Small and superficial wound. Video - how to protect yourself from rabies

One of common reasons going to the emergency room is a domestic bite or stray dog. Unfortunately, our country has not developed clear mechanisms for controlling stray animals, which is why a walk past a landfill or a deserted alley can end in meeting, well, one stray dog.

In a situation where you are bitten by a dog, whether domestic or stray, you cannot hesitate. You need to provide first aid and consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Dog bite - what to do

If a dog bites on the street, it is most likely a stray (unless its owner is nearby), in which case there is a possibility that it is infected with the rabies virus.

In this regard, such a bite requires a mandatory visit to the emergency room, as well as to the veterinary service, because if the dog is not caught, it may bite someone else. That is why, no matter how strange it may sound, it is necessary to remember the signs of the dog that bit you.

What to do if bitten by a domestic dog

If the dog that bit you is a pet, contact its owner or ask him on the spot whether the dog has been vaccinated against, what vaccine and how long ago ( different vaccines operate at different times).

Remember that if you are bitten by someone's dog, you have every right demand compensation from the owner for the damage caused to you. In this case, you need to seek legal assistance to file a lawsuit.

First aid for a dog bite

Many people do not know how to treat a dog bite, which is why they often do it incorrectly. The first rule is that before treating a wound with an antiseptic, it must be thoroughly washed using water and soap, and it is better if the soap is laundry soap.

This is because it contains many times more alkali, which prevents bacteria from entering the wound. This should be done in any case, even if the dog did not bite until it bled, because it may leave marks on the skin. invisible to the eye scratches, which are also a “gateway” for infection.

You should not use alcohol, vodka, brilliant green, etc. to treat the wound. You can resort to such antiseptics only if you do not have hydrogen peroxide on hand. It is with its help that it is better to treat a bite. And the antiseptics listed above can slow down wound healing due to tissue burns.

After this, it is advisable to apply a tight gauze bandage and consult a doctor. Well, if at the site of the wound there was heavy bleeding, don't waste time and call ambulance.

Dog bite - treatment

Animal bites should not be treated at home! Firstly, wounds from a bite can often be lacerated and accompanied by severe blood loss, secondly, a mass of pathogenic microorganisms enter the bloodstream with the animal’s saliva that can cause suppuration and infection, thirdly, the bite of a stray dog in most cases requires only a doctor.

And don't be afraid. Rabies vaccination today is not 40 injections in the stomach, but only 6 over 3 months (1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 90 days after the bite), and even then in the shoulder, which is transferred to times easier.

When deciding how to treat a dog bite, doctors evaluate the severity of the bite, its location, the presence of dead skin around it, signs of inflammation and suppuration, etc. Beforehand, the surgeon may even remove some skin around the injury to avoid infection.

After this, the wound is washed and thoroughly cleaned, the patient is prescribed a course of antibiotics, the purpose of which is also to prevent suppuration. With all this, the wound may not be sutured during this time in order to prevent infection and other complications. Instead, they put it on her sterile bandage, and only after a few days are they stitched up.

Also, the doctor may refer you to it if you have not had this vaccination, because in addition to rabies, the animal’s saliva also threatens this dangerous infections. Fortunately, vaccination against is just one shot, not 6.

A child was bitten by a dog - what to do?

If a child has been bitten by a dog, you shouldn’t even think about how to treat a dog bite at home! The child’s body is even more susceptible to infection, and if the wound is lacerated, it requires a neat suture that will not leave scars.

The first thing you need to do if a child is bitten by a dog is to calm him down. IN in an affectionate manner stop the child's crying, explain that everything will heal, that the doctor will treat the wound and there will be no trace left of it.

If she bit domestic dog, the child may need it, since there is a high probability of fear of dogs and other pets, fear of betrayal, etc.

Usually dogs attack people during the mid-season periods, especially in spring and autumn. Everyone should know what to do if bitten by a dog.

If very big square bite, especially if there is a lot of blood flowing and it is difficult for you to move - first of all, urgently call an ambulance or ask someone to call one.

If you can get home, go to the bathroom, where you should thoroughly wash the wounds with water and (this is not a typo - with soap!). Expensive soap not advisable - household grade is better, it has more alkali.

Be patient and rub the surface of the bite for a few minutes. Try to wash away all the dog's saliva from the surface of the wound.

You can pour hydrogen peroxide on the wound and treat the skin around the wound with iodine. Stopping the bleeding is not the main task. It is better to wash the wound thoroughly, as the infection is washed away along with the blood.

Then apply a gauze or cotton swab to the wound, do not press too hard, wrap it with a bandage or plaster.

Whatever it is, you definitely need to visit a doctor! Usually this is a trauma center at your place of residence. Naturally, you can go to any other place. Medical assistance bitten by a dog is needed to prevent rabies.

Know everything: rabies is a deadly infection!!! Not only dogs can be contagious, but also foxes, cats, wolves and, in general, any warm-blooded animal. Rabies can be treated with a vaccine, sometimes for several months.

How to avoid a dog attack in general? Why get treatment then? Well, from simple tips- don’t look her in the eye, don’t wave your arms and legs, don’t shout to the whole street, and don’t even smile (there’s no time for smiling here).

It's clear that some dogs don't care what you do and may attack you regardless.

If the danger is too close, try to somehow avoid a collision. You can use the entrance of a house, a gate, a store, a telephone booth, or some high place where an evil animal cannot reach. But just don’t run towards the obstacle, walk at a calm pace, most importantly facing the dog.

As soon as you run, the dog will immediately catch up with you. You can lean against a wall or a bus stop. Take off your outer clothing, wrap it around your hand, and pull it forward.

In some cases, you can try to seize the initiative. You can command the dog “No!”, “Ugh!”. This often helps.

Dogs are very afraid of opening an umbrella. If he is with you, use him. The sudden opening of an umbrella has a deterrent effect on any dog. Sometimes ordinary sand under your feet helps - throw it in the enemy’s face.

If you have already had problems with dogs, then you may need a psychologist. Or maybe classes in special groups with dogs. There you will learn not to be afraid of dogs at all, understand their nature, and maybe you will again love and understand these very kind and most importantly loyal animals.

Dog bites are quite common. Despite the fact that a person has long tamed an animal and a dog is deservedly considered a friend of a person, the likelihood of being bitten always remains. Due to certain circumstances, even a domestic dog can attack, and even more so a stray dog. Therefore, every person should know what to do in such cases and what assistance to provide to the victim, since quite often bites can have serious consequences.

How dangerous is a dog bite?

In addition to being traumatic, a dog bite is also dangerous because it can lead to a disease such as rabies. It is dangerous because there is a huge risk fatal outcome. The rabies virus is transmitted from a dog to a person through saliva that gets into an open wound. Therefore, it is important to take appropriate measures in a timely manner to avoid severe consequences and reduce the likelihood of infection to a minimum.

In addition, it is necessary to distinguish between the severity of bites. They are:

punctured, characterized by damage to the skin, while soft fabrics remain intact;
torn, in which the epidermis is damaged, as well as muscle and connective tissues. Such wounds require immediate medical care, as suturing.

But no matter what kind of wound is formed after a dog bite, you need to consult a doctor.

And so, rabies is a disease, the virus of which, entering the human body, quickly penetrates into nerve cells, and after and up to the brain. Then the following appear, indicating the development of pathology:

convulsions;
hallucinations;
increased salivation;
fear of water and photophobia.

In the absence of proper medical care, respiratory paralysis develops. It should also be noted that once the disease is discovered, it is almost impossible to save the person; treatment in this case only alleviates the condition and does not save life.

In addition, from a dog bite you can become infected with sepsis, tetanus and a number of other infectious diseases.

After receiving deep lacerations, there is also a risk large blood loss, receiving psychological trauma, state of shock.

First aid

When providing assistance to a victim of a dog bite, first of all you need to understand what kind of animal committed the attack: domestic or stray, and it would also be good to observe it in the next few days. Now as for the victim himself. When open wound and bleeding from it, it is necessary to give time for the animal’s saliva to come out along with the blood, since it may contain pathogenic microorganisms And infectious bacteria. Then you need to wash the wound with warm soapy water (you should use laundry soap or hydrogen peroxide), and then treat with an antiseptic. Skin around the bite, you should treat it with hydrogen peroxide or brilliant green; if you don’t have anything on hand, then alcohol will do. After this, a gauze bandage is applied to the wound. To relieve pain and prevent shock, you can take analgesics and sedatives. If the wounds are serious enough that there is a possibility of bone damage, then the injured area must be immobilized and immobilized.

After providing first aid, the victim must be taken to the hospital, and if the wounds are numerous and quite serious, then an ambulance is called immediately.

In the hospital, the wound is treated and, if necessary, stitches are applied.

After a dog bite, the victim is prescribed special rabies injections, which are given on certain days and their number is six injections, which are absolutely safe and have no contraindications.

If a dog bites a child

Children are more likely than adults to be attacked by dogs. There are many reasons for this, but the most important thing, after the fact, is timely and the right help. The absence of panic (which is very difficult to expect from adults whose children have been injured) helps to avoid serious complications, and in some cases, save the child’s life. Therefore, it is very important to remain calm and the right actions perform a first aid.

First of all, the wound is examined and its severity is determined, especially dangerous lacerations in the head and neck area, where there is a real risk of bleeding and closed fractures. Therefore, the child should be helped and taken to the clinic.

First aid includes:

washing the wound aqueous solution from laundry soap;
treating the injury site with an antiseptic;
treating the surrounding skin with iodine;
applying a sterile dressing.

If the wound is not too serious, then after examination by a doctor and stitches (if necessary), it is recommended to apply antiseptic ointments to its surface. You can use Levomekol or Betadine.

If necessary, if there is a risk of infection in the child’s body, he is also prescribed a special vaccine. In this case, you shouldn’t be scared; it’s easier to get several injections of serum than to deal with serious illnesses, which in most cases medicine is not able to cope with, especially since modern science I took a good step forward and now instead of forty injections, six are quite enough.

In addition to administering the vaccine, a course of antibiotics may also be prescribed; this is necessary if there is a real threat of infection.

Children who have been bitten by a dog may develop psychological problems, such as panic fear of animals, stuttering, sleep disorder and other symptoms. In this case, a big role is given to the parents, who must restore emotional balance to the child, and if they cannot cope on their own, it is necessary to contact a specialist.

What surprises await your dog on a walk? It is quite possible that an unwanted encounter with a neighbor's dog will end in a fight. A cat can be bitten by bullies in the country. The results of fights - bite wounds in a dog or cat are not as harmless as they might seem at first glance.

Bite wounds always have crushed tissues, their separation, damage to blood vessels and puncture wounds from teeth.

Small wounds - marks from fangs often go unnoticed. Or the owner does not give them of great importance. But simply treating such a wound with iodine will not help. IN oral cavity animals is located great amount microorganisms that enter the wound and begin their pathogenic effects. Wounds are dangerous because if poorly treated, the skin defect is covered with a crust (often the crust is a mixture of sticky wool and ichor). And exudate accumulates under the skin, which after a while will become purulent. 3-5 days after the bite, the dog becomes lethargic, the temperature may rise, and the bite site is painful and hot.

Wounds with profuse bleeding in the abdominal and chest cavity require urgent appeal to the veterinarian. It happens that the damage to the skin in the chest area is minor, but under the skin, as a result of the bite, the muscles are torn and there is an entrance to pleural cavity. Such wounds are life-threatening. Help must be provided as soon as possible.

At large area damage required antishock therapy – drip administration solutions and administration of cardiac drugs.

With bite wounds on the limbs, the dog may not step on the paw, and only an x-ray will help find out why: because of pain in the wound or because of a fracture.

Cat wounds, bites and scratches, are most often localized in the head area. Scratches in the cheek area that are unnoticeable at first glance can lead to serious complication- subcutaneous phlegmon. And untreated wounds in the ear area lead to otitis media, due to the fact that the discharge from the wound flows into the ear canal.

How to treat a wound on an animal?

Before visiting a doctor, you can give your pet first aid. Gently trim the hair around the wound, rinse the wound with hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine, apply a clean cloth to the wound and bandage it. At heavy bleeding on the limbs, apply a tourniquet above the wound or simply press the wound firmly through a napkin (or a clean handkerchief) with your fingers.

Different wounds - different approach

Before deciding how best to treat the wound, the doctor shaves the hair around it, thoroughly rinses the wound and subcutaneous pockets antiseptic solutions. Fresh wounds (up to 8 hours) can be sutured (provided there are no large subcutaneous pockets). In case of correct and good processing and provided good care, fresh wounds heal in 7-10 days. If you came a day or later after the bite, then after standard treatment you may need to remove dead tissue and install drains (gauze or tubular). You can change and wash drains yourself at home. A course of antibiotics must be prescribed and, if required, general state dogs and vitamins. Wounds with complications that are not treated on time take longer to heal; the healing process can take 2-4 weeks.

Caring for a bitten dog

The doctor treated the wound, now the most important thing is up to you - proper care pledge quick recovery and healing. The first thing your pet will try to do at home is to rip off the bandage and lick the wound. It is important to prevent this from happening, especially if the wound has stitches. There will be no stitches the second time; the wound will take a long time to heal. Buy a protective collar and watch your pet so that he doesn’t get to the sore spot. The first treatment of the wound can be done at the veterinary clinic, or it can be done by you. At your first appointment, ask the doctor in detail how to treat the wound, write everything down (or the doctor will write everything down for you in detail). At home, two people need to treat the wound. The assistant will fix the animal, and you will process it. There is no need to be nervous, you will succeed. Try to act quickly, accurately and accurately. Prepare everything in advance so as not to be distracted during processing. Place open bottles with solutions away from the animal. If the dog or cat jerks suddenly, the bottles may fall and break.