First aid for bite wounds

Overview

• Always have your pet checked by your vet if they have been bitten or attacked.
• Bite wounds very often get infected because mouths are so full of bacteria. They also tend to be more serious than they look because of hidden damage below the skin.
• Snakebites are especially dangerous and should be treated ASAP.

What to do if your pet has been bitten

Step one: Assess your pet

• Do they seem otherwise OK? Do they have any other injuries? Are they in shock?
• If you are worried about your pet, cover their wounds, keep them warm and take them straight to your vets.

Step two: Assess the bite wound

• Small and not bleeding - move to step three.
• Bleeding heavily - apply pressure with a dry, clean dressing and go straight to your vets.
• Areas of skin missing - cover the wound with a clean, dry dressing and go straight to your vets. If your pet seems painful when you try to cover the wound or you don’t have a dressing available then don’t try to cover the area as you may cause more damage.
• Snakebite - put an ice pack (wrapped in a towel) on the bite, and take your pet straight to the nearest vets.

Step three: Flush the wound

• If your dog has a small bite wound that isn’t bleeding heavily, flush it with lukewarm, salty water* to remove as much bacteria as possible. Rinse for as long as your dog will tolerate.
• *Make salt water by adding 1 teaspoon of salt to a pint of cooled (previously boiled) water.

Step four: Book an appointment with your vet

Bite wounds should always be checked by a vet because they are often more serious than they look, and are likely to get infected.

Published: March 2020