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Even beloved family pets can sometimes be unpredictable. Whether it’s from a neighborhood pet or another dog in your family, bites can be painful for dogs and cause infections. It is critical to seek veterinary care in these situations, but there are a few steps you can take to help your pet at home. The following guide explains what to do if your dog is bitten by another dog.

How to Treat Your Dog When They’ve Been Bitten

1. Get Your Pet to Safety

Immediately after the bite, you’ll want to remove your dog from the situation. Let them walk if they can, but if you must carry them, be careful. Even dogs that are normally calm can become aggressive when injured. Take them home, or move them to a safe area to evaluate the severity of the bite.

2. Remain Calm

After the tense, aggressive atmosphere of a dog fight, it’s not unusual to feel scared. For the sake of your pet, however, it is important to stay calm. Dogs can tell when you’re nervous. Anxiety from an owner will only amplify their fears, resulting in a panicked pet that might hurt themselves further.

3. Assess the Injuryveterinary care

Once you’ve reached safety, try to do a quick assessment of your pet’s injury. A tiny scratch that didn’t penetrate the surface of the skin will vary greatly from a deep bite wound. Keep in mind that even the smallest puncture can turn into an infection and will require veterinary care.

4. Provide First Aid

If your dog is bleeding, you’ll want to stem the blood flow before proceeding to the animal hospital. Firmly press a clean towel against the wound. Actual treatment should always be handled by a veterinarian, but stopping or slowing the bleeding will help prevent life-threatening blood loss.

5. Seek Veterinary Care

Even if you don’t see any bite wounds, injuries from dog bites can be deceptive and much more dangerous than they appear. Take your dog to an animal clinic for veterinary care as quickly as possible. Veterinarians have the experience and equipment to thoroughly examine, clean, treat, and patch up bite wounds. They may prescribe your pet with antibiotics to prevent infections.

 

If your dog has been in a fight with another dog, bring them to Elyria Animal Hospital in Lorain County, OH. Their highly trained team offers comprehensive health services for cats and dogs, from laser surgery to in-house lab testing. They’ve provided safe, sterile, and effective veterinary care to the Elyria area for over 20 years. To schedule a visit, call (440) 365-3818. Learn more about their specialty services online.

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