1. Keep the victim calm. By assuring the person and making him comfortable, we can avoid any sudden surges in the blood pressure (from fear) and increase in heart rate. Also, a normal blood pressure and heart rate can slow down bleeding and the spread of infection.
2. Check the wound area. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching the wound. Is it just a small scratch or a deep wound? For deep wounds, you can wear a disposable glove if available.
3. Treatment for minor wounds. If the bite does not break the skin (there’s no blood involved), then you can just wash the area with soap and water. You can place a dab of Povidone iodine on the scratch and cover it with a clean bandage. Usually, no further treatment is necessary.
4. Treatment for deep wounds. If the bite punctures the outer layer of the skin, especially if there is some bleeding involved, then you should be extra careful in handling the wound. Apply firm pressure on the bleeding area for around 10 minutes until the bleeding stops. Bring the victim immediately to the Emergency Room or to the nearest Animal Bite Center for Anti Rabies Vaccination. The doctor will clean the wound and apply antibiotic cream on the area.
5. Consult a doctor for deep wounds, swelling, redness and oozing from the wound.
6. Check the animal for rabies. Find out more about the animal that bit the victim. If it’s someone’s pet, then ask the owner if the pet has been immunized against rabies. If it’s a stray dog, you can let someone capture it and observe the animal for ten days in a cage.
7. For most animal bite cases, it is still best to seek medical help. Your doctor will focus on the three dangers of animal bites: (1) infection, (2) rabies, and (3) tetanus.
