My dog has never bit anyone, until it did. Getting bit by an animal is always a possibility, but there are things you can do to prevent them.
Dog bites make up almost 95% in the United States. Children are bitten more often than adults. This is partly due to children not understanding the limits of an animal and partly due to the animal’s instinct.
Dogs commonly bite as a reaction to something. If a dog is in stressful situation, it may bite to defend itself or its territory. If a dog gets startled, is protecting its puppies or a toy it could bite. Sometimes they bite simply because they aren’t feeling well and want to be left alone.
You can help prevent dog bites by educating yourself and your children how to properly interact with dogs. Teach children how to react if confronted by an aggressive dog, understand the signs of a dog that doesn’t want to play and always asking a dog’s owner for permission to pet it are ways of preventing bites.
There are some things you can do to set your dog up for success and that begins with socializing them when they are puppies. This helps them get comfortable being around other people as well as other animals. Never force someone to interact with your dog and always remove your dog from a situation when they seem anxious or agitated.
So, what do you do if you are bitten? If the dog’s owner is around, ask for proof of rabies vaccination and get the owner’s contact information. You should clean the bit with soap and water as soon as possible and seek medical attention.
Anyone receiving a bite from an animal should report to the GLWACH emergency room for treatment as soon as possible. The ER is trained on the required paperwork and requirements that indicate if Rabies prophylaxis is needed and can be started.
Once the human patient has received medical care, Army regulations and state laws require follow-up with the biting animal whenever possible. Animals with proof of current rabies vaccination are considered low risk, and the quarantine simply entails containing the animal and preventing contact with humans and animals outside the immediate family for 10 days following the incident.
The attending veterinarian and public health authorities will determine the exact quarantine procedure based on the situation. In general, animals without rabies symptoms who comply with quarantine requirements resume their normal life afterwards. If you are the owner of a pet who bites or scratches a human, you should expect a call from the installation veterinarian or local public health authorities. Please remember that bite quarantines are not punitive and are an important precaution to ensure the health of all people and animals involved.
For more information please contact the Veterinarian Clinic at 573-596-0094.
| Date Taken: | 05.07.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2024 12:50 |
| Story ID: | 474902 |
| Location: | FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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