When a dog bites – What do I do?

I told him not to get any closer; the dog was very tense and the signs she was showing were very clear to me. I told the guy in the dog park to leave her alone. But he wouldn’t listen…and 3…2…1… he got bitten by the anxious female Doberman. The guy started screaming after he had realized that he got bitten, one good bite right in his face. Yes, his face! Why don’t people listen? He thought he was doing this dog a favor, by patting her and trying to comfort her by sticking his nose in her face.

Yes, this happened today. I just wanted to take Lilly for a short visit at the playground for dogs across the street, a little green area for dogs in Downtown L.A. – some of you might know this place:) Many Downtown dogs come here to play and socialize. Lilly was not in the mood to play and I had already decided to leave when I saw this young guy talking to a scared dog. I walked a little closer, because I saw him trying to pat the dog. The dog was moving backwards to avoid his touch.

The guy kept on annoying the dog and I told him while passing him to leave the dog alone. I said: “Look at her body language, she doesn’t want to be touched by you“. The young man looked at me like, “Who are you and what the hell“. Me again: “she is very tense, she’ll bite you, leave her alone” I just finished my sentence when this beautiful Doberman drilled her teeth in his cheek. The young ignorant man was screaming so loud that some of the people who were walking by came over to see what happened. The owner of the dog stopped reading his magazine and walked over with his cup of coffee in his hand. He started yelling at the dog after I told him that she’d bitten the young man. Then he looked at me for an answer, which I gave: “It was his fault. The dog is innocent. I warned him, and he wouldn’t listen.” He looked down to his dog. “Ohhhh nooo, sweetheart. What did you do?”

A woman came over: “I’m a nurse, let me see, please.” She said: “It’s not too bad, but the skin is broken.” It really wasn’t a bloody scene! The guy screamed louder after he heard that his skin was broken and crying for an ambulance. There was no need for an ambulance… and I had to leave.

I took care of the poor scared dog by putting Lilly’s loose leash around her neck and taking her out of the chaotic situation. I walked her to a calmer place, no dogs – no other people – I didn’t talk to the dog at all – didn’t touch her – nothing.  We waited around the corner and the female Doberman relaxed, sitting next to me and Lilly. The owner was too busy with the guy, but came over after 10 minutes drenched in tears. “She never bit anyone before,” he tried to explain me. “Don’t worry,” I said. “She was only defending herself. She was scared“.

People not watching their dogs in parks and playgrounds are one thing and people annoying and teasing dogs they don’t know is another. Why would someone do that? To be loved by every single dog in the dog park? Just to show everyone how much they all love you? No, take care of your dog and set an example for others… show people that you love and know your dog. Don’t sit down and read a book or magazine. As the owner of a shy and uncertain dog, you should never sit down and let your dog take care of herself. That’s what I told the owner, and he agreed. I gave him my phone number and told him to walk home with his dog.

I did my research (content from: http://familydoctor.org) and here is a run-down of what you should do first, after someone gets bitten by a dog or a cat.

1. If necessary, call your doctor
2. Wash the wound gently with soap and water
3. Apply pressure with a clean towel to the injured area to stop any bleeding
4. Apply a sterile bandage to the wound
5. Keep the injury elevated above the level of the heart to slow swelling and prevent infection
6. If necessary, report the incident to the proper authority in your community (for example, the animal control office or the police)
7. Apply antibiotic ointment to the area 2 times every day until it heals.

Will I need a rabies shot?

Probably not. Rabies is uncommon in dogs and cats in the United States (it is more common in wild animals like skunks, raccoons, bats and coyotes). If a dog or cat that bit you appeared to be healthy at the time of the bite, it’s unlikely that the animal had rabies. However, it’s a good idea to take some precautions if you’re bitten by a dog or cat.

If you know the owner of the dog or cat that bit you, ask for the pet’s vaccination record (record of shots). An animal that appears healthy and has been vaccinated may still be quarantined (kept away from people and other animals) for 10 days to make sure it doesn’t start showing signs of rabies. If the animal gets sick during the 10-day period, a veterinarian will test it for rabies. If the animal does have rabies, you will need to get a series of rabies shots (see below).

If the animal is a stray or you can’t find the owner of the dog or cat that bit you, call the animal control agency or health department in your area. They will try to find the animal so it can be tested for rabies.

1. Examine the wound for possible nerve damage, tendon damage or bone injury. He or she will also check for signs of infection.
2. Clean the wound with a special solution and remove any damaged tissue.
3. May use stitches to close a bite wound, but often the wound is left open to heal, which can lower the risk of infection.
4. May prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.
5. May give you a tetanus shot if you had your last shot more than 5 years ago.
6. May ask you to schedule an office visit to check your wound again in 1 to 2 days.
7. If your injury is severe, or if the infection has not gotten better even though you’re taking antibiotics, your doctor may suggest that you see a specialist and/or go to the hospital, where you can get special medicine given directly in your veins (intravenous antibiotics) and further treatment if necessary

How can I prevent cat and dog bites?

Here are some things you can do to prevent bites:

1. Never leave a young child alone with a pet. They often don’t know how to be gentle with the pet, which can cause the pet to get irritated and bite.
2. Do not try to separate fighting animals. You may get bit in the process.
3. Avoid sick animals and/or animals that you don’t know whether or not they are vaccinated.
4. Leave animals alone while they are eating. Animals are often very protective of their food.
5. Keep pets on a leash when in public.
6. Select your family pet carefully and be sure to keep your pet’s vaccinations (shots) up-to-date.

For more information, check here.