What should I do if my dog was bitten by another dog?
What are the symptoms of a dog bite infection?
Symptoms of a dog bite infection can include:
What diseases can a dog get from a dog bite?
Pasteurella Infections
When should I take my dog to the vet after a dog bite?
Small puncture wounds from canine teeth can close over rapidly and can easily be missed. Therefore, if your dog has been in a fight with another animal, you should take him to your veterinarian for an examination as soon as possible. If you can see obvious bite wounds, you should seek immediate veterinary attention.
Should I take my dog to the vet after a dog bite?
Call Your Vet
Unless the bite is truly just superficial (on the surface of the skin), your dog should be seen by your veterinarian after being bitten. Your dog's veterinary team will be able to make sure the wound is totally clean, and your vet can prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.
Related faq for What Should I Do If My Dog Was Bitten By Another Dog?
When is a dog bite serious?
Wash the wound daily, and check it for signs of infection, including redness, swelling, warmth, a foul odor, or whitish-yellow discharge. Call 911 and seek emergency medical care if the victim is bleeding profusely from multiple wounds. Call a doctor if: Bleeding doesn't stop after 15 minutes of pressure.
How long before dog bite gets infected?
After being bitten, most people who become ill will show symptoms within 3 to 5 days, but this can range anywhere from 1 to 14 days. Most Capnocytophaga infections usually occur with dog or cat bites.
Do dog bites always get infected?
Risks of Infection After a Dog Bite
According to the Academy of Pediatrics, infection occurs in about 10 to 15 percent of dog bites. Dog bites that go untreated without proper cleaning and medical care are at increased risk of developing infections, which can be passed to another through bacteria.
How do I clean a bite wound on my dog?
How do you disinfect a dog wound?
Warm tap water is recommended for cleaning most wounds. Warm saline (salt solution) may also be used. This may be made by adding approximately one level teaspoonful (5 mL) of salt (or Epsom salts) to two cups (500 mL) of water.
How do you treat an infected dog bite?
What happens after a dog bite is reported?
Dogs are required to be quarantined for a minimum of 10 days after biting a person in California. Bites must be reported to local health officials, triggering the quarantine process. This mandatory quarantine process is to make sure the dog does not have rabies.
Are dog bites serious?
Dog bites can introduce dangerous bacteria into the body. This can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections to occur when left untreated. It's very important to wash the wound as soon as you're bitten and to use topical antibiotics, such as povidone iodine, in and around broken skin.
Why do dog bites hurt so much?
Puncture Wounds
Given how friendly most dogs are, it's easy to forget that they have very sharp teeth. When a dog attacks, the puncture wounds can penetrate deep into the tissues, inflicting significant pain and damage.
What does a dog wound infection look like?
Streaking – Red streaks either around or moving away from the wound are potential symptoms of an infection known as lymphangitis. Bad smell – A pungent odor from either the discharge or the wound itself is another common sign of an infected wound.
What does an infection look like on a dog?
Signs of Bacterial Infections in Dogs
They may appear as firm or soft swelling. They may or may not be ulcerated on the surface. A discharge may be present. Discharge consistency and color can vary from watery and pinkish or red (serosanguinous) to thick and yellow or green in color (pus).