Bitten by a dog. What to do?

Since ancient times, a dog lives next to a person, shares shelter with him and plays with his children. Is it possible to doubt her devotion and friendliness? If the animal is domestic, does not show aggression and is healthy, then no. And what about other dogs that constantly live on the street? The street mongrel is a formidable enemy that defends its territory and itself. In this case, the bite is more of a pattern than a surprise. Let's figure out what to do if a dog has bitten. Also learn more about dog bite attack nj. 

Types of bites

Before understanding what needs to be done, it is important to understand the types of bites. Bites received from dog teeth are divided into two types:

• Puncture wounds - the depth exceeds the width of the damage. In this case, bleeding opens at the site of injury, which requires prompt assistance. First of all, the blood is stopped, then the wounds are treated with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents, and a gauze bandage is applied on top of the damage.
• Lacerations - occur due to the sliding of teeth on the skin with simultaneous pressure. This bite has noticeable damage to the skin and is more dangerous than a stab. The skin may flake off or even partially scalp. The extremities, both upper and lower, are most often affected. In situations with children, the most vulnerable place becomes the face and head. In most cases, sutures are required and continued treatment under the supervision of a specialist.

Dog bite symptoms

After bites, both a small wound and significant damage can remain. In both cases, a person may face dangerous complications. As a rule, symptoms appear immediately:

• Wound infection. Already during the bite or after there is a risk of infection. In this situation, a person begins to fever, shiver. The body temperature rises. The skin around the injury turns red, swells, lymph nodes increase significantly.
• Bone fractures. Large dogs with powerful jaws can not only break, but also crush a human bone. This is especially true for dogs of fighting breeds.
• Damage to muscle tissue and bleeding (both external and internal).
• Suppuration of wounds. Without timely assistance and care for the injury, very often pus begins to accumulate in the tissues.
• Infection with various infections - E. coli, ticks and, most dangerously, rabies.

In any case, after the attack of the animal, you must seek medical help. If a person has lost consciousness or feels hot, he is tormented by vomiting, then you should not hesitate, but immediately call an emergency ambulance. In this case, we are talking about such possible consequences as disability and even death.

Among the most dangerous consequences can be identified infection with rabies. This case is worth considering in more detail.

Signs of rabies in humans

As soon as the virus enters the body, the incubation period immediately begins, which on average lasts from 1 to 3 months. The further the site of infection from the brain, the longer this period will be. There are three stages of the disease:

• Initial. Duration from 1 to 3 days. Even if the wound heals, the person begins to “feel” it, it can be a feeling of pain, burning, itching. Swelling of the scar is possible, the temperature rises to 37 ° C and stays at this level. The state of a person changes - he feels weak, there is a disorder of the stool and the urge to vomit. In the same period, various hallucinations and a depressive state begin to haunt him. Sleep is disturbed and nightmares appear.
• Excitation stage (2-3 days). It is characterized by the development of hydrophobia, fear of water. The sight, and later the sound of water, provokes spasms of the swallowing and respiratory muscles. A person develops convulsions and a feeling of overwhelming fear. The patient's gaze is focused at one point, the pupils dilate.
• Stage of paralysis (from 12 hours to 1 day). Outwardly, a person calms down, his functions of movement and feelings fade away. The body temperature rises to 42 ° C, the pressure drops, and the heartbeat quickens. A person dies due to paralysis of the heart muscle, or respiratory organs.

Human vaccination against rabies

At the slightest suspicion of a disease, a person is vaccinated in the buttock or in the forearm. Of course, it does not consist of 40 mythical injections, but only of six that completely remove the virus. The vaccination schedule is as follows:

§ initially it is placed on the day a person enters a medical institution;

§ then after three days;

§ on the seventh day;

§ two weeks later, on the 14th day;

§ a month later, on the 30th day;

§ three months later, on the 90th day.

Rabies vaccination is the only cure. In some cases, if after 10 days the dog is alive and well, then the vaccination of the person is stopped.

When Vaccination May Not Help

For a healthy, up to a dog bite, human, the vaccine is 100% salvation. But there are a number of reasons why it may not work:

• congenital weakness of the immune system;
• long-term treatment with glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants;
• late vaccination;
• expired or improperly stored vaccine;
• missed procedures;
• alcohol intake.

What to do after a dog bite

After a dog bite (even with vaccinations), the victim needs help:

• First of all, it is necessary to inspect the damage - to establish the severity of the injury, whether the bones, large vessels, ligaments were damaged.
• Bleeding must be stopped before treatment. If an artery is affected, then it is necessary to apply a tourniquet above the damaged area, in the case of an affected vein, a tight-fitting bandage will be sufficient.
• The bite is treated as follows: washed with boiled water with the addition of hydrogen peroxide; after the wound is treated with an antiseptic agent - a weak solution of furacillin. The skin around the damage can be lubricated with iodine solution or brilliant green.
• The treated wound is covered with a gauze bandage, which, without bleeding, should not be tightly tightened.

Often, such procedures are quite enough to avoid complications and achieve successful tissue healing.