Video - Dr. Komarovsky details about dog bites. Traditional methods of treating bites

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 traumatology center at the place of residence. Naturally, you can go to any other place. Medical care for someone 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.

A dog bite can sometimes cause problems, but if you have the necessary knowledge about possible dangers, you can successfully avoid them or at least minimize them. Specific diseases, infections and other consequences of bites can cause a painful reaction in the body. Therefore, it is important to know how to treat the wound and what to do to prevent complications from developing.

What is a dog bite?

A dog bite is a common injury that can occur at any age. People who live with or near animals are especially susceptible to this type of injury. The risk group includes children who have not yet been taught how to handle their own and especially other people’s pets, as well as how to behave when meeting a stray dog.

The nature of the injury depends on the depth of the bite, the force of compression and the size of the jaws, the multiplicity of teeth attached, the type and degree of infection, the general contamination of the skin surface and some other factors. Therefore, the variety of manifestations of consequences can be classified in a similar way. However, the main types of dog bites are distinguished based on the nature of the damage - superficial or lacerated.

With superficial compression of soft tissues occurs, often in mild form. In such cases, the bite is called “dog bit.” In this way, the animal makes it clear that the person has crossed the line of what is permitted, for example, by paying too much attention to it, causing inconvenience by touching, making noise, or simply violating the dog’s personal space. A four-legged friend can communicate his discomfort precisely by jaw compression of an accessible limb - an arm, a leg, or any other area of the human body in the absence of any other way.

Superficial dog bites are not dangerous

Lacerations are much more painful and dangerous. Mainly due to the opened access to infections, severe damage soft tissues and even bones. Such wounds require immediate treatment; there is a need for special medical procedures and even anti-rabies treatments (anti-rabies injections) events. The central focus in them is the consequences of the bite.

A lacerated wound needs immediate treatment

What are the consequences of a dog bite

The consequences of dog bites can be divided into several types:

Infections. And their variety is great. Infections, in turn, can be local and systemic, viral or bacterial, acute, causing incurable diseases complicated by fever or enlargement lymph nodes etc.
Sepsis. The most common consequence of contaminated wounds is tissue inflammation, accompanied by pain, redness, and swelling. Caused and complicated long absence medical care. Dangerous due to general blood poisoning.
Inflammatory processes. Accompanied by pain purulent discharge, redness, swelling, bleeding, possible unpleasant odor.
Noticeable scars after healing. They remain for life, and on exposed areas of the skin they attract unwanted attention. It is possible to reduce scars, but their complete disappearance is not always guaranteed.
Diseases of bones and joints. They develop in the corresponding places of strong bites.
Consequences of dog bites during pregnancy. The entry of saliva into the wound serves as the basis for anti-rabies measures, with which continuation of pregnancy is incompatible. The tetanus vaccine is harmless while pregnant.
Stress. May result from a sudden and severe dog bite. Stress is dangerous for complications during pregnancy (severe fear), in childhood or when moving nervous system. Fear of dogs may appear, even if there was none before the bite.

Complications after a bite to the arm, leg, face and other parts of the body

A certain role in the occurrence of consequences is played by the location of the bite, which can occur on the arm (hand, elbow, shoulder), leg (foot, lower leg, knee, thigh), body (side, stomach, buttocks), face, neck. If large blood vessels located close to the surface of the skin are damaged, severe bleeding, venous or arterial, may occur, which will require separate measures to stop them and even replenish blood loss. Strong bites of the hand, elbow, neck, foot, knee are dangerous due to changes in their functionality in the future. Bite wounds to the face can affect the rest of the victim's life.

Tetanus and rabies: likelihood of infection

The most dangerous consequences Dog bites cause serious infectious diseases such as tetanus and rabies. The likelihood of contracting rabies from a vaccinated domestic dog is zero. Infection after a bite from homeless and wild animals is extremely rare, due to ongoing measures at the state level to catch, monitor and, if necessary, destroy suspicious animals.

Tetanus can be transmitted through bites, but the likelihood of infection from a dog is also low and depends on the exposure of certain categories of citizens to bites.

80% of cases of tetanus occur in newborns (when infected through the umbilical cord), as well as in boys under 15 years of age due to their increased trauma. Among adults, about 60% of cases of tetanus occur in the elderly, largest percentage sickness and death are observed in rural areas.

Moreover, these statistics should take into account the tiny proportion of transmission of infection through dog bites. Meanwhile, rabies remains the most dangerous disease that can be contracted from a sick animal, including a dog. Rabies is incurable.

Video: all stages of rabies disease under medical supervision

Is it possible to recognize a dog with rabies?

It is possible to visually determine whether an animal has a disease only in its final stages. Dogs, infected with rabies, may not show themselves in any way for six months. An asymptomatic course of the disease for several months is an insidious sign of rabies. At the same time, the animal remains dangerous to others. However, most often the disease manifests itself and can be diagnosed as typical rabies.

early symptoms of the disease: the dog is agitated, overly active, avoids light, and trembles. There may be diarrhea and problems with swallowing. That is, almost any signs of ill health matter, even in a mild form. Particular attention should be paid to these manifestations if traces of a struggle, bites, or torn hair are found on the dog’s body;
the next stage, the so-called paralytic, since the dog exhibits: paralysis of individual muscle groups, lower jaw involuntarily lowers, voice changes, salivation increases;
the final stage is violent: saliva is secreted excessively and constantly, fear of water leads to panic fear dogs, uncontrollable aggression appears.

Excessive salivation is a sign of the last (violent) stage of rabies

As follows from the listed signs, it is almost impossible to visually detect the presence of rabies in an animal. However, you should know which dog bites pose the greatest danger. After all, the majority large breeds, in particular, which are sentry and other service ones, are designed to repel an attack on the owner, that is, to protect him. The bites of such dogs are especially painful and serious due to the power of the jaws, the sharpness and strength of the teeth, the depth of the damage caused, and can even be fatal.

In 2000, the American organization Centers for Disease Control published a report on dog attacks that led to fatal outcome, in the USA from 1978 to 1998. In particular, 118 people died from pit bull bites, 67 from Rottweiler bites, 47 from mixed-breed bites, 41 people from German shepherd bites, and 21 people from husky and chow-chow dogs, respectively.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms of the consequences of dog bites include both local and general reactions. The first includes changes at the site of injury: the skin around the wound changes color, redness occurs, even purple shades, swelling (tumor), sensitivity dulls, and numbness appears. When swelling occurs, lymph may ooze from the wound, and as a result of an irritable skin reaction, pimples and itching appear. The cause of these signs is the development of infection due to a bite. Complications and increased symptoms occur in the absence of emergency medical care in such cases. The general reaction of the body is manifested in the form elevated temperature, weakness from blood loss, dizziness, nervousness.

After a bite there may be slight bleeding, swelling, redness

If infection with tetanus or rabies has not occurred, then the consequences of the bite are eliminated by medication, surgery, or any other method as indicated.

Signs that may indicate rabies infection:

causeless fear;
insomnia;
irritability;
a sharp increase in temperature;
painful sensations.

Tetanus infection is indicated by:

jaw immobility;
spasm masticatory muscles, accompanied by:
- neck spasm;
- difficulty swallowing;
- tension in the abdominal muscles;
- sweat and elevated temperature.

If these signs appear, urgent medical attention is required.

What to do after a bite: should you see a doctor?

First of all, you need to remain calm in order to clearly and in detail describe your condition to the arriving doctors, as well as when providing before medical care. To correctly determine the condition of the wound and your well-being after a dog bite, you should examine the site of the injury, assess the degree of damage caused, identify the presence and nature of bleeding, and other injuries (bones, tendons, ligaments). If there is a need to seek emergency medical care, call the emergency medical services operator, describe in detail how you feel (are you feeling dizzy, weak, etc.), and state the results of examining the wound. In case of bleeding, go to the nearest emergency room. In the absence of the opportunity to receive professional medical care or when minor damage You can treat the wound yourself or use the support of others.

First aid: how to stop the bleeding and treat a wound

Providing first aid to a dog bite victim should be immediate, especially if there is bleeding. This is important to reduce the risk of infection getting into the wound, and therefore the development of inflammatory processes. Actions should be close to the following algorithm:

In case of severe bleeding, it is necessary to stop the bleeding. Usually with vascular damage average size the wound is clamped and covered with a tampon/bandage. Large vessels splash and even gush out blood; in such cases, a tourniquet (a special medical one, a belt, a scarf, a scarf, etc.) is applied above the wound itself, or if it is located in the area of two closely spaced bones, then above the nearest joint. For example, if the wound is on the lower leg, the tourniquet is applied above the knee, and if the wound is on the forearm, then above elbow joint. It is important to determine the location of the tourniquet correctly in order to stop the bleeding and not cause an even greater rush.
If the blood oozes moderately, then there is no need to rush to stop it, since the dog’s saliva is washed out of the wound along with it.
If the nature of the wound allows, then it is better to wash the bitten area with a solution of laundry soap. It is recommended to do this for about 10 minutes in order to thoroughly rid the bite site of any saliva that has gotten into it.
Treat the damage with hydrogen peroxide.
Bandage the cleaned and treated wound; you can apply a gauze pad or a cotton swab. Instead of a bandage, a plaster is suitable. It is important not to squeeze the damaged area with a bandage and not to try to make it tight.
Now you can (and should!) seek medical help.

Hydrogen peroxide is used to treat the wound

Under no circumstances should you provoke a dog to further actions. On the contrary, it needs to be remembered in order to communicate the signs, behavior and location to the veterinary services. This must be done to avoid further attacks.

Further treatment: when antibiotics are needed

After providing first aid, you should consult a doctor for treatment. You should not neglect the help of medical professionals if you are bitten by a dog - this type injuries are very common, but not all features of the injury may be noticeable to a non-specialist. The attending physician will prescribe necessary procedures, will determine drug therapy, the frequency of changing the dressing, taking into account the nature of the wound treatment, removal of sutures, if the wound had to be sutured, an x-ray will be prescribed if necessary. In addition, the doctor will definitely monitor the patient’s well-being. Therefore, even if hospitalization is not required after medical care, any changes in your feelings, fever, sleep disturbances, etc. should be immediately reported to the doctor. Therapy for dog bites takes place only under the supervision of a specialist; self-medication at home is unacceptable!

Disinfection of the wound surface and its isolation (relative in any case) do not guarantee the absence of discomfort, pain, as well as the penetration of contaminants, microorganisms and animal saliva into the deeper layers of damaged tissues. For large, serious bites, antibiotics are prescribed. They will help the body cope with possible infection and resist its secondary entry into the wound when the bandage is displaced or removed. Antibiotics are usually prescribed general action, such as Penicillin, Doxycycline, Ceftriaxone and others like that. It is possible to prescribe the antibacterial drug Dioxidin in case of severe infectious lesions with intolerance to other similar drugs.

Vaccination after a bite: where and how many injections are given to a person

Whether rabies vaccination should be carried out is a decision that only a doctor can make.

There is a strong belief that rabies vaccinations are the notorious 40 injections in the stomach, which are very painful. Modern medicine in this matter has long since stepped forward, and now vaccinations are carried out in the shoulder on days 0 (day of treatment) - 3 - 7 - 14 - 30 - 90. That is, only 6 days in within three months.

In addition, if the bitten dog does not disappear from view and does not show signs of disease in the next 10 days of observation, then vaccination is stopped, which means that the victim will no longer receive more than three injections.

Rabies vaccinations are given in the shoulder

It is very important to begin anti-rabies measures as soon as possible, without waiting for rabies symptoms to appear. If a person falls ill, then it should be remembered that therapy for this pathology is currently impossible, which means that the patient will inevitably face death.

Often attacks are committed by dogs that have owners who are ill-mannered or aggressive for some reason. The owners of the bitten animal must be asked to provide a passport or other document certifying that the pet has been vaccinated against rabies. If it is, then there is no need to inject the vaccine. If the vaccination is expired or missing altogether, then vaccination will definitely be required. And the attacking dog is also subject to ten-day veterinary observation.

Folk remedies for home use

In addition to medical help, you can also use folk remedies. But they should be considered only as an additional, and not the main therapeutic agent. Folk recipes often contain strengthening compounds, fortified infusions, bactericidal lotions and compresses. Therefore, their concomitant use performs an auxiliary function.

So, when treating wounds, solutions of potassium permanganate, salt, and echinacea tincture are used. In case of increased dryness of the damaged area (for example, due to treatments), nut oil is used. Antiseptic dressings based on honey and bee products are good. And if you add a small amount of turmeric to honey, then this composition will not only help disinfect the wound, but will also promote a wound-healing effect.

Here are some more recipes:

A mixture made from walnuts. They are thoroughly crushed and mixed with salt and onion. The well-mixed mixture should be applied to the wound.
A mixture of nettle and salt (the proportions are not important) is an excellent folk analgesic. When applied to the wound, the pain goes away, which brings relief.
Garlic + honey lotions. Garlic can be replaced with onion. A paste-like mixture is prepared from the ingredients and applied to the wound.
Meadowsweet leaves pulp - the leaves are crushed in any way and applied to the damaged area.

However, it should be remembered that the use of such folk remedies impossible with deep wounds Oh. And in no case will they replace the main treatment prescribed by the doctor.

Products used in folk medicine to treat the consequences of dog bites - photo gallery

Walnuts promote wound healing
Salt is included wound healing recipes
Onion is a known bactericidal agent
Garlic enhances the healing effect of healing mixtures
Honey - unique natural antiseptic
Nettle serves as the basis for a folk recipe for analgesics
Meadowsweet (leaves) is used to produce a wound healing agent

Nutritional Features

Both immediately after a dog bite and when using antibiotics, the body needs to be restored, strengthened and supported. Therefore, it is recommended to eat foods with increased content vitamin C, which include:

sea buckthorn;
black currant;
sweet green pepper;
parsley;
dill;
Brussels sprouts and others.

You can eat 3-4 cloves of garlic three times a day to enhance the healing effect and disinfection. At good nutrition and good immune properties of the body, recovery and healing will not keep you waiting.

How to Avoid a Dog Bite

Avoiding a bite can be difficult, but trying to minimize its consequences is always possible. Therefore, when meeting an aggressive dog, it is already too late to understand the reasons for its behavior or look for those to blame. It is important to protect yourself from teeth here. Some preventive advice in case of imminent proximity of dog jaws, they will help you to separate from them as peacefully as possible:

Meeting dogs in life is possible every day. And although not every one of them promises the threat of being bitten and the terrible consequences associated with it, but knowledge about correct behavior, first aid and treatment of consequences will help everyone to be much more confident on the streets of the city, the rural outskirts, when communicating with a neighbor’s dog or with their own pets. Dogs are, first of all, man’s faithful companions, selflessly devoted to him and serving in the most different types activities. But they still remain predatory animals, whose attack instinct can be activated for certain reasons. Be armed with these useful knowledge in order to provide timely help to yourself and others.

Like this beautiful dog at Akan's 🙂

Hello friends, I recently received a letter from my regular viewer and reader, his name is Akan. He asked me to tell me how to treat a dog’s wound; the nearest veterinarian is more than 160 km away, so he cannot show the dog to a doctor.

Of course, you should not self-medicate; if you have the opportunity to take the animal to the clinic, then it is better to do so, but there are hopeless situations when you have to act on your own.

In this article I will try to tell you how you can treat a dog’s wound so as not to harm at least, but to help at most.

So, Akan’s dog was attacked by a large alabai and made several wounds on the head, the wounds festered. These photographs clearly show the damage.

Head wounds after bites

Treatment of the wound

In such cases, you need to cut the hair around the bites, especially if it is thick and long. If this is not done, then the discharge from the wound will collect in large icicles, and dermatitis will appear on the skin underneath them, which will add to the problems.

Trim the hair around the wound

Then the wound should be washed with 3% hydrogen peroxide. To do this, it is more convenient to use a regular disposable syringe without a needle, which must be inserted into the wound and washed out the pus.

Be prepared for a lot of foam to form and it may be painful for your dog. But such an unpleasant procedure must be done. Peroxide removes pus well and is not too aggressive on living tissue.

Remove everything that was washed from the wound using clean gauze napkins; the edges of the wound can be slightly squeezed for better cleansing.

Syringe with piston removed

After this, inject levomekol ointment into the wound, again using a syringe without a needle. To quickly and conveniently draw ointment into the syringe, you need to remove the plunger, squeeze Levomekol into the syringe and return the plunger to its place.

How often should a wound be treated? Start with twice a day and then work your way up as it heals. If the discharge becomes less, you can rinse with peroxide once a day and apply the ointment twice - in the morning and in the evening.

What not to do

Do not pour alcohol, vodka, brilliant green, iodine or other substances containing alcohol into the wound. I know from experience that many people use alcohol to disinfect wounds, but such treatment will not kill all microbes, and there will be tissue burns. As a result, healing will slow down and you will end up with a large scar.

Can't sew tightly purulent wound, the pus must come out somewhere and it will find its way in any case. If the injury occurred a long time ago, then without prior surgical treatment It’s better not to sew at all.

There is no need to let your dog lick the wound, especially if it has a sore throat, which is common. Indeed, many people use similar method treatment is to let the dog lick the sore or cut, but this method is not always safe.

Danger signs

Be sure to monitor the general condition of the dog during treatment. If you notice that there is thirst, depression, convulsions, involuntary twitching of the limbs, then you need to see a doctor in any case. Or prescribe antibiotics at your own risk wide range actions.

Also danger signs: appearance putrid smell, severe swelling around the wound.

It is important to remember that if a dog bites you, it can become infected with a virus, which is also dangerous for your life. Therefore, if your dog is not vaccinated, it needs to be vaccinated within 36 hours after the bite, no later.

Conclusion

Friends, it’s clear what I described general principles, how you can treat a dog’s wound, and each case may have its own nuances. For example, if there is bleeding, the first thing you need to do is eliminate it. If the wound is not deep, then you can trim the hair around it and use powder with idoform or its equivalent.

In more severe cases, it is necessary to surgically widen the wound, remove pockets, apply novocaine blockades, install drainage, but without experience such treatment methods are dangerous, so I did not mention them.

A dog is man's best friend. Most people certainly agree with this statement. Indeed, the devotion of this animal has become the talk of the town. However, despite its wonderful qualities, a dog can cause significant harm to a person - bite. Everyone should know what to do if attacked by a dog, how to minimize the harm from an encounter with an aggressive animal, and how to treat the consequences of bites.

Why is a dog bite dangerous?

More than 150 thousand Russians seek medical help every year after attacks and dog bites. Dozens of people die from rabies transmitted by dog bites. Cases of dog aggression are increasing in summer period, and people suffer more from pets than from homeless people. Most often, adult men and children receive bites: children aged two to four years and adolescents aged 10–14 years.

The worst bites from dogs are fighting dogs and some working breeds: German shepherds, bull terriers, Rottweilers, pit bulls, Dobermans. The bite force of these animals is very strong and they cause serious damage.

A dog bite is an injury, the danger of which depends on many factors:

Bite forces - wounds can be different:
- superficial (pricked), when the integrity of the skin is slightly compromised; such injuries, in the absence of complications, heal quite quickly;
- torn, when the bites are much deeper - they can be torn soft fabrics, and in some especially severe cases, joints, bones, and ligaments are damaged.
Bite sites: in adults, most often the legs (ankles) and arms (hands and forearms) are affected; children can be bitten by dogs on the neck, face, or head. The most dangerous injuries are in the neck and head; deep wounds in these places can be fatal.
Health conditions of the dog - with the saliva of an aggressive animal, various bacteria and viruses enter the wound, among which the most dangerous is the rabies virus.

The most dangerous dog bites are to the neck, head and face.

Rabies is a serious disease that is transmitted through the saliva of a sick animal. The disease is 100% fatal. You can become infected with the virus not only if saliva gets into a bite wound, but also if you salivate on damaged skin or mucous membranes.

It is worth knowing that the virus is contained in the animal’s secretions 8–10 days before visible symptoms diseases. Therefore, with a bite from any dog, even a seemingly healthy one, it is imperative to contact medical institution.

The fact that a dog is sick can be determined by its appearance and behavior:

drooling, foaming from the mouth;
drooping of the lower jaw;
vomiting;
periodic seizures;
hoarse, muffled barking.

It is likely that an aggressive dog whose jaw drops, drools excessively, and experiences seizures, has rabies

The dog is excited, aggressive, ready to attack, and may chew the ground or objects in its field of vision.

What is the likelihood of contracting rabies from a sick animal? This directly depends on what part of the body the bite occurred on. If the neck or facial tissue is damaged, then the possibility of getting sick is very high and amounts to 90%. When bitten on the hand, the probability of infection is 50–60%; if the lower leg, shoulder or thigh is injured, then the percentage is even lower - about 20.

In addition to rabies infection, after a bite there is a high probability of developing tetanus, the causative agent of which can be present in the soil, on various objects and can easily get into the wound. Tetanus is a disease whose prognosis is always disappointing.

In addition to the possibility of contracting tetanus or rabies, dog bites can have the following consequences:

Significant blood loss if the wounds are very serious; Large arteries may be ruptured or organs may be damaged with the development of internal bleeding.
Wound infection - occurs in 15–20% of all bites; more often it is a local purulent-inflammatory process, in in rare cases- systemic infection with the development of a serious complication - sepsis. There are many different microorganisms in a dog's mouth that are pathogenic to humans. When microbes enter a wound, they cause infection. Depending on the type of pathogens that have entered the wound and the condition immune system victim, the time for development of the inflammatory reaction varies from 8 to 24 hours.
Psychological trauma. Attack aggressive dog especially dangerous for children, pregnant women and the elderly. Weak children, old people and women are not able to actively fight back the animal, so there is a high risk of serious injury. In addition, bites threaten consequences in the form of shock in the child and the threat of termination of pregnancy in expectant mother. A bite from an elderly person can result in a heart attack, requiring immediate attention.

Symptoms: local and general reaction to the bite

IN best case scenario, if the dog is not very large and the bite fell on a part of the body covered by thick clothing, you can only get away with hematomas from the compression of soft tissues by the teeth without damaging the skin. Even a weak dog bite is quite painful; with severe injuries, the pain is very pronounced.

A puncture wound is a puncture of the skin with minor bleeding that is easy to stop. After the bleeding stops, the wound may ooze, edema (swelling) and redness, a rash in the form of small pimples, the skin may itch or, conversely, become insensitive (numbness). These signs indicate that the bite is quite deep and an inflammatory reaction is developing. A purulent process can be indicated by increased pain, swelling, discharge from the wound with characteristic odor, and these symptoms appear several hours after the bite. Nearby lymph nodes enlarge and join general weakness, fever.

A dog can inflict it with its teeth puncture wounds and abrasions - such injuries, in the absence of infection, are easier to treat than lacerations

Lacerated wounds are accompanied by severe bleeding, pain, severe weakness and malaise, it is possible pain shock. The likelihood of infection with such injuries is much higher.

Tissue damage from bites large dogs can be very significant

If the bitten dog had rabies, the first signs of infection in a person can be detected within a week after the attack. Time initial manifestations The disease is associated with the location of the bite, the depth and extent of the injury. The closer the damage is to the head (brain), the sooner symptoms will appear.

The first period of the disease is short - only 1-2 days, it manifests itself as follows:

pain occurs again in the area of the healed bite;
body temperature may increase;
bothered by headache and severe weakness;
the infected person becomes irritable, depressed, loses appetite, has causeless anxiety, fear, melancholy, and has disturbed sleep.

Further development of the disease leads to irreversible damage work of the most important centers (respiratory and vasomotor) and the patient dies.

The most terrible consequence dog bite - infection fatal disease rabies

Prodromal phenomena characteristic of rabies are similar to the first signs no less dangerous disease- tetanus. Incubation period this heavy infectious disease lasts from a week to a month. The patient experiences a dull, nagging pain at the site of injury, and the surrounding muscles may tense and twitch. During this period, the patient may complain of weakness, headache, sweating, loss of appetite. Then the symptoms characteristic of the disease appear - tension and cramps of the chewing and facial muscles (trismus and “sardonic smile”), painful difficulty swallowing, strong tension muscles of the back of the head. Further development of the infection is manifested by tetanic (generalized) convulsions - strong involuntary contractions skeletal muscles, while the patient feels excruciating pain. In the worst cases, tetanus can lead to muscle tears, compression fractures spine, asphyxia and cardiac arrest.

What to do in case of a bite wound

If the bite does not draw blood, and the dog simply squeezed the soft tissue tightly with its teeth, it is enough to wash off the saliva that has got on the skin with a stream of water and soap, disinfect the area with any available antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine, alcohol) and apply cold.

With any bite that draws blood, even if a pet that has received vaccinations has shown aggression, you must contact the nearest medical facility - emergency room, clinic, hospital. Extensive lacerations, especially in the head area, require first aid and immediate calling an ambulance. Timely treatment and prevention of rabies and tetanus can save the victim’s life.

First aid

Before a bitten person is sent to the hospital or an ambulance arrives, certain manipulations must be carried out. Algorithm of actions:

Rinse the wound thoroughly. To do this, you need a stream of water and soap. The best option - laundry soap(the rabies virus dies in an alkaline environment) or liquid soap, detergent(Not washing powder!), which is needed in large quantities dissolve in cool boiled water. If you don't have one, you can use clean bottled or tap water. The liquid should not be too warm, so as not to provoke even more bleeding, and very cold, so as not to cause a sharp vascular spasm.
After a bite, the wound must be washed with water and soap, preferably household soap.
If the bleeding is not too massive and large parts are not damaged great vessels, you need to allow blood to flow freely from the wound so that impurities are washed out along with it.
Treating the bite. The wound (cavity) itself can be disinfected with a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, the edges of the damage must be treated with any available antiseptic: an iodine-containing preparation (5% iodine solution, Betadine), 70% ethyl alcohol, Miramistin, Chlorhexidine.
After washing soapy water the bite wound should be washed with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution
Apply a bandage to the wound, preferably sterile: bandage, napkin, gauze. If there is no sterile material or bandages, you can apply a clean cotton cloth and bandage it loosely.
After treating the wound, it is necessary to apply a bandage to it, preferably a sterile one.
Severe bleeding should be stopped by applying a tourniquet or bending the affected limb as much as possible. Elevating the injured arm or leg will also help.

The wound must not be cauterized, any ointments applied, tightly bandaged, napkins, bandages, etc. placed in the cavity.

Further treatment

Upon arrival at the hospital, the patient is treated for bites:

scratches, abrasions, small puncture wounds are treated with an antiseptic and a sterile bandage is applied;
deep lacerations are subject to PSO (primary surgical treatment):
- removed from the wound under local or general anesthesia foreign objects, blood clots, dead tissue;
- treat the cavity with antiseptic solutions.

To prevent secondary infection, sutures are not applied to bite wounds. Suturing large vessels in case of massive bleeding or torn tissue with very extensive damage. In this case, primary sutures are applied with a drainage-washing system, secondary sutures are applied, or skin grafting is performed. The latter is indicated for elimination cosmetic defects- if the bites occurred on the soft tissues of the face.

Small bite wounds are treated with antiseptics and no stitches are applied.

According to indications, diagnostic measures can be carried out:

taking swabs for bacteriological research material;
blood sampling to identify infectious agents;
ultrasonic or x-ray examination if there is a suspicion of presence deep in the wound foreign body or injury to bones and joints.

After the measures taken, the patient may be sent home or offered hospitalization. Indications for inpatient treatment are the following states:

extensive deep damage;
signs of wound infection (fever, swelling and redness of surrounding tissues, purulent discharge);
infection with dangerous pathogens;
immunodeficiency state of the patient.

Along with local treatment, the patient is given systemic therapy, including antibiotics - with dog bites Amoxiclav or Augmentin, Ceftriaxone or Ciprofloxacin, Lincomycin are prescribed. Antibiotic therapy lasts 7 days.

The decision to use is decided by the doctor on an individual basis; Usually, for dog bites, penicillin or cephalosporin drugs are prescribed

If treatment is carried out in a hospital, the victim is prescribed intravenous drip administration physiological or 5% glucose solution. At large blood loss- blood substitutes.

At home, to prevent purulent inflammation, you can use rinsing with a 1% Dioxidin solution and apply syntomycin emulsion to the wound. Change the dressing as needed.

Video - what to do if bitten by a dog

Preventive vaccination

After an attack or dog bite, the victim must undergo anti-rabies vaccination and administration antitetanus serum. Rabies vaccination is not given if the aggressor is domestic dog, vaccinated against rabies, and the owner has documentary evidence of this fact.

A patient bitten by a stray or unvaccinated domestic dog can be given rabies immunoglobulin (before using the vaccine), if no more than 72 hours have passed since the attack. Immunoglobulin, which is ready-made antibodies that neutralize the virus, is injected around the wound and into its depth. This method is used if the injuries occurred in the neck, face, head, genitals, or in the case of very deep wounds, regardless of location, as well as in the case when the saliva of the attacking dog got on the mucous membranes, for example, in the eye or mouth.

Rabies vaccine (a weakened virus that stimulates the production of antibodies to the pathogen) is injected intramuscularly into the shoulder. The course consists of only 6 procedures according to the scheme: after the first injection 2 days should pass, after the second - 3 days, next vaccination done on the 14th day after the first injection, then on the 30th and 90th day.

The course of vaccinations against rabies consists of 6 injections according to a specific scheme

The number of injections depends on the information about the bitten dog. It is recommended to monitor the animal that attacked for 10 days. If during this time the dog does not become ill with rabies, the victim receives only 3 injections of the rabies vaccine. In the event of the death of an animal or the impossibility of obtaining data about it, a full course vaccinations. The victim must undergo treatment regardless of the time of treatment, even if several months have passed since the incident.

There may be adverse reactions to the vaccine:

fever;
headache;
swelling of the cervical and axillary lymph nodes;
locally - pain, swelling and redness at the injection site.

After administration of immunoglobulin, complications are possible:

development of a local allergic reaction (after 1–2 days);
anaphylactic shock;
serum sickness (a week after the injection).

Therefore, the sites for vaccination and immunoglobulin administration should be equipped with anti-shock measures, and the patient after injections should be monitored by medical staff for 30 minutes.

During the course of treatment and six months later, you should not drink alcoholic beverages, be overheated or hypothermic, or do heavy physical work.

Video - how to protect yourself from rabies

Traditional methods of treating bites

Alternative treatment cannot replace a visit to the doctor. Apply folk recipes only possible as an addition to traditional methods therapy for dog bites.

Traditional healers offer different variants treatment of bite wounds: local compresses, taking herbal infusions and decoctions orally. In any case, the wound must first be thoroughly washed with soap. Then you can make lotions or compresses using:

saline solution (1 large spoon per liter of boiled water);
diluted 1:1 alcohol tincture propolis;
fresh aloe juice;
a mixture of garlic, onion and salt (1 tablespoon each of grated onion and garlic with the addition of a teaspoon of salt);
onion gruel with honey (1 chopped onion mixed with a tablespoon of honey);
fresh nettle, crushed to a homogeneous pulp with the addition of salt;
mashed leaves of meadowsweet (shelomaynik) or plantain;
dry herb powder;
herbal infusion:
- 1 tbsp. mix a spoonful of St. John's wort with 2 tbsp. spoons of yarrow, pour boiling water (300 ml), let brew for 2-3 hours; strain and apply gauze pads soaked in the product to the wound;
infusion of eucalyptus or calendula flowers (20 g of dry raw materials per 300 ml of boiling water).

These products can only be used for minor puncture injuries. Co lacerations You must definitely go to the hospital.

You can take decoctions and infusions of herbs with wound-healing and bactericidal effects internally.

Clove infusion:

Steam dry clove buds (10–15 pieces) in a glass of boiling water.
Leave for 1.5–2 hours, strain.
Take 1 large spoon three times a day before meals.

Infusion of sweet clover herb:

For a glass of boiling water you need to take 1 teaspoon of the plant and leave for 6 hours.
Drink a tablespoon of medicine 3 times a day before meals.

Immortelle infusion:

Pour boiling water (250 ml) over 10 g of dry raw material and leave for an hour.
Take 1 large spoon three times a day half an hour before meals.

Photo gallery - unconventional treatment of wounds from dog bites

Immortelle is used to treat dog bites both externally and internally. Cloves have disinfectant and wound-healing properties, so its infusion is used to treat dog bites. Sweet clover is used as a wound healing agent Ground nettle leaves are applied to the bite site
Onion-honey mixture is used to treat bites as an anti-inflammatory agent Fresh leaves plantain or juice from them is applied to bite wounds for healing Aloe juice has powerful anti-inflammatory and regenerating properties Calendula is famous for its anti-inflammatory properties, so it is used to treat wounds, including bites.

Food for the victim

There is no need to follow a special diet after a dog bite. Nutrition should be complete, rich in vitamins and minerals in order to accelerate the regeneration of damaged tissues. You need to consume foods with high content vitamins B, C, A, E, K and D.

In the first days after strong bites Given the possibility of developing an inflammatory reaction, acidosis and edema in the area of injury, it is advisable to eat alkalizing foods (vegetables and fruits) and somewhat limit salt in the diet.

protein sources:
- veal, turkey, chicken, dairy and fermented milk products;
correct carbohydrates:
- fresh fruits, vegetables (including legumes and leafy ones), berries, whole grain bread, cereals;

First of all, of course, it is better to avoid fights altogether. Be courageous - lead your beloved and adored friend on a leash. Even if it's the size of a cat. Even if “it never bites anyone.” If he bites, a dog is a dog! And after that, it doesn’t matter whether she’s protecting you from “enemies” or she just didn’t like someone’s new collar with rhinestones. So, keep your dog on a leash; an aggressive dog must be muzzled. Please respect yourself and others!

If the dogs do get into a fight, you need to act quickly, sensibly and calmly. Screaming loudly and kicking dogs is useless - it will only irritate them, and you will waste precious time. It is highly not recommended to separate your opponents by their collars or pull their ears - in this case there is every chance of being bitten by your own dog! In the heat of battle, your beloved dog simply won’t have time to tell where your hands are and where the enemy’s neck is. You can try to pull small fighters away by their tails or hind legs. If your lapdog is being held by the neck by a neighbor’s pit bull, or the dogs are quite large, you need to try (preferably with the help of a neighbor-owner) to unclench the teeth of a stronger opponent with a stick. By the way, the “peacekeepers” themselves often start a verbal altercation, or even a fight. This is not an option! You will sort things out later - and it is better not to become like dogs.

Let's assume you're already at home. Calm down and get on with your inspection. As a rule, if the fighters were approximately the same size, everything is limited to bite wounds. Most often this is the area of the neck, shoulder blades and root of the tail. The fur around the wounds must be cut (or shaved)! There is no point in pouring hydrogen peroxide (or any other miraculous remedy) onto the fur: if fangs get under the skin (that is, it is bitten), microbes will inevitably get in as well. And then you don’t have to tell the doctor when you bring your dog with an abscess ( purulent inflammation subcutaneous layer) that you treated the wound.

After cutting, the wounds must be washed. To do this, you can use chlorhexidine or miramistin (they, by the way, are available in convenient syringe bottles), but “potassium permanganate” will also work. The solution is injected from a syringe without a needle (or from the aforementioned syringe) directly into the subcutaneous “pocket” through the wound holes. They look like “punctures”. The dog has four fangs, so you need to look for “paired” holes - from upper canines and from the lower ones. All wounds must be treated. Further, such treatments are repeated daily until the wounds are completely healed from the inside. Usually, starting from the third day, anti-inflammatory and wound healing ointments(for example, “Solcoseryl” or “Levomekol”). Once again, wounds must heal from the inside.

Superficial damage (abrasions) are treated with brilliant green or iodine. You can use sprays (“Terramycin”, “Alu-spray”). The dog should not “lick” the wound! To protect damaged areas, a “Catherine’s” collar is used - a plastic cone placed around the dog’s neck and preventing it from “self-medicating”, since your pet’s tongue is not sterile (there are more bacteria in the mouth than in the rectum).
In case of extensive gaping wounds, visible heavy bleeding or traumatic shock(shortness of breath, dilated pupils, howling, or, on the contrary, a state of prostration) is necessary immediate help specialist It’s up to you: you can call a doctor at home or go to a clinic. But you need to keep in mind that the time is counted in hours, and sometimes in minutes. It is better to store the addresses and telephone numbers of the veterinary services closest to you in the dog’s documents so that, if necessary, help can be provided as soon as possible. Veterinarian will hold antishock therapy, will treat the wounds and apply stitches if necessary.