# Do you have to get a dog bite checked if it didn't break the skin?



## peter0

As title says does a dog bite need checked even if it didn't break the skin?

I had to break up a dog fight between my dog and another and got bitten by the other dog but it didn't break the skin, you can kind of see where the teeth went but not exactly. My arm is a little sore but that's about it. Should i go to the doctors or will a wash of my arm do?


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## Fleur

No 

I've had acidental 'almost bites' when playing with my dogs - the teeth left a big dent and a decent bruise - if no skin was broken then there is no risk of infection.


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## Sled dog hotel

peter0 said:


> As title says does a dog bite need checked even if it didn't break the skin?
> 
> I had to break up a dog fight between my dog and another and got bitten by the other dog but it didn't break the skin, you can kind of see where the teeth went but not exactly. My arm is a little sore but that's about it. Should i go to the doctors or will a wash of my arm do?


Sorry you had to do that horrible experience.

As long as its not punctured the skin and its bleeding and just left a couple of indentations and bruising (brusing hurts like hell too) You should be OK.
Just flush the area well with anti bacterial soap or anti septic wash, or if you really stuck cooled boiled water with dissolved salt in it.

If its not broken the skin and bleeding then the bacteria wont have got into it, but just washing it as above should make sure.

You will likely get a bruise come out but it should be fine. Just in case if you get any swelling, heat in it, or throbbing then it could be infected, if it was broken skin and bleeding I would say go and get antibiotics but as its not you should be OK.


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## peter0

Thanka for the replies, I love how fast paced thos forum is, would have taken longer to get through to ask!

No broken skin or blood, brusing has started and arms a little sore but my dogs are fine and that is all that matters


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## ch4r1ie

peterO I'm glad your dogs are ok, and your arm is too!

Can I just ask, why would you rush to the doctors for a dog bite? Is it because of tetnus or something? Or just any sort of infection risk? I'm asking because I've been told that dogs saliva is like an antiseptic, so not sure why a trip to doctors would ne neccessary? And I think someone said something about tetnus/lock jaw to me years ago, but not sure


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## Sled dog hotel

ch4r1ie said:


> peterO I'm glad your dogs are ok, and your arm is too!
> 
> Can I just ask, why would you rush to the doctors for a dog bite? Is it because of tetnus or something? Or just any sort of infection risk? I'm asking because I've been told that dogs saliva is like an antiseptic, so not sure why a trip to doctors would ne neccessary? And I think someone said something about tetnus/lock jaw to me years ago, but not sure


Usually if you havent got current tetanus cover they do still usually give you one.
Dogs mouth and teeth have bacteria present, anoerobic bacteria especially can be a risk so they usually put you on high dose antibiotics to prevent infection.

If you have a wound thats deep enough to need stitching they dont usually stitch it straight away either, they usually put you on high dose antibiotics and let it drain and then stitch it after.


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## peter0

Thank you!

I thought you needed a tetnus jag or something if anything bites you and breaks the skin but wasn't sure if it applied if it wasn't broken or bleeding. I also saw it could get infected so just wanted to be sure. I've had accidental bites from my dogs when playing with toys but it wasn't sore or bruised


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## LahLahsDogs

You should be fine if it's not broken the skin.

I was playing with the boys the other day and Rufus got a bit excited and bit my hand instead of the toy. I have a tiny little puncture mark (slightly broken the skin) but i've lived to tell the tale


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## ch4r1ie

SDH, thank you very much for that, I really didn't know so if I'd have got bitten and it wasn't bleeding too much I wouldn't have bothered having it checked out! I've noticed you're a wealth of information


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## Sled dog hotel

ch4r1ie said:


> SDH, thank you very much for that, I really didn't know so if I'd have got bitten and it wasn't bleeding too much I wouldn't have bothered having it checked out! I've noticed you're a wealth of information


Your welcome, Ive had a few dog bites over the years too so know the drill first hand


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## BessieDog

My son tells me a dog has more bacteria in its mouth than its arse (his turn of phrase ). Not sure if that's true - the amount they clean themselves I would have thought they were about even! 

Sympathies to the OP. As a pup my dog left me with some fairly nasty painful bruises on my arm.


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## BoredomBusters

Dogs mouths are full of nasties! Saying that, my mum and I rarely go to the doc even if the skin is broken, we look after it ourselves in the same way we do small wounds on the dogs (we know the signs of infections to look out for). While my dad always seems to get infected and need antibiotics.

I just don't see the need to get antibiotics 'just in case' when there are so many cases of bugs getting immune to them!


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## WeedySeaDragon

According to the consultant I saw when a (pet) rat bite landed me in hospital for a week dog bites generally aren't too worrying (infection wise), cat bites are pretty nasty and the ones they really worry about are human bites :lol:


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## Sled dog hotel

I actually got a right telling off from a doctor when I didnt go for antibiotics for a dog bite puncture wound once, I had actually gone for a lump I found on my leg and she happened to see it and say it looked nasty and when I told her what it was got a right telling off.


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## redroses2106

I had a nasty dog bite 2 years ago and didn't need a jab or antibiotics, they just cleaned me up and bandaged the wound, I still have scars  but the nurses told me that if you had a tetnus when you were younger you are covered for life, they also don't dish antibiotics out now for just incase either they only give you them if you get an infection. 

op as others have said no broken skin and you will be fine, hope the bruising heals up quickly for you 


y'know a dogs mouth is ALOT cleaner than a humans mouth hmy: I've seen what my dog tries to eat so I have my doubts about that one :lol:


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## Blitz

I cant see any reason why anyone would go to the doctor over a minor dog bite. Tetanus vaccines are no longer given regularly and if you have had more than so many in your life you are covered (which I do not agree with when I still have to pay out to get my horses done every two years) and antibiotics are not given unless necessary for an infection.
Some people react very badly to cat scratches and bites and in fact cats get abcesses from cat bites but dogs seldom get infected from dog bites.


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## Megan345

BessieDog said:


> My son tells me a dog has more bacteria in its mouth than its arse (his turn of phrase ). Not sure if that's true - the amount they clean themselves I would have thought they were about even!
> 
> Sympathies to the OP. As a pup my dog left me with some fairly nasty painful bruises on my arm.


My dad always told me we have more bacteria in our mouths than dogs do, and he was always much more worried about being bitten by a human (he was a probation officer) than our dogs. Don't know if that's true!

Glad I read this though, I wouldn't have rushed to the doctor for a dog bite unless it was pretty serious. Mind you, still don't know that I would :lol:


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## 1290423

peter0 said:


> As title says does a dog bite need checked even if it didn't break the skin?
> 
> I had to break up a dog fight between my dog and another and got bitten by the other dog but it didn't break the skin, you can kind of see where the teeth went but not exactly. My arm is a little sore but that's about it. Should i go to the doctors or will a wash of my arm do?


Personally I wouldn't bother! had a fair few bites and never come to no harm
What do they give you anyway?? a tetcnus shot? these last for 10 years anyway, so you may have had one in the past!


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## 1290423

Blitz said:


> I cant see any reason why anyone would go to the doctor over a minor dog bite. Tetanus vaccines are no longer given regularly and if you have had more than so many in your life you are covered (which I do not agree with when I still have to pay out to get my horses done every two years) and antibiotics are not given unless necessary for an infection.
> Some people react very badly to cat scratches and bites and in fact cats get abcesses from cat bites but dogs seldom get infected from dog bites.


cat bites, certainly in my experience have been far far worse then dog bits,


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## hamzahkorf

I was playing with my friends dogs and I usually feed them since they were puppys but couple of days ago I was playing with one of them and he bit my pijamas and tried to rip it off this lead to a little bite in my leg but I didnt feel it until I came home and I cleaned it with alcohol, it scratched my leg a 3 little small circles its not even a 1 cm in depth but theres a yellow color surrounding it Idk if its from the strength of the bump or its an infection can u please help


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## redroses2106

hamzahkorf said:


> I was playing with my friends dogs and I usually feed them since they were puppys but couple of days ago I was playing with one of them and he bit my pijamas and tried to rip it off this lead to a little bite in my leg but I didnt feel it until I came home and I cleaned it with alcohol, it scratched my leg a 3 little small circles its not even a 1 cm in depth but theres a yellow color surrounding it Idk if its from the strength of the bump or its an infection can u please help


bruising can yellow - but if you are concerned pop to the doctors, if it's hot, sore, itchy, pussy/seeping then you might have an infection, better safe than sorry getting it checked out  it doesn't need to be deep to get infected, and if you haven't cleaned and bandaged it properly then all sorts of muck could of gotten in to it


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