Help, I've Been Bitten by a Dog!

No matter how careful you are, no matter how much you protect yourself, the day might come when you are bitten by a dog. It is important to know how to avoid being bitten, but it is also important to know what do when you are bitten by a dog.

Several years ago I was walking through my condo complex. Lucky for me I happened to be near the management office. I caught a glimpse of a female resident walking a small dog and they were well behind me. The dog was barking and carrying on. As I turned to see what the commotion was, there was the dog, latched onto the back of my leg. His teeth were in my skin and blood was dripping down my leg.

The initial reaction of the woman was to tell me it wasn't her dog. When I asked if the dog had its rabies shots she said, "The dog didn't bit you." I told her to follow me into the office, which she did, although she wasn't happy about it.

We went into the management office were the woman was informed that she was responsible for the dog biting me, since she didn't have control of the dog, which probably weighted in at about 4 pounds soaking wet. The dog's owner was away for a few days, but luckily she was reached by phone and she provided proof from her vet that the dog had his shots. However, I had to wait overnight to get that proof. It was a long and worry-filled time.

In the meantime I had called my doctor and his concern was to be sure that I saw a copy of the papers stating the dog had its shots, not to just trust word of mouth.

Luckily for me it all turned out fine. Here is what you should do if you are bitten by a dog:

* If the dog is with its owner, or you know who the dog belongs to, ask if the dog has had rabies shots and be sure to see proof of that.

* Get the name, address and phone number of dog's owner.

* Get the name of the dog's vet and that phone number as well.

* Don't take things for granted. Call the vet and check the situation yourself.

* Meanwhile, you need to clean the wound thoroughly with soap and water.

* Call your doctor, explain what happened, and follow his advice and guidelines.

* If the bleeding has stopped and the wounds are small, there shouldn't be much of a worry.

* If the wounds are large and still bleeding, go to your doctor's office, a walk-in clinic or the ER.

* If the dog is alone and there is no way to get the vital information, call your doctor's office immediately and tell them you need to be seen. Explain what has happened.

Rabies is a serious disease. Never assume a dog has been vaccinated, unless it is your own dog and you know for a fact it has been. If you are bitten by a dog, remain calm and follow the above advice.

Source:

Personal experience

Amva.org