there is a higher percentage of ill-mannered and sick people. The contents of this article inform people on how to avoid dog jaws and what to do if bitten.

Causes of aggressiveness

A dog bites a person, showing aggressiveness. Distinguish following reasons the animal's anger:

Dominance. The dog tries to take a higher place in the pack hierarchy and bites the weaker one, mainly the child.
Play aggression. When excited, a dog may bite its playing partner.
Defense of the territory. Strangers who are not members of the pack suffer.
Fear. The dog is afraid of the pain from the injection and reacts painfully if he is punished.
Maternal aggression. The bitch may bite someone who, in her opinion, is threatening the puppy.
Feed aggression. The dog bites the one who can take away his food.
Pack instinct. Stray animals, when in a pack, become wild.
Sexual aggression. If you distract a male dog from his female dog during courtship, he may bite.
Dog disease.

Types of bites

Based on the severity of the injury, the following types of bites are distinguished:

Surface. Characterized by puncture of the skin with application puncture wound.
Ragged. Accompanied by deep tissue trauma and bleeding. The most dangerous bites in the neck and face.

What are the dangers of a dog bite to a person?

A dog bite, regardless of the size and breed of the animal, poses a danger to human health and sometimes life. For the victim, it makes no fundamental difference who bit him: whether it was a stray dog, a stranger’s dog, or a pet. The severity of the injury depends on the following factors:

Bleeding.
Tissue trauma.
Infection.
Mental and pain shock.
Rabies infection.

Bleeding

Blood loss can be life-threatening, especially if it is internal hemorrhage.

Tissue trauma

Skin, muscles, joints and bones are damaged.

Infection

A dog's mouth contains a community of microorganisms that can cause purulent inflammation. The greatest danger is the rabies virus, which is secreted by the saliva of an infected dog.

Mental and pain shock

An attack by an angry dog can cause not only physical but also psychological trauma. Children and people with heart disease may experience severe consequences. Painful shock dangerous due to loss of consciousness.

Symptoms of wound infection development

After a bite the following develop: pathological changes:

Redness, swelling.
Swelling, bruising.
Hypertrophy regional lymph nodes.
Purulent discharge.
Hyperthermia.
Headache.
Weakness, malaise.

Symptoms of rabies

When bitten, the condition of the dog should be taken into account. Chances of getting infected from own dog, there are few people vaccinated against rabies, but they are not equal to zero. Therefore, you should be aware of the signs of rabies in dogs as well as in humans.

Signs of a rabid dog

Signs of the disease replace each other in the dynamics of the disease, however, it is necessary to pay attention to the following signs:

Profuse salivation, accompanied by vomiting.
Hangs lower jaw.
Strabismus develops.
The barking becomes hoarse and muffled.
Convulsive paroxysms occur.
The animal becomes aggressive.
Hydrophobia and photophobia develop. The dog refuses to drink and avoids the light.
Gnaws the ground and inedible objects.

The disease in a dog occurs in three stages:

The first stage is characterized by changed behavior. The dog becomes irritable and hides in dark places. The dog barks for no reason. Watching loose stool with difficulty defecating. The appetite is distorted, the dog finds it difficult to swallow. After 1…3 days the middle stage begins.
The second phase lasts 3…4 days and is characterized by excitement. Bouts of rage give way to apathy. Salivation, characteristic of the first phase, intensifies. The dog tries to run away from the house, rushes at others, and tries to bite.
The final stage. The dog changes from barking to howling. Paralysis sets in. Hyperthermia develops, followed by hypothermia. Death occurs from respiratory arrest.

1…2 months after the bite mad dog a person may develop the following pathological symptoms:

The primary stage lasts 1…3 days and is accompanied by the following changes:

In a healed wound, a tugging pain occurs.
Migraine and vomiting occur.
Olfactory and visual hallucinations.
Lost appetite.
There is a feeling of anxiety, nightmares torment you at night.

The second stage lasts 2…3 days and is characterized by the following changes:

Hydrophobia. Can't take a sip. The sound of water causes convulsions.
Bright light causes severe headaches and convulsions. Photophobia develops.
Exophthalmia. The pupil is dilated, eyeball bulging.
Excessive salivation is accompanied by paroxysms of rabies, after which the person looks healthy.

Final stage

The agony lasts less than a day. The man is paralyzed. Body temperature >42° C. Death occurs from respiratory or cardiac arrest.

Diagnostics

If a dog is bitten, rabies must be confirmed or ruled out. Lymphocytosis is noticed in the patient's blood, and eosinophils completely disappear. Antibodies to the rabies virus are recognized in the imprint from the cornea. If the disease is not treated, a person infected with rabies has no chance of survival. Cases of recovery are explained by an erroneous diagnosis.

First aid

Before calling an ambulance, you must take the following steps:

The bite site is washed for 15 minutes with an aqueous emulsion of laundry soap, which has an alkaline reaction and can inactivate viruses and bacteria.
The bitten skin is treated antimicrobial agents.
Apply antiseptic ointment.
The wound is covered with an aseptic bandage.
The blood must be allowed to drain so that it washes away pathogens.

Treatment

A distinction should be made between rabies treatment and post-traumatic therapy.

Treatment of rabies

If the bite is in the arm, the virus can reach the brain in five days. If a person shows signs of rabies, the prognosis is poor. Therefore, knowledge of the epizootic situation comes first, if it is in this region unfavorable, the victim is prescribed anti-rabies procedures. Information about the dog’s vaccination, documented by the veterinary service, is important. An unvaccinated dog that has bitten is observed for 10 days. If during this period she does not develop symptoms of rabies and does not die, the medical institution treating the victim is notified. In this case, regular vaccinations are cancelled. If rabies is suspected, no stitches are required.

Timely vaccination stimulates immune system. When treatment is started early, antibodies kill the virus before it reaches the brain. Clinical symptoms arise due to the fault of someone bitten in following situations:

Late submission.
Missed vaccinations.
Unauthorized termination of the therapeutic course.

Treatment of rabies is carried out by a rabies doctor. On the day of treatment, if the victim was bitten by an unknown or his own unvaccinated dog, he receives passive immunization in the form of antirabies globulin. The vaccination is carried out on the 3rd day, then on the seventh day and further according to the instructions. The deadline for the first vaccination should not exceed 14 days after the bite. If soil gets into the wound, you must inform a specialist. He will inject the victim antitetanus serum.

Post-traumatic therapy

It takes time for a wound to heal. In case of lacerations, the defect is washed with an antiseptic. Stitches are placed when the face is bitten. If the injury is minor, carry out self-treatment following these recommendations:

Daily examination, treatment with a complex external agent that has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and wound-healing properties.
Changing the bandage.
If wound surface dry, without suppuration, it is lubricated with ointment or a wound-healing aerosol is applied.
In case of discharge, the affected area is washed with a mild antiseptic. Cauterizing solutions should not be used. Chlorhexidine or Furacilin are in demand. The exudate is removed with a napkin and the affected area is treated with powder.