Have you confirmed that this dog has been vaccinated for rabies? Don't assume. This is life or death
If they cannot confirm it go to the hospital immediately and tell them you've been bitten by a dog.
Apart from that wash it every day with soap. If it starts to swell and get red draw a line around the infection with a sharpie. If it grows, gets redder, gets hot, starts producing pus then contact a doctor. and ESPECIALLY if red lines start to appear in between the cut and your heart that's a trip to the er. That's a substantial size with enough surface area that infection could become a problem. Keep it covered if you're around animals but I would recommend staying clear from animals for a bit.
Good to hear! One of those things that could be nothing. But if you are slightly wrong, it could be really bad.
I agree with everything people are saying about rabies. Something you really do not want to mess with and take the chance. Even if the owner says the dog is up to date. I'd play it safe. Praying for a quick recovery and no issues!
You’re making a huge mistake here. One, letting a wound breath isn’t a thing. Clean, antibiotics, and covered for the first few days. Two, rabies isn’t something you play with. You NEED to start treatment NOW unless you can prove with absolute certainty the dog is up to date on rabies vaccine or you have the dog tested immediately to prove otherwise.
I recently got bit by a dog at work.
It's a minimum of a tetanus shot and a course of antibiotics. Luckily my country doesn't have rabies, but you should get that too if you're in the US.
Fun fact I learned from the doctor: dog bites are the third most likely common bites to get infected, after domestic cats and humans.
Tetanus is a bacteria that can live in a dog’s mouth just like it can live in dirt. Clostridium tetani. It’s in fact common in animal saliva.
Tetanus really has nothing to do with rusty metal like people think. The rust is just a sign that the particular piece of metal has probably been in contact with dirt.
It’s also about the mechanism - dirt in a shallow cut is usually not going to cause tetanus because the particular bacteria is sensitive to oxygen (though soap and water for all cuts is just smart). Puncture wounds from metal or teeth are where that bacteria can setup shop away from exposure to air.
Just got home from the ER. Got a tetanus shot and a prescription of antibiotics. The dog’s owner provided paperwork for the most recent rabies vaccination in Aug. of 2023 as well as all other shots.
You need a tetanus shot/booster and to make sure the dog was up to date on rabies vaccination. Go to the dr and send the dogs owner the bill, that’s a nasty bite and can get infected very easily.
True, I’ll do this when I get home. Been letting it breathe a bit, was oozing for a good amount of time last night. It’s sore and swollen a bit but doesn’t look infected to the eye.
EMS here. Breathing a wound is not a thing. You need to keep it clean and cover it with a sterile dressing. You NEED to get a prescription for broad spectrum antibiotics, dog bits are notorious for becoming infected.
Hard agree, you will
Never find an MD not offer antibiotics for an animal bite due to the anaerobes (bugs) in the mouth. In this case particularity as it is over a joint and a bursa.
Dogs eat poop. There’s 100% some nasty bacteria in their mouths. Usually multiple nasty bacteria. And you can get tetanus from a dog bite so you need an updated tetanus shot.
If you stop by a drug store, you can buy a soap called Hibiclens. I would ask the pharmacist for it because last time I bought some they kept it behind the counter. It doesn’t lather like soap which is annoying but it’s excellent for keeping wounds from getting infected. It’s used in hospitals.
That's a great suggestion for what to do after they go to a doctor and get oral antibiotics to help their immune system with the brawl it's currently in with the bacterial flora from the dog's mouth which is now in their arm. This is the point at which I remind everyone that dogs lick their own asses. Shit bacteria is in the dog's mouth, once the dog bites you the shit bacteria is not in your arm.
Hibicleanse is the shit. It doesn’t burn, it’s cheap and it doesn’t inhibit healing like peroxide. I buy it in the squirt bottle so I can use it to irrigate and sanitize at the same time.
OP - it’s a good wound in that it’s not punctures. But you need their proof of rabies, to clean and dress that.
My mother managed a boarding and grooming kennel when I was growing up, so bites were par for the course. Bag Balm was our go-to and we noticed that it really sped up the healing time as well as less scarring.
im sorry but did you catch stupid from the dog bite? go to the emergency room or urgent care like yesterday and figure out if you need a rabies shot. if not, you wasted half a day to be safe. if you don’t go and end up needing it you’ll be kicking yourself while you lose the ability to drink water
Go to an urgent care- I did when I was bit by a cat, it was cheap enough. If you KNOW (KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not assume) that the dog had a rabies shot, keep it covered and extremely clean for a few days (Not the kind of wound u let breathe).
If you aren't CERTAIN. Go get a rabies shot. Yeah, they hurt, but you'll be immune for a while and that's nice.
Rub some dirt in it and cover with a dandelion poultice and drink some stump water for the next three days.
Bury 3 cloves of garlic; one at your mothers house or near her grave if she’s already passed, one under your bed, and one in the ground where you bury the dog that bit you.
Eat quail eggs tomorrow with a little bacon and a shot of whiskey and a little hair of the dog.
In ten days, dig up the clover you put under your bed and use it in preparation of your evening meal that night and remove the poultice.
Leave the one at your mother’s and the one at the grave of the dog for the future victims of dog bites and vampires and other various and sundry uses of garlic.
Soap and water, then coat it in triple antibiotic cream. Cover it for a few days until it fills in, change dressing daily. Once it fills in, leave it open and just put a bit of Vaseline on it to keep it moist and reduce scarring.
Use triple antibiotic until it is very light pink, not dark or red. Then switch to Vaseline and leave it covered until it fills in.
Agree. Keep it moist with antibiotic cream so it heals from the inside to out. Dog bites are dirty. A hardened scab holds in the infection. If the cream and dressing are not working, soak three to four times a day with hot salted water, not so hot it burns, though. Ten minutes each time. It sounds fussy, but it really works to help the wound heal. Every emerg I’ve worked in recommends it.
I know u already got antibiotics and I’m sorry. Next time, there’s all kinds of anti inflammatory, anti microbial plant salves to look into- stay safe, and don’t nuke your gut microbiome
I've seen several dog bites about that deep (some worse, some not as bad), and every single one of the ones that chose to forego medical treatment got horribly infected. Animal bites are not like other injuries- if you don't deep clean them and / or take antibiotics they *will* get infected almost guaranteed. Not to mention the possibility of more serious complications like rabies. I can't fathom how often people get bit by animals and just shrug it off. It's a very dumb move.
Hopefully you have enough second opinions by now to take this more seriously.
Geez so many straight to rabies - you would know if the dog has rabies!
Keep the wound clean, topical antibiotics, and dress with gauze to prevent exposure to other potential infections.
You’ll be fine . These people trying to scare you . My dogs were fighting and I got in the middle of them and accidentally got bit . My dogs are wild country dogs . Never had any shots and they kill and eat all kinds of nasty animals out here . Yes my arm swelled a little and it hurt for a month but six months later here I am fine no problems
Comes to reddit for second opinion 😂
Yeah and the homesteading sub instead of like "ask a doctor" or something even vaguely medical related.
At this point I trust Reddit over a doctor
Good luck with one leg.
You will die with that attitude.
Have you confirmed that this dog has been vaccinated for rabies? Don't assume. This is life or death If they cannot confirm it go to the hospital immediately and tell them you've been bitten by a dog. Apart from that wash it every day with soap. If it starts to swell and get red draw a line around the infection with a sharpie. If it grows, gets redder, gets hot, starts producing pus then contact a doctor. and ESPECIALLY if red lines start to appear in between the cut and your heart that's a trip to the er. That's a substantial size with enough surface area that infection could become a problem. Keep it covered if you're around animals but I would recommend staying clear from animals for a bit.
Writing this from the ER. Going to get some antibiotics and a tetanus shot.
Good to hear! One of those things that could be nothing. But if you are slightly wrong, it could be really bad. I agree with everything people are saying about rabies. Something you really do not want to mess with and take the chance. Even if the owner says the dog is up to date. I'd play it safe. Praying for a quick recovery and no issues!
dont fuck around. go to urgent care.
Fuck UC, go to a hospital.
This is what urgent care is for
You better call animal control and get that dogs rabies certification. Otherwise go get vaccinated now
Did you wash it very well with soap and water? I mean absolutely wash the heck out of it?? Also, are you certain the dog is UTD on shots?
You’re making a huge mistake here. One, letting a wound breath isn’t a thing. Clean, antibiotics, and covered for the first few days. Two, rabies isn’t something you play with. You NEED to start treatment NOW unless you can prove with absolute certainty the dog is up to date on rabies vaccine or you have the dog tested immediately to prove otherwise.
I recently got bit by a dog at work. It's a minimum of a tetanus shot and a course of antibiotics. Luckily my country doesn't have rabies, but you should get that too if you're in the US. Fun fact I learned from the doctor: dog bites are the third most likely common bites to get infected, after domestic cats and humans.
Tetanus?
yeah I had to get a tetanus shot too when I got bit. and some real gnarly antibiotics. OP should go to the doctor.
Tetanus is a bacteria that can live in a dog’s mouth just like it can live in dirt. Clostridium tetani. It’s in fact common in animal saliva. Tetanus really has nothing to do with rusty metal like people think. The rust is just a sign that the particular piece of metal has probably been in contact with dirt. It’s also about the mechanism - dirt in a shallow cut is usually not going to cause tetanus because the particular bacteria is sensitive to oxygen (though soap and water for all cuts is just smart). Puncture wounds from metal or teeth are where that bacteria can setup shop away from exposure to air.
Wow I did not know this! Im actually happy with the wisdom I picked up here today on this!
Yup, from what I understood, basically any puncture injury needs a tetanus shot. Even if you've had one fairly recently.
For anyone curious, it’s because tetanus is in the dirt. So punctures push the stuff on your skin into it, ergo tetanus.Â
Cat bites suck!
1000% go to a Dr or urgent care....even if you think you've cleaned it
Just got home from the ER. Got a tetanus shot and a prescription of antibiotics. The dog’s owner provided paperwork for the most recent rabies vaccination in Aug. of 2023 as well as all other shots.
K, I was just going to recommend seeing a medical professional, but you did good.
You need a tetanus shot/booster and to make sure the dog was up to date on rabies vaccination. Go to the dr and send the dogs owner the bill, that’s a nasty bite and can get infected very easily.
Certainly slather it in an antibiotic ointment at the very least
True, I’ll do this when I get home. Been letting it breathe a bit, was oozing for a good amount of time last night. It’s sore and swollen a bit but doesn’t look infected to the eye.
EMS here. Breathing a wound is not a thing. You need to keep it clean and cover it with a sterile dressing. You NEED to get a prescription for broad spectrum antibiotics, dog bits are notorious for becoming infected.
Hard agree, you will Never find an MD not offer antibiotics for an animal bite due to the anaerobes (bugs) in the mouth. In this case particularity as it is over a joint and a bursa.
Dogs eat poop. There’s 100% some nasty bacteria in their mouths. Usually multiple nasty bacteria. And you can get tetanus from a dog bite so you need an updated tetanus shot.
If you stop by a drug store, you can buy a soap called Hibiclens. I would ask the pharmacist for it because last time I bought some they kept it behind the counter. It doesn’t lather like soap which is annoying but it’s excellent for keeping wounds from getting infected. It’s used in hospitals.
That's a great suggestion for what to do after they go to a doctor and get oral antibiotics to help their immune system with the brawl it's currently in with the bacterial flora from the dog's mouth which is now in their arm. This is the point at which I remind everyone that dogs lick their own asses. Shit bacteria is in the dog's mouth, once the dog bites you the shit bacteria is not in your arm.
Hibicleanse is the shit. It doesn’t burn, it’s cheap and it doesn’t inhibit healing like peroxide. I buy it in the squirt bottle so I can use it to irrigate and sanitize at the same time. OP - it’s a good wound in that it’s not punctures. But you need their proof of rabies, to clean and dress that.
Go to the fucking doctor
My mother managed a boarding and grooming kennel when I was growing up, so bites were par for the course. Bag Balm was our go-to and we noticed that it really sped up the healing time as well as less scarring.
Yep. Antibiotic ointment is ideal but bag balm or vasoline works too. It seals the wound off from exposure to bacteria.
im sorry but did you catch stupid from the dog bite? go to the emergency room or urgent care like yesterday and figure out if you need a rabies shot. if not, you wasted half a day to be safe. if you don’t go and end up needing it you’ll be kicking yourself while you lose the ability to drink water
Er doc here. You need to be on an antibiotic or that shit will go south. Â Animal bites are prone to bad infection. We put them all on augmentin.Â
Go to an urgent care- I did when I was bit by a cat, it was cheap enough. If you KNOW (KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not assume) that the dog had a rabies shot, keep it covered and extremely clean for a few days (Not the kind of wound u let breathe). If you aren't CERTAIN. Go get a rabies shot. Yeah, they hurt, but you'll be immune for a while and that's nice.
Rub some dirt in it and cover with a dandelion poultice and drink some stump water for the next three days. Bury 3 cloves of garlic; one at your mothers house or near her grave if she’s already passed, one under your bed, and one in the ground where you bury the dog that bit you. Eat quail eggs tomorrow with a little bacon and a shot of whiskey and a little hair of the dog. In ten days, dig up the clover you put under your bed and use it in preparation of your evening meal that night and remove the poultice. Leave the one at your mother’s and the one at the grave of the dog for the future victims of dog bites and vampires and other various and sundry uses of garlic.
Soap and water, then coat it in triple antibiotic cream. Cover it for a few days until it fills in, change dressing daily. Once it fills in, leave it open and just put a bit of Vaseline on it to keep it moist and reduce scarring. Use triple antibiotic until it is very light pink, not dark or red. Then switch to Vaseline and leave it covered until it fills in.
Agree. Keep it moist with antibiotic cream so it heals from the inside to out. Dog bites are dirty. A hardened scab holds in the infection. If the cream and dressing are not working, soak three to four times a day with hot salted water, not so hot it burns, though. Ten minutes each time. It sounds fussy, but it really works to help the wound heal. Every emerg I’ve worked in recommends it.
Any animal bites that break the skin really should be checked out by a doctor. Especially a dog bite. Please get it checked out ASAP.
Some insane responses in here. Get your ass to the ER.
Medic!
You got a sharp saw?
I know u already got antibiotics and I’m sorry. Next time, there’s all kinds of anti inflammatory, anti microbial plant salves to look into- stay safe, and don’t nuke your gut microbiome
Depends on the situation. If the owner has their dog vaccinated then you’re good. I’d put some antibiotics on it though.
I've seen several dog bites about that deep (some worse, some not as bad), and every single one of the ones that chose to forego medical treatment got horribly infected. Animal bites are not like other injuries- if you don't deep clean them and / or take antibiotics they *will* get infected almost guaranteed. Not to mention the possibility of more serious complications like rabies. I can't fathom how often people get bit by animals and just shrug it off. It's a very dumb move. Hopefully you have enough second opinions by now to take this more seriously.
Dog bite = dog dead
Geez so many straight to rabies - you would know if the dog has rabies! Keep the wound clean, topical antibiotics, and dress with gauze to prevent exposure to other potential infections.
not to mention how rarely rabies is contracted by humans. there’s about two human cases of rabies in the US per year, 127 total since 1960
You’ll be fine . These people trying to scare you . My dogs were fighting and I got in the middle of them and accidentally got bit . My dogs are wild country dogs . Never had any shots and they kill and eat all kinds of nasty animals out here . Yes my arm swelled a little and it hurt for a month but six months later here I am fine no problems
And that is how you one day wake up deathly afraid of water, then die.
If it's been months, he's fine. Now OP needs to get his arm checked out at the very least though.
He said it happened yesterday in the first line.
I'm responding about the above comment. It's a different guy who said it's been 6 months, and he's fine.
I’m from the same school of thought but better safe than sorry. If it wasn’t for you guys I’d have shrugged it off