Bitten By Dog: What To Do Once The Attack Is Over
Often people want to know what happens if they are bitten by a dog, what to do? Before focusing on the legalities of the incident, you will obviously want to make sure you’re your wound is taken care of. To do this, you first need to examine the bite site carefully. You will want to make sure that the dog didn’t break the skin when it bit you. In some more serious cases, there could be puncture wounds. If the skin is not broken, wash the area carefully and be sure to note any characteristics of the animal (assuming that the dog is not your own).
If the skin is broken from the bite, then you probably should get a tetanus shot unless you’ve had one fairly recently. You can treat a mild bite yourself, but if the flesh is torn or the puncture wound is deep, you are best to seek medical advice.
Should the dog belong to you or you know that the dog has received its rabies shots yearly, then you probably won’t have to worry about rabies. However, if it is a stray or a dog you do not know, you are best to get rabies shots. When the dog is a strange dog, you will have to err on the side of considering that it has rabies, thus you will definitely need to go for medical treatment. Ensure that you save or obtain copies of all medical treatment involved with the incident.
Next, if you were bitten by dog, what to do after you have treated yourself, or even if you’ve received medical treatment, is to keep in mind that infection could easily set in. Thus, look for a fever, redness of the skin around the bite, and if the skin becomes unnaturally hot. Those are the basic signs of infection and you should seek medical attention if these signs arise.
It is highly suggested that you write down what you remember about the dog if it runs away, so that the local dogcatcher can find it. Guess as to the breed, remember about where its shoulder height was, and if there were any patches or differences in coloring, what they were. You may even wish to make a drawing if you have the talent.
Of course, the biggest thing is to figure out is why the particular dog that bit you did so. If you were teasing the dog, or trying to take away food, or even pretending to harm the dog’s master, well that’s one thing, but if you did nothing to provoke it whatsoever, then the circumstances are definitely worrisome. So, all in all if you were bitten by dog, what to do? All of the above should guide you quite well.
For more information, please call dog bite law expert, attorney John Donahue at: 1-888-7DOGBITE (1-888-736-4248).
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