A dog is the most loyal friend of a man. But the fact is, they are an animal and they can surely harm you. A dog can bite you if it is irritated by your action or if it’s a mad dog. Some of the dog bites are not harmful and a basic first-aid can be enough to treat them. But some can be really harmful and should be given immediate medical assistance.
Children are more subjected to get bitten by dogs than adults as they love to play with dogs. Stray dogs are more likely to bite you but there are times when your friend’s dog can also bite you thinking you to be stranger in their home. So you need to be very careful with dogs and if you ever get bitten by them then take it seriously and do all the needful.
If you have a mild bite then these are the basic steps that will serve as a first-aid:
. Wash the area of the bite thoroughly with clean soap and warm water.
. Press a clean towel on the wound gently to stop the bleeding.
. Apply a disinfectant on the bite so that there is no further infection.
. Keep the wounded area in an elevated position.
. Cover the wound with an antiseptic bandage to prevent it from any germ infection and dust.
. If you see that the bite is very serious, getting worse with time and the bleeding is not stopping then see a doctor immediately to prevent any further damage.
If you suffer from a dog bite then you must take expert medical assistance if:
. The bleeding does not stop even after 15 minutes.
. The victim is a patient of any disease like HIV, cancer, liver disease, diabetes, or has a low immune system.
. If there is any broken bone.
Any kind of treatment that is to be given to the victim should commence within 8 hours from the time of the dog bite. This can reduce the chance of any further deterioration in the health of the victim.
The treatment process includes the following:
. Taking antibiotics.
. Injecting Tetanus.
. Rabies immunization should be given to the victim if the dog was suffering from rabies.
. If there is a deep breakage in the skin then it might require some stitches.
Prevention is always better than cure. Therefore if some preventive measures are taken beforehand then you will not have to bear the severe pain of a dog bite.
. Stay away from stray dogs.
. Don’t run away from them or scream at them.
. Don’t annoy a dog when sleeping.
. Don’t try to snatch away their babies.
. Don’t play with a dog if its owner is not around.
Take care of all the above and keep yourself safe from dog bites.
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