Dog bite: what you need to know. Small and superficial wound

More than 150,000 people in Russia suffer from dog bites every year, and dozens of deaths from rabies are recorded.
An increase in cases of dog bites is recorded in the period June-September.

There are ten times fewer victims of bites from stray dogs than those who have been bitten by dogs with owners.
Dogs are the most dangerous fighting breeds(pit bulls, rottweilers, German shepherd mestizos, german shepherds, Dobermans, etc.)

Dog bites are more common in men, children aged 1-4 years and children 10-13 years old.
Bites predominate in the legs (in adults), in children in the head, face, neck.

More than 15% of all dog bites are complicated by infection and development inflammatory process.
For humans, the most common source deadly disease how rabies become sick dogs.

What are the consequences of a dog bite for a person?

First of all, this is infection of the wound and the development of a local purulent-inflammatory process, which occurs in 15-20% of all bites. In addition, systemic infection and the development of sepsis (rarely) are possible if a microorganism enters bloodstream person.

Most often, the following microorganisms cause wound infection: Pasteurella (40-50%), Streptococcus (35-45%), Staphylococcus (30-40%), and microbes that multiply in an oxygen-free environment Fusobacterium, Bacteriodes, etc. (20-30% ). In most cases, the microbial flora in infected wound mixed. All of these microorganisms are found in oral cavity dogs and bite into the area of the wound.
The development of a wound infection usually occurs 8-24 hours after the bite.

Symptoms of an infection in a wound:
Local:

Signs of inflammation - redness, swelling, pain
Purulent discharge, sometimes with bad smell
Enlargement of adjacent lymph nodes

General symptoms:

Increase in body temperature
Possible headache
Slight malaise, weakness

Possibility of contracting diseases such as tetanus and rabies.

What is rabies?

Rabies- the hardest infection caused by a virus. It is transmitted through the bites and saliva of sick animals. The disease is accompanied by damage to the neurons of the spinal cord and brain. With absence timely treatment leads to death in 100% of cases.

Who can infect with rabies?

1. The main sources of the rabies virus are wild animals:

In Russia, 90% is a fox
raccoon dog
Korsak
Arctic fox (in the tundra zone)
IN recent years rabies has been recorded in beavers, ferrets, badgers, gray rats, martens, wild cats, moose, house mice, gray rats.
Spreaders of the disease can be: squirrels, muskrats, nutria, hamsters, bears, bats.

2. Pets such as dogs, cats, small and large cattle and others, which are usually infected with rabies from wild animals.

The disease is not transmitted from person to person!

How does infection occur?

When bitten by sick animals
When the saliva of a sick animal gets on the mucous membranes or on damaged skin

The saliva of a sick animal becomes contagious already 8-10 days before the onset of the disease!

Symptoms of rabies in a dog

Appearance:

Profuse salivation and vomiting
Strabismus
sagging mandible
Hoarse and muffled barking
Periodically arise seizures

Behavior:

The animal is aggressive, excited
Unexpectedly can pounce on a person
Gnawing on the ground, various objects

The mechanism of the development of the disease

Through damaged areas of the skin or through the mucous membranes, the virus penetrates into nerve endings. On which, at a speed of approximately 3 mm per hour, it moves to the spinal cord and brain. Having reached the structures of the brain, the virus penetrates the neurons, where it begins to multiply. After that, the virus moves in the opposite direction from the center to the periphery. The virus spreads throughout the body (salivary, lacrimal glands, kidneys, lungs, intestines, skeletal muscles and etc.). The appearance of salivation, increased sweating, convulsive contractions of the respiratory and swallowing muscles is associated with damage to the structures of the central nervous system. Death occurs from damage to vital centers (vasomotor and respiratory).

In all cases, does a person develop rabies from the bite of a sick animal?

The likelihood of developing the disease depends on the site of the bite. So, with a bite in the neck or face, the disease occurs in 90% of cases, with bites in the arms (hands) - 60%, with bites in the shoulder or thigh in 23% of cases.

Symptoms of rabies in humans

On average, the disease develops 1-2 months after the bite, but the onset of the disease is possible both 7 days and a year after the bite. The rate at which symptoms appear depends on the depth, extent of the bite, and most importantly, its location. The closer the bite is to the brain, the faster the disease develops. The symptoms of the disease develop most quickly after a bite to the head, face, neck, and much later after bites to the lower extremities.
The disease is characterized by 3 main periods, which are characterized by certain symptoms.

The initial period or the period of precursors of the disease(duration 1-3 days)

Symptoms:

Pain and discomfort in the bite area (which occur through long time after a bite on a healed wound)
Possible rise in temperature
Violation mental state(depression, irritability, isolation, refusal to eat, sleep disturbance, feeling of fear, longing, fear of death, anxiety).
General malaise, headache

The period of the height of the disease or the period of excitation(duration 2-3 days)

Symptoms:

During this period, there are attacks of excitement, which are accompanied by both mental and physical excitement. At the time of an attack, a person has muscle cramps, pharynx, larynx, diaphragm, facial muscles, pupils dilate, there is a characteristic expression of horror on the face. During an attack, consciousness changes, hallucinations, delusions occur. The patient's breathing quickens, becomes uneven with deep noisy whistles, it is possible to stop breathing at the height of the attack. Attacks last from a few seconds to minutes, with time their frequency increases.
An attack can provoke an attempt to drink water (fear of water - hydrophobia), or a breath of air (aerophobia), loud noise(acousticophobia), bright light (photophobia).
The patient has a strong salivation, constantly spitting saliva, foam appears from the mouth. The occurrence of foam from the mouth is associated with a violation of the act of swallowing in combination with excessive salivation.
The patient is very agitated, screaming, rushing about, aggressive, can attack with fists, bite. Excessive emotional activity can last from 2-3 hours to 2-3 days.

Period of calm or imaginary improvement (duration 1-3 days)
- Cessation of convulsions and excitement
- Conscience clears up
- Death occurs from a block of the respiratory or vasomotor center.

Rabies diagnosis

The diagnosis of rabies is mainly based on the symptoms of the disease and the history of its occurrence. However, it is possible to isolate the virus from saliva or cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, there is an analysis from the imprint of the cornea or a piece of skin on the back of the head that allows you to identify the causative agent of the disease. The most accurate diagnosis is established posthumously, when specific inclusions in neurons (Babes-Negri bodies) are determined during the analysis of the patient's brain.

Consequences of rabies

4 days after the onset of the first symptoms of the disease, 50% of patients die, after 20 days 100% of the diseased.

Rabies Prevention

Usually, prophylaxis is carried out for people who have high risk rabies infection (dog hunters, hunters, veterinarians, foresters, slaughterhouse workers). At the first stage of vaccination, 3 injections of 1 ml of vaccine are made (on the first day, on the 7th and on the 30th). The next vaccination in a year (1 injection). Then every 3 years, 1 injection.

Contraindications for prophylactic vaccination

Pregnancy
Allergic reactions to previous administration this drug(rash, angioedema, etc.)
Allergy to antibiotics
Acute diseases(infectious and non-infectious nature), chronic diseases in exacerbation, vaccination should be carried out one month after recovery.

First aid for a dog bite

How to give first aid to a bitten, a guide


What to do?	How?	For what?
1. Wash the wound	Wash the wound under running water with soap for at least 5 minutes (you can use another cleanser that dissolves fats)	The rabies virus dies in an alkaline environment, under the action of disinfectants and fat solvents.
2. Treat the wound and its edges	It is necessary to use one of the antiseptics, agents that kill microbes and prevent their reproduction: Alcohol 70% 5% iodine solution Hydrogen peroxide Betadine Chlorhexidine Miramistin	Disinfection, prevention of infection and wound suppuration. Hydrogen peroxide can be poured into the wound cavity, which will have three effects at once. positive effects: mechanically remove various impurities that have fallen into the wound, stop bleeding and disinfect the wound.
The edges of the wound are not excised or sutured for the first three days after the bite. Prevention of secondary infection. Sutures are applied only when extensive wounds, to stop bleeding on the vessels, and for cosmetic reasons (bites in the face).
4. Stop bleeding (if any)	Ways to temporarily stop bleeding: Tourniquet application Finger pressure vessel Maximum limb flexion Elevated position of the limb pressure bandage See article - First aid for bleeding	Stop blood loss Buy time to be able to provide specialized medical care save a life
5. Overlay sterile dressing	If possible, use sterile material (bandages, napkins, gauze bandages, etc.).	Prevents further contamination of the wound and the ingress of various microorganisms into it.
6. Administer the rabies vaccine (the procedure is painless, free of charge)	Immunoglobulin against rabies(introduced around the wound and into the depth of the wound). Dose 40 IU/kg and 20 IU/kg. Always administered prior to the administration of the vaccine. For special indications. Rabies vaccine (KOKAV) Enter intramuscularly in the shoulder(deltoid muscle), children under 5 years old - in the thigh ( top part anterior-lateral surface). Do not inject into the gluteal region. There are 2 main schemes for administering the vaccine, which depend on the severity of the bite. The number of injections is not more than 6! Scheme: Day 0 - 1st injection (1ml) 3rd day (1ml) 7th day (1ml) 14th day (1ml) 30th day (1ml) 90th day (1ml) Scheme: On the first day of treatment, immunoglobulin is administered before the introduction of the vaccine. And then 6 injections according to the above scheme. After the introduction of the vaccine, the patient must be observed for at least 30 minutes. Vaccination sites should have all the necessary conditions to provide antishock treatment. After the course of treatment, a certificate is issued indicating the type and series of vaccines administered and mentioning post-vaccination reactions. It is forbidden: during the course of vaccinations and 6 months after drinking alcohol overwork supercool overheat	Vaccine (KOKAV) is a neutralized virus that contributes to the development of immunity to the rabies virus. Possible adverse reactions(rarely): redness, itching, swelling at the injection site, swollen lymph nodes (axillary, cervical), malaise, weakness, fever, headache. Immunoglobulin- is a protein that neutralizes the rabies virus. Possible side effects immunoglobulin: anaphylactic shock, local allergic reaction(1-2 days after injection); serum sickness(usually 6-8 days after administration).
Some features of therapeutic vaccination: The number of injections depends on the information about the bitten animal. Animals attacking a person should be caught if possible. The following categories of animals are subject to slaughter: wild, stray, unvaccinated animals that have committed an unprovoked attack on humans, sick animals with symptoms of rabies. The brain of a slaughtered animal is used to diagnose rabies. In places where rabies among domestic animals is not common, outwardly healthy dogs and cats, isolate and observe them for 10 days. If after the expiration of the period the animal does not get sick, then in this case the bitten person receives only the first 3 "rabies shots". Vaccination is not carried out if the bitten animal was vaccinated, while the owner of the dog has all Required documents confirming the vaccination of the animal. 2. In what cases is treatment with immunoglobulin performed? Scheme 1 (without immunoglobulin): when sick animals salivate intact skin, with abrasions, if there are single scratches or bites of the upper, lower extremities and torso (excluding genitals, face, head, fingers and toes). Scheme 2 (with immunoglobulin): when saliva gets on the mucous membranes, bites in the face, head, neck, genitals, fingers and toes, when deep bites regardless of the place of the bite, with bites of any nature inflicted by wild animals, rodents, bats. 3. If the person who received full course vaccines after being bitten by a dog, was attacked again, but since last injection 1 year has not passed. Then such a person will receive only 3 injections with the vaccine (on the 0th, 3rd and 7th day). 4. Breast age child or pregnancy is not a reason to refuse medical vaccinations. 5. Treatment is carried out regardless of the time the victim applied for help (possibly a few months after the bite). 6. Vaccinations after a dog bite to children Doses and schedules for administering vaccines are the same for children and adults For children under 5 years of age, the vaccine is injected into the thigh (upper part of the anterior - lateral surface)

Prevention of dog bites

Do not approach a dog guarding its puppies
Do not suddenly disturb the dog if he is sleeping
Don't touch the dog while it is eating.
Respect the dog's territory (her place, etc.)
Don't let your child touch unfamiliar dog
Don't leave your child alone with the dog

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

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

If you can get home, head to the bathroom, where you should thoroughly wash the wounds with water and (this is not a typo - with soap!). expensive soap not desirable - economic is better, it has more alkali.

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

You can pour hydrogen peroxide on the wound, 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 out along with the blood.

Then put a gauze or cotton swab on the wound, do not press hard, wrap it with a bandage or plaster.

Whatever it was, you should definitely visit a doctor! Usually this is a trauma center at the place of residence. Of course, 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 infectious, but also foxes, cats, wolves, and in general any warm-blooded animal. Rabies is treated with a vaccine, sometimes for several months.

So how do you avoid being attacked by a dog? Why then be treated? Well, from simple tips- do not look into her eyes, do not wave your arms and legs, do not shout all over the street and do not even smile (there is no time for smiles here).

It is understandable that some dogs do not care what you do and, regardless of this, they may attack you.

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

As soon as you run, the dog will immediately overtake you. You can lean against a wall or a bus stop. Remove outer clothing, wrap it around your hand, pull it forward.

In some cases, you can try to seize the initiative. You can command the dog "No!", "Fu!". Often this helps.

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

If you've had trouble with dogs before, you may need a psychologist. And maybe classes in special groups with dogs. There you will learn not to be afraid of dogs at all, understand their nature, and maybe fall in love again and understand these very kind and most importantly devoted animals.

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

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

Small wounds - traces of fangs often go unnoticed. Or the owner does not give them of great importance. But one treatment of such a wound with iodine will not help. In the oral cavity of animals is great amount microorganisms that, getting into the wound, begin their pathogenic effect. Wounds are dangerous because with poor treatment, the skin defect closes 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 be purulent. 3-5 days after the bite, the dog becomes lethargic, the temperature may rise, the bite site is painful and hot.

Wounds with profuse bleeding, in the abdominal and chest cavity require urgent appeal to the vet. It happens that the damage to the skin in the chest area is insignificant, and under the skin, as a result of a 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 introduction solutions and the introduction of cardiac drugs.

With biting wounds of the limbs, the dog may not step on the paw, and only an x-ray will help to 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. Inconspicuous at first glance, scratches on the cheeks with untimely processing can lead to a serious complication - subcutaneous phlegmon. And untreated wounds of the ear area lead to otitis media, due to the fact that the wound discharge flows into the ear canal.

How to treat a wound in an animal?

Before visiting the doctor, you can give your pet first aid. Gently cut the hair around the wound, wash the wound with hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine, apply a clean cloth to the wound and bandage it. At profuse bleeding apply a tourniquet on the limbs 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 off the hair around, 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 the case of correct and good processing and provided good care, fresh wounds heal in 7-10 days. If you applied a day or later after the bite, then after standard treatment, you may need to excise dead tissue, install drainage (gauze or tubular). Drainage you can change and rinse 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 heal longer, the healing process can take 2-4 weeks.

Caring for a bitten dog

The wound was treated by a doctor, 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, especially if the wound is stitched. The second time the stitches will not be applied, the wound will heal for a long time. Get a protective collar, watch your pet so that he does not get to the sore spot. The first treatment of the wound can be done at the vet, or it can be done by you. At the 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, you need to treat the wound together. The assistant will fix the animal, and you will handle it. 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 of solutions away from the animal. If the dog or cat jerks violently, the vials may fall and break.

Dog bites are a fairly common occurrence. Despite the fact that a person has long tamed an animal and a dog is deservedly considered a friend of a person, the probability of being bitten always remains. Due to certain circumstances, even a domestic dog can attack, and stray ones even more so. Therefore, each 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 such a disease as rabies. It is dangerous because there is a huge risk lethal outcome. The rabies virus is transmitted from dogs to humans through saliva that enters an open wound. Therefore, it is important to take appropriate measures in a timely manner in order to avoid severe consequences and minimize the risk of infection.

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

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

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

And so, rabies is a disease, the virus of which, getting into the human body, quickly penetrates into nerve cells, and after and before the brain. Then appear, which indicate 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 if the disease has already been discovered, then it is almost impossible to save a person, treatment in this case only alleviates the condition, 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 helping a victim of a dog bite, first of all, you need to understand what kind of animal attacked: domestic or stray, besides, it would be good to watch him in the next few days. Now for the victim himself. When open wound and bleeding from it, then it is necessary to give time for the saliva of the animal 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 (should be used laundry soap or hydrogen peroxide), and then treat with an antiseptic. Skin around the bite, it should be treated with hydrogen peroxide or brilliant green, if there is nothing at hand, then alcohol will do. After that, put on the wound gauze bandage. To relieve pain and prevent shock, you can take analgesics and sedatives. If the wounds are serious enough and there is a possibility of bone damage, then the injured area must be immobilized and fixed.

After rendering first aid, the victim must be taken to the hospital, and if the wounds are numerous and serious enough, then ambulance call immediately.

In the hospital, the wound is treated and, if necessary, sutured.

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

If a dog has bitten 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 fait accompli, is the timely and right help. The lack of panic (which is very difficult to expect from adults whose children have been affected) helps to avoid serious complications and in some cases save a child's life. Therefore, it is very important to remain calm and right action 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 assisted and delivered to the clinic.

First aid includes:

washing the wound aqueous solution from laundry soap;
antiseptic treatment of the injury site;
treatment of the skin around with iodine;
applying a sterile dressing.

If the wound is not too serious, then after examination by a doctor and suturing (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 should not be afraid, it is easier to get several injections of serum than to deal with serious ailments, which in most cases medicine cannot cope with, especially since modern science I took a good step forward and now instead of forty injections, six is quite enough.

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

Children who have been bitten by a dog may also develop psychological problems, such as panic fear of animals, stuttering, sleep disturbance and other symptoms. In this case, a big role is assigned to parents, who must return the emotional balance to the baby, and if you can’t cope on your own, you need to contact a specialist.

First aid for a dog bite should not only stop bleeding, but also prevent infection with bacteria that are contained in saliva. A common dog bite can lead to abscess, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and meningitis. by the most dangerous infections are tetanus and rabies. The consequences can be dire, including death.

The dog that has bitten should be tried not to be left out of sight, since the state veterinary service is obliged to monitor the animal and find out how dangerous the dog is to others. If the dog is not a stray, you need to find out from its owner whether the animal has been vaccinated against rabies within the last 2 years. This information is extremely important.

The situation is more complicated if bitten homeless dog. It is not always possible to independently determine whether an animal was sick with rabies. external symptoms- aggressiveness, gait disturbance, increased salivation, dangling tail, hoarse and shrill barking - appear only a few days after infection. Therefore, in case of a dog bite, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible, but first, provide first aid to the victim.

Local wound treatment

If the tissue damage is deep and extensive, first of all, you need to stop the bleeding, but not immediately: along with the blood, the dog's saliva comes out of the wound. You must also be prepared for the fact that in case of damage to the veins and arteries, a person may experience pain shock.

First aid for a dog bite - wash the wound thoroughly with soapy water

First, the wound, as well as all the places where the saliva of the animal has fallen, are washed abundantly with soapy water ( perfect option- laundry soap), then the wound is treated with hydrogen peroxide. This measure will prevent rabies infection by 90%. The edges of the wound (namely the edges, but not the wound itself!) Should be treated with a 5% tincture of iodine or brilliant green.

After disinfection, the wound must be applied with a cotton or gauze swab, lightly securing it with a plaster or bandage so that the bandage is not tight. If the bleeding is heavy, a pressure bandage is needed.

Medical help is needed!

Then you should immediately apply for medical care. Doctors should give rabies injections: 6 injections in the upper arm within 3 months, prescribe necessary antibiotics and find out when you were vaccinated against tetanus. Conduct the same surgical intervention in the wound they should not for the first 3 days.

As you can see, providing first aid for a dog bite is extremely important, therefore, in the event of an animal attack, you should not neglect these measures and risk human life.

And one more important point. In no case should you get away with everything that happened to the owner of the dog, who is obliged to compensate for the damage caused by the injury. If he is in no hurry to do it on his own, seek the help of a lawyer. To do this, you need to submit an appropriate medical certificate, issue a written claim to the owner of the dog, draw up statement of claim to the court and, of course, to provide evidence.

Sincerely,