The dogs can be friendly and may even be our best buddy but let’s not forget they are animals and they can and will bite. However, dogs were found to have bitten 4.7 million individuals in a single year, or half of the childhood population between the ages of 5 and 9 years. The CDC reveals that one of every five of those bites results in an injury that needs medical attention. Dog bites are also more likely to be caused by children than adults, and also the injuries caused by the dog bite are more serious. Although stray dogs or some other unfamiliar dogs may attack, in most circumstances, it is the familiar dog – one owned by a friend or family member – which may bite.

• When selecting a dog for a family, a well – tempered dog should be considered for adoption.
• Do not pet any dog that you are unfamiliar with.
• Do not permit children to be in the company of a dog, least of a strange one, not supervising them.
• Never try to wrestle with any dog that is eating or feeding her puppies.
• Always try to avoid running near a dog and offer the dog the opportunity to approach you.
• If your dog becomes aggressive do not try to run way or scream

The worst thing you can do is to panic or tries to scare the dog away, and should avoid even making eye contact with the animal.

Dog Bite Treatments

Even if you applied first aid measures on a dog bite at home, it is very essential to seek medical attention from a physician because the bite was done by an unfamiliar dog, the bite is deep, cannot redeem the bleeding or if bear signs of infection meaning that it is red, swollen or warm or has pus. Dog bite results in injuries that might be infected and require antibiotic use.

• Cover the affected area first with a clean towel if there is a lot of bleeding.
• Another important thing is to try to keep the injured area above the level of the heart.
• Do not rinse it; but clean it gently with soap and water.
• Clean with antiseptic and then put gauze and a sterile bandage on the affected area.
• Use topical antibiotic on the injury daily to minimize chances of an infection.

If you want a dog as a pet? If so, is the dog current with all immunizations including rabies vaccinations?

Depending on the depth of the injury your doctor will determine whether muscles, tendons, nerves or bones were affected by the bite.

Sometimes, sutures are used to close a dog bite wound; however, this practice is controversial. Although suturing the injury can reduce scarring, it also can increase the risk of infection. Whether the injury is closed may depend on its location. For example, dog bites on the face may be sutured to prevent visible scars. Very deep wounds that cause a great deal of damage may require plastic surgery.

If you did not know the dog that bit you, make sure to report the bite to your local animal control office or police.