Dog bites can be sources of serious injury and lasting damage. Whether one bites in full force or just playfully, the mark that it leaves can be very severe. It is vital to be in the know on what to do if an incident occurs, so that the injury can be treated as quickly and well as possible.
What to Do
Enough people fall victim to dog bites that they are fairly common occurrence in California, but young children are the ones that get it the most often. As a parent, you may be left in a panic when this happens. The first thing to do, of course, is clean the wound, preferably with soap and water, so that infection does not set in. After that, you need to hold a towel on top of the wound and try to soak up blood from the wound. Severe bites can often result in significant blood loss, so after you bandage the wound, it is best to head straight to the hospital and have a doctor check it out.
Checking for Signs of Infection
Infection from a bite can spread very quickly. Dogs that are behind on their shots can transmit through single bites, so you need to know what signs to check for. The most common one is pus coming out of the wound. Then you also have redness, swelling, and warmth surrounding the wound. A doctor would need to treat the wound in such cases, and would maybe prescribe antibiotics. It mostly depends on the speed with which the injured party is taken to the hospital—the earlier the doctor can start monitoring for signs, the sooner he or she can start administering the first round of antibiotics.
Keeping the Area Elevated
This is among the best things you can do following a serious dog bite. What it does essentially is stop the bleeding. You can pile pillows under the bitten area, or rest it on a chair or a couch. The blood stops flowing in that direction, which means extensive blood loss can be prevented.
Using Antibiotics
Most bites require antibiotics to treat. Antibiotics fight off any infection. Most doctors prescribe cream or ointment which needs applying on the wound directly. While this may sting, it does the job of halting further infection.
As for bringing a dog bite claim against the owner of the animal, you may need the expertise of a competent dog bite attorney to make sure you get your just entitlements in the court of law, so make sure to hire only the best.