My pet has been bitten, what can I do?

Bites on your pets can be very serious and need to be seen by a vet. First aid can help prevent infection (it takes bacteria about an hour before it causes problems). With severe bite wounds, first aid may be necessary to save your pet’s life and keep him alive in order to get to the vet for professional care.
First you want ot control the bleeding by applying steady constant pressure. Most bite wounds don’t bleed a great deal, and applying a clean soft washcloth with firm pressure should stop the bleeding within about five minutes. Once the bleeding stops, clean the area gently. First, fill the puncture or broken skin wound with a bit of K-Y Jelly to prevent further contamination. Then use blunt scissors or electric clippers to clear away fur in about an inch border around the wound. For small puppies, you can then place them in a sink and carefully rinse the wound with the sprayer attachment. Trimmed fur sticks to the jelly and washes out with the water.
Your vet will want to provide appropriate antibacterial ointments or other medications, but you can help prevent further wound contamination by cleaning around the injury. Apply hydrogen peroxide on a soft washcloth, and clean the surrounding fur and visible wounds. Avoid pouring it into the wound, as that can damage the tissue and delay healing. The hydrogen peroxide also works well to bleach bloodstains from fur or fabric.
Until you get a pain prescription from the vet, you can use an ice pack to relieve the discomfort. Soak a washcloth with cold water, ring it out, place over the wound and apply the ice pack on top. Use the ice treatment for 10 minutes at a time several times a day or as recommended by your veterinarian.

Leave a Reply