Make no mistake about it. Dog bites can be dangerous. Not only can a dog bite hurt and damage muscle and nerve tissue, it can also infect. We’ve therefore outlined the steps for appropriate dog bite treatment in the event that you’re bitten by a known or unknown dog.

Get that record!

If you’re bitten by a known dog, gather the dog’s most recent vaccination record and proceed to the nearest emergency room. The physician who sees you will use that record to determine the illnesses you might have been exposed to. If the dog’s vaccination record shows that its shots are current, your physician will probably determine your risks through the process of elimination. For instance, if the dog was recently vaccinated for rabies, then there's a good chance that you won’t be affected by that particular illness. The physician in this case would look for other illnesses.

If you cannot gather the appropriate records, such as when you’re bitten by an unknown dog, call your local animal control center immediately.

Prepare for extensive care

Under the care of a doctor, the severity of your wounds will be assessed, cleaned, and dressed. Face or joint wounds may require x-rays and surgery while bites from unknown dogs may require prophylactic treatment for rabies or some other equally dangerous illness. All dog bite treatment usually accompanies a prescription for antibiotics of some sort, but your doctor may additionally administer a tetanus shot if you’re not current with your boosters.

After Care

Even though a wound is cleaned, dressed, and medicated, you still have to keep an eye out for signs of further infection. If you see a red line run down the length of your wound for example, you need to return to your doctor immediately.

In addition to caring for your wounds, you also need to take care of the situation. Was it your own dog that bit you? If so, you need to address that behavioral issue within your home, your lifestyle, or your training. What if someone else’s dog bit you? You must then cooperate with the proper authorities so they can find the dog and quarantine it or euthanize it if necessary.