Preventing Dog Bites

Almost one out of five dog bites become infected. Don’t be a victim. With a few tips, you can learn how to prevent dog bites and reduce the risk of illness and injury.

Basic Safety Tips

Do:

• Remain motionless (e.g., “be still like a tree”) when approached by an unfamiliar dog.
• Curl into a ball with your head tucked and your hands over your ears and neck if a dog knocks you over.
• Immediately let an adult know about stray dogs or dogs that are behaving strangely.

Don’t:

• Approach an unfamiliar dog.
• Run from a dog.
• Panic or make loud noises.
• Disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
• Pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.
• Encourage your dog to play aggressively.
• Let small children play with a dog unsupervised.

What if you get bitten or attacked by a dog?

• Put your purse, bag, or jacket between you and the dog to protect yourself.
• If you are knocked down, curl into a ball with your head tucked in and your hands over your ears and neck.
• When you get to a safe place, immediately wash your wounds with soap and water. Seek medical attention, especially:
  • If the wound is serious (uncontrolled bleeding, loss of function, extreme pain, muscle or bone exposure, etc.).
  • If the wound becomes red, painful, warm, or swollen, or if you develop a fever.
  • If it has been more than five years since your last tetanus shot and the bite is deep.
• Because anyone who is bitten by a dog is at risk of getting rabies, consider contacting your local animal control agency or police department to report the incident, especially:
  • If you don’t know if the dog has been vaccinated against rabies.
  • If the dog appears sick or is acting strangely.
• If possible, contact the owner and ensure the animal has a current rabies vaccination.

Minor wounds

• Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water.
• Apply an antibiotic cream.
• Cover the wound with a clean bandage.
• See a healthcare provider if the wound becomes red, painful, warm, or swollen; if you develop a fever; or if the dog that bit you was acting strangely.

Deep wounds

• Apply pressure with a clean, dry cloth to stop the bleeding.
• If you cannot stop the bleeding or you feel faint or weak, call 911 or your local emergency medical services immediately.
• See a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

See a healthcare provider immediately

• If wounds appear infected (red, painful, warm, or swollen).
• If you do not know the dog or if the dog does not have a current rabies vaccination certificate. You might need treatment to prevent rabies.

For treatment of animal bites and other ailments, visit a Maxicare Primary Care Clinic, where you can also get laboratory tests done. For immediate consults, you can see a doctor via our Teleconsult and Videoconsult service powered by Doctor Anywhere. And, should you need it, HomeCare medical procedures are available upon request in Metro Manila and selected provinces.

Reference:

http://www.cdc.gov/features/dog-bite-prevention/

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