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Dealing with dog bites:

As a pet owner, one of the worst things you may deal with other than finding out about a potential illness of your pet is finding out that he’s bitten someone or been bitten himself. 

As it relates to dog bites in the instance where your dog is bitten, typically a dog’s ears, neck, face, and chest are most bitten during a fight.  If your dog has been involved in a fight, be sure to let him calm down before you intervene and try to treat him to see if he’s ok.  (Note: if you witness the actual dog fight, it’s important to not separate fighting dogs with your hands.  Instead, you can use water or utilize the leash to pull the dueling dogs apart.)

Let him simmer; after all dog fights may or may not lead to dog bites but you never know. When in doubt, call your veterinarian.  After all, depending on your dog’s hair and if another dog has bitten into its skin and how deeply the dog’s teeth has penetrated the skin will affect how severely your dog is hurt. 

When dealing with the dog bite afterwards, you should immediately cut the hair away from the cut to prevent infection.  Then, you should wash the area with warm water and a mild disinfectant.  Some experts recommend applying an antibiotic cream to the cut to further prevent infection.  Above all, take the dog to your veterinarian.  The dog bite doctor’s visit usually encompasses a check up and antibiotic shots.

In addition, if your dog has been bitten, pet owners should tell the Animal Care and Control Agency in your area about the dog bite.  You’ll want to supply information about the dog as well as contact information for the owner as it relates to the dog bite.  If it’s a stray dog however, you’ll need to describe the dog, where you saw him, where the dog fighting and dog bite occurred, and which direction the stray dog went. 

When dealing with dog bites, it’s important to stay calm, cool, and collected.  Easier said than done of course, but you’ll want to take a deep breath, tend to your dog, and then seek help.  At The Dog Bowl, nothing is more important than your pets’ health and well being.  For more information about dealing with dog bites contact your vet.