If a dog bite pierces a person’s skin, bacteria from the animal’s mouth can get into the body, which can cause an infection
. Washing the wound thoroughly can remove the bacteria from the body and help prevent infection. If the bacteria stay in the body, they can cause an infection, such as tetanus, rabies, or sepsis.
What does a dog bite infection look like?
Symptoms that may indicate infection include:
swelling, redness, or pain that lasts more than 24 hours
. pus that drains from your bite or wound. red streaks that run up your hand and arm.
How do you tell if a dog bite is infected or healing?
A dog bite wound that is infected will continue to have increasing inflammation and redness
, whereas a bite wound that is healing properly will typically decrease in redness and swelling over time.
How long does it take for infection after dog bite?
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.
What if dog bite left untreated?
Even if the dog bite is harmless to look at,
it can lead to serious infections or rabies, and eventually result in death
.
When should I be worried about a dog bite?
When to see a doctor
People should seek emergency medical attention for a dog bite if they have:
uncontrollable bleeding from the wound
. a fever. a red, swollen, or painful wound.
Do I need an antibiotic for a dog bite?
Antibiotic prophylaxis commonly is recommended for moderate to severe wounds of the face, hands (bites tend to involve the dominant hand), feet or genital area
. Bites involving tendon, bone or joints and bites resulting in devitalized tissue generally are treated with antibiotic prophylaxis.
Should I put Neosporin on a dog bite?
Antibiotic Ointment:
Put an antibiotic ointment (Neosporin, Bacitracin) on the bite 3 times a day for 3 days
. Call Your Doctor If: Bite looks infected (spreading redness, red streaks, swelling, or tender to touch)
What is a Level 4 dog bite?
Level 4 Bite –
One to four punctures from a single bite with at least one puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth
. The person or dog bitten may also have deep bruising around the wound or wounds from the dog shaking its head from side to side. At this level, the red warning flag needs to go up.
Can a dog bite heal on its own?
Dog bites to the face tend to be sutured, while
those located on less noticeable parts of the body may be left to heal on their own
. Sometimes, dog bite wounds need surgery to repair the wound if there is considerable skin damage or skin loss, or if there are associated injuries that need treatment.
How do you tell if a bite is infected?
- a wide area of redness around the bite.
- swelling around the bite.
- pus.
- increasing pain.
- fever.
- chills.
- feeling of warmth around the bite.
- long red line extending out from the bite.
Should I get a dog bite looked at?
Call a doctor if:
Bleeding doesn’t stop after 15 minutes of pressure
. The bite has broken the skin. A tetanus shot may be necessary to reduce the possibility of tetanus infection, depending on when the victim last received a tetanus booster.
Should I go to the doctor after a dog bite?
In general,
most experts recommend seeking medical care within 24 hours after you’ve been bitten
—especially if the bite has broken the skin. Dog bites can cause medical problems that aren’t immediately obvious, such as rabies.
Can you put hydrogen peroxide on a dog bite?
Do not scrub or soak the wound.
Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing
. You may cover the wound with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a non-stick bandage. Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed.
How do you clean an infected dog bite?
- Wash the wound with soap and warm water.
- Gently press a clean cloth over the wound to stop the flow of blood.
- Apply an antibacterial ointment to the wound.
- Cover with a sterile bandage.
- Watch for signs of infection.
What should you do if a dog bites you and breaks the skin?
See your provider within 24 hours for any bite that breaks the skin
. Call your provider or go to the emergency room if: There is swelling, redness, or pus draining from the wound. The bite is on the head, face, neck, hands, or feet.
