How To Treat An Animal Bite

Animals can definitely be a good time, they provide companionship and keep you company when you seem to need it most. I don’t know about you but my dog is probably my best friend. We sometimes get so comfortable around our own animals that we may think it is okay to get close to others pets as well. This isn’t always the case, certain animals tense up or feel threatened if they are not familiar with you and may bite you. It is always important to be cautious when handling animals because you never really know when they might strike. Hopefully you never have to worry about being bit by an animal, but if you do happen to get unlucky and have an accident happen, it is important to know how to react and what to do. In the next few paragraphs I will be explaining how to treat a bite if you are infact bit by an animal.

Prevention

The most important step to treating an animal bite is avoiding one in the first place. If you are cautious around animals at all times and make sure that you handle them with care or only around their owner you will always have a better chance of not being bit. As I stated above, animals will sometimes feel threatened by someone they don’t know getting to close to them and may bite you. This normally isn’t because the animal is mean or purposely trying to hurt you, it is usually because they are scared. So always be careful around animals no matter how friendly they may seem.

What To Do If You Are Bit

wash animal biteWhether it be from a household pet or a wild animal, the first thing you will need to do is look at the wound and see how deep it is and if it looks like it is infected at all. If you were bit by a wild animal you should immediately go to the hospital regardless of the bite size or depth. Wild animals often carry diseases such as rabies so it is important to get vaccinated as soon as possible if you somehow get infected with it. If you are bit by a dog or small animal in the house and you feel as if the wound is not very serious then there is no need to freak out.  Simply clean the wound with warm soap and water and apply pressure with a rag to it until bleeding stops. You will then need to bandage the area you were bit to make sure it does not get infected. If you feel as if the wound is infected or is too deep then you should visit the hospital immediately.

Keep The Wound Clean

After you have made sure that you have thoroughly cleaned the area you have been bit, you will need to make sure that you keep it clean until it is healed. Bites often become infected if they are not treated right so it is important to make sure that you continue to clean the area and replace the bandage as needed. If you start to feel any type of pain or notice pus coming from the bite it is most likely infected and as stated above, you should visit your local physician or hospital as soon as possible.

There is no doubt that the majority of us out there have some type of pet or know someone who has their own pets. Most of you will never have to worry about being bit but after reading this you should know exactly what to do if you do happen to be bit by an animal. Always be extra safe while out in the wild and around others pets and you should be in the clear of any accidents!

Today’s post was provided Colin Quinn, article writer for Rue, Ziffra & Caldwell. Colin has been has been blogging professionally for two years.

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