Articles Posted in Dog Bites

A dog bite is usually a traumatic experience, especially when the victim is a small child. What a small child has been bitten by a dog or cat, a visit to a doctor or emergency room is often in order. Even with adults, more severe bites may require a trip to a physician. The treatment for dog bite varies considerably depending on the location and severity of the bite. However, typically after a dog bite your doctor will:

1) Check the injury for bone damage, tendon injury, nerve damage, and infection. In some cases, you may need to return to be checked for infection, since in many cases signs of infection do not develop for a few days. Redness, swelling, excessive fluid buildup, and pus can all be signs of infection. If you notice these after a trip to your doctor, you may need to visit a doctor again.

2) Clean the wound. Your doctor may need to remove damaged tissue while cleaning the wound. Usually, he or she will use a special solution which will help prevent infection and will help remove pus, fluid buildup, animal saliva, and other debris that may lead to infection.

Animal bites are a leading cause of injuries to children and minors, but they can cause serious injuries in adults as well. Animals bites most often occur when a child is unsupervised around a pet. In most cases, children are bitten by pets they know and have safely spent time with before. Unfortunately, pet bites can pose a serious danger for small children and can even be fatal. Dog bites in small children can lead to brain damage, broken bones, and serious lacerations that require surgeries and cosmetic correction. Even cat bites can leave serious scarring and can easily become infected.

When small children are bitten by an animal, it is imperative to take them to a hospital, where they can be properly evaluated. Both children and adults should also visit an emergency room in the event of a biting by an unknown animal. Rabies treatment is most effective when initiated quickly and any unknown animal may be carrying a disease. Proper evaluation and early treatment are a must.

You should also seek immediate medical attention if the person who has been bitten has a condition – such as cancer, AIDS, lung disease, diabetes, or liver disease – that makes them susceptible to infection. Seek medical help if the wound is gaping, deep, or oozing pus. If you have not had a tetanus shot for five years, you may also need some immunization to prevent complications.

Many dog owners who have a pet with a biting problem get overwhelmed and frustrated. They know that they are responsible for preventing dog bites and the personal injuries these bites cause, but they are not always sure how to do this. Stopping dog bites, however, is possible. It begins with a careful observation of the dog.

Dog owners should carefully observe their pet. Does the animal act frightened or scared? Does the pet behave a certain way of behaving just before attempting to bite? Does the dog show any symptoms of illness? Take notes if you can of any behaviors you notice with your dog. Even seemingly unrelated behaviors may be a clue.

Pet owners who have a dog that bites should see their vets at once. Vets are often the first line of defense against biting because in some cases biting problems are caused by a physical problem or illness. Treating that problem takes care of the biting problem as well. Even if this is not the case, vets are often familiar with biting problems and can generally recommend local pet trainers and other professionals who can help with behavioral problems. As well, vets can ensure that your pet is healthy. If your dog bites, this is important, since your dog can transmit some illness through their saliva.

Dog bites are an issue during the holidays. More of us are visiting the homes of loved ones, and some of these homes invariably include pets. As well, more people are visiting our homes, and delivery personnel are arriving in our homes more frequently to deliver holiday parcels. Changes during this season — such as new decorations and new faces — can upset pets. At the same time, some guests, especially younger ones, may inadvertently tease or annoy a pet. All of these factors can contribute to bites. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to help prevent dog bites:

1) If you are pet owner, make sure that your pet is healthy and comfortable. Even though this is a hectic time of year, take time out to spend some time with your dog. Talking to your pet, going on a walk, or scratching your dog behind their years will reassure your pet that everything is OK. Spending time with your pet also ensures that you will notice any signs of potential illness. If your dog shows any signs of illness, make sure that you take your pet to the vet immediately. Dogs are far more likely to bite if they are in pain or unhealthy.

2) If you are pet owner, consider placing your dog in a different part of the house if you have guests or are expecting visitors or delivery personnel. At this time of year, it is a good idea to put your dog into a separate room if you will be expecting many new guests. This will allow your dog to get comfortable to the sounds and smells of people before they are introduced. Also, keeping your dog from delivery personnel can help prevent unfortunate accidents.

Sometimes, even with the best intentions and the best precautions, a dog will bite. If you’ve sustained a dog bite or if your child has stained dog bites, make sure that you not only seek the appropriate treatment, but that you also protect yourself legally as well. If you have been bitten by a dog:

1) Contact the authorities at once. While your first instinct may be to confront the dog’s owner, this is often inadvisable. Some owners are very reluctant to help the victim of dog bites, and some dog owners actually become aggressive when their pets are accused of biting. If you can, detain the dog or take a picture of the dog’s collar or note the dog’s collar number, location, or any other information that can help in identifying the dog. Contact the authorities at once — they can often help identify the dog, gather evidence, and get you immediate medical assistance. They can also gather evidence about whether the dog has had all their vaccinations or not.

2) Seek medical attention immediately. You should visit a doctor or an emergency room — if doctors’ offices are closed — immediately after a dog bite. Even if your dog bites do not seem to be very severe, you may need a course of antibiotics or rabies shots to keep you safe. If you’ve been exposed to rabies, it is important to start a course of rabies treatment immediately. Even if you’ve not been exposed to rabies, dog bites can easily become infected, and medical treatment is often necessary to ensure your safety.

Dog bites are a serious problem across the country and across the state each year. Each year, 4.5 million people are victims of dog bites. One in five bite victims require medical attention due to personal injury caused by the bite. While many people have the common sense to stay away from an aggressive, dangerous dog, even well-mannered and friendly dogs can suddenly bite. .

Bites are a special concern because they so often cause injuries to children and minors. Children are often drawn to animals and wish to pet them. They also often have less understanding about the signs of aggression in a dog and may not know how to get away in the event that a dog becomes aggressive. They are often more trusting of a strange animal as well. Unfortunately, because of their relatively smaller size, children can sustain much more serious brain injuries, facial disfigurement, and other serious personal injuries due to a dog attack.

If you are a dog owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that your dog does not bite somebody. It is important to never let your pet out without a leash. Spaying or neutering your pet can make your dog far less aggressive and can help reduce the possibility of a dog attack. If you’re visiting a family with a young child or baby, or if children are visiting your home, never leave the dog unattended with the children. Children will sometimes inadvertently tease an animal, causing it to bite.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), dog attacks are the leading public-health problem of children, and a leading cause of injuries to minors and children. In fact, according to the organization, more than half of children will be bitten by a dog before reaching age 12. These injuries often are far more serious than a nip on the hand. In some cases, dog bites can result in brain injury, permanent disfigurement, and even death. In addition to the personal pain caused by canine attacks, lawsuits and criminal prosecution can be the end result for pet owners.

While most parents know how important it is to teach their children to be cautious of strange dogs, most childhood victims are bitten by dogs who are close to them. In fact, dogs owned by a child’s family and friends are the most likely culprits.

There are several things that parents can do to help prevent dog bites:

Dog bite inhibition refers to teaching dogs to control the force of their bite. It is important that owners teach their puppies this skill during the first few months of life. In many cases, puppies learn bite inhibition naturally from their mother or other puppies. Mother dogs will push a puppy over or walk away if the puppy bites down while feeding. The puppy learns that he or she must not bite in order to get fed. When playing with other puppies, the puppy that bites too hard finds fewer playmates and more fights, and so learns to control biting.

In the first 2 to 4 months of life, if a puppy is with his mother or spends time with other puppies, bite inhibition will be learned. However, if your puppy is separated from its mother and littermates too soon, it may not learn about bite inhibition. Group obedience class and interaction with other dogs is one way to ensure that your puppy learns bite inhibition.

It is important to teach your puppy bite inhibition because you may be held liable if your dog injures someone. Additionally, a puppy that has not learned bite inhibition can be a serious threat to others. A dog that bites can cause serious personal injury and can even cause head injuries to children. If your dog bites someone, you may not only face legal problems, but you may lose your pet as well.