Dog Bites in Children - How To Prevent Them And What To Do After a Bite?

A dog is a man’s best friend, they say. Those furry little creatures can make your day go from gloomy to happy in no time. They are perfect mood boosters after a long and hard day. Kids love them too. While some of them fear dogs, most children love them. They love to play with and cuddle dogs, be it theirs or their friends. While playing is all fun and good, dog bites in children can be a risky problem too.

What to do After a Dog Bite in Children?

You are watching your child play with that pet dog that has always been friendly and playful. Suddenly, it turns and bites your child. It could be because your child did something to provoke the dog or even when your child was being usual with the dog. No matter what the reason could be, your first instinct is to panic and protect your child from the dog.

Now that a dog has bitten your child, here is what you should do.

1. Create Distance

Get your child away from the dog to avoid another bite or reaction from the dog. You don’t know why it bit your child. Calm down your crying child and reassure them they are safe with you.

2. Attend to Injury

Here is how you can attend to your child’s dog bite injury.

Check the bite site for open wounds before you take your child to the doctor. If there is an open wound, stop the bleeding by using a towel and apply pressure to the injury. If it is a limb, elevating it can help reduce the bleeding.
Clean the bite site carefully with some mild soap and water. Ensure you don’t rub the site too hard as it might irritate the wound or cause more pain to your child
Apply an antibiotic ointment if you have any and bandage the site. If you have nothing with you and it will take time to reach the doctor, ask your nearest pharmacist for an ointment and bandage.
If the bite is bad, rush your child to the emergency immediately and let the professionals handle it.

3. Get the Dog’s Vaccination Details

Gather all vaccination details for the dog. Ensure you ask the dog owner and get the details of which vaccinations are completed and what are pending.

If it is a street dog, you will be advised to get anti-rabies shots for your child. If it is a pet dog, get details of the dog’s vaccinations and provide the same to your doctor.

When Should You Visit The Doctor?

If your child is bitten by a dog, you will have to visit the doctor under the following circumstances.

It is a street dog or an unknown dog, whose shots you are not sure about. When you are not sure about the dog’s vaccinations, rabies shots will be given to your child for precaution.
The wound is very deep, and the dog’s teeth have punctured your child’s skin.
The dog bite is on the face.
There is a lot of bleeding, and you are unable to arrest it even after applying pressure on it for 10 minutes or more.
There are multiple bites and bleeding.
Your child is in too much pain.

When it is a dog bite involving a child, it is always advisable to check with the doctor immediately. Even in the case of a fully vaccinated dog biting the child, you should see the doctor.

The dog’s teeth might not have punctured your child’s delicate skin, but the bite might have been hard on their bones. It can cause a lot of pain and discomfort for the child. You might miss the surface level scratch or scrape until it changes colour the next day. A doctor might be able to spot it earlier and do the needful.

Even if the dog is fully vaccinated, doctors advise certain injections for precaution, after a dog bite. Get them for your child to be on the safer side.

If it is a routine nip while your child and dog are playing or during feeding time, you can just call your doctor and ask for advice. They might suggest medication or suggest a visit. The doctor might also ask for a follow-up depending on the intensity of the bite and how to hurt your child.

What is the Treatment For Dog Bites in Children?

The general treatment after a dog bite involves antibiotic medications and rabies shots. The number of injections will vary depending on the dog that bit you. If it is a pet dog that has been fully vaccinated, the doctor might advise just 3 shots, if the wound is deep. If the wound is only surface level, no shots might be advised.

On the other hand, if the bite is from a stray or unvaccinated dog, the doctor might advise 7 shots and other antibiotic treatments depending on the depth of the bite.

Why do Dogs Bite?

No one can be sure about a dog. Even if it is a pet dog, it is still a dog, and it is in its nature to bite for various reasons. Just like how a well-behaved child can have a rough day and throw a tantrum or have a meltdown when you least expect it, a dog can bite when you least expect it too.

Here are some possible reasons why a dog might bite a child:

1. Territory/Boundary

Dogs love to have territory. They are generally not pleased when a person enters their territory or takes their things. Children have no territory, and they play with everything. If your child is new to the dog and the dog perceives your child as a threat to its territory, it might bite your child as a warning.

This can happen if you go to someone’s house and your child starts playing with the dog’s things. Things are all new and exciting for your child and the owners might be too polite to stop your child. If the dog perceives this as an invasion of its territory, it might bite to guard its things.

2. Rough Play

A child might get excited with the soft fur of a dog. Pet dogs generally do not react too much if a small child were to play with their fur. However, the dog can also feel pain and if your child were to pinch the dog too hard or tug at its fur, the dog could bite. The same can happen if your child were to pull or play rough with the dog’s tail.

3. Scared

If your child startles the dog, it can bite as a quick reaction. This can happen if the dog is asleep, and your child decides to suddenly jump on it or pull its fur. If the dog has come to a new place and is intimated by the new surroundings and crowd, it can be startled easily.

4. Unwell

If a dog is sick or injured, it may not be on its best behaviour. It can be very unpredictable, irritable, and scary. As a result, it can bite anyone new, if someone gets too close, if someone irritates it – all of which a small child is capable of.

If the dog has been injured on its head, it can be unpredictable. You may have to get the dog checked thoroughly to avoid anyone getting attacked.

5. Attack Mode

Dogs attack when they perceive someone or something as prey or a threat. It is a natural tendency for children to run away from new dogs when they are scared. They might scream and run despite you asking them not to. The dog might perceive this as a threat or prey and might chase your child.

Similarly, if your child is new to the dog’s house and starts touching things the dog has been trained not to, the dog might attack your child with the intention of protecting its masters’ property.

6. Self-Protection

Some older kids might find hurting a dog to be fun. Especially if it is an injured or a small dog that may not be able to protect itself. If your child or their friends were to corner a dog or hurt it when the owner is not around to protect it, it can bite as self-defense.

These are just a few common reasons why a dog can bite. When it is a new dog, it is always advisable to be cautious and be alert for the dog to bite. You never know when the animal instinct can kick in. To you, your child might just be their usual self, but to the dog, it could be perceived in different ways leading to the dog biting your child.

What to do if the Family Dog Bites?

A dog that you know from the early months of its life and has been with you and your family for years, can have a bad day too. A dog that has been protecting your child for years can suddenly bite your child.

Yes, it is alarming and scary to even consider that option, but if it does happen, follow these steps:

1. Get the Dog Away

It is the dog’s house too, so it might not have any boundaries. So, first, get the dog away from your child. If needed, lock the dog in a room or tie it up as you would when you have guests at home.

2. Calm Your Child

Your child must be startled more than physically hurt (in most cases). Calm your child down instead of panicking and reacting strongly. Yes, it can be very difficult, but children absorb our fear and think something is terribly wrong and can become very uncooperative. So, calm your child down and reassure them the dog is away and they are safe with you.

3. Check the Site

Check how bad the bite is. If it was during play, chances are the dog just nipped your child as a warning or during play. Check if there is a penetration or puncture wound.

4. Doctor Visit

Whether it is a puncture wound or just a surface wound, get your child checked by the doctor. It is always safer.

5. Handle the Dog

Your dog would be scared too. It has done something it shouldn’t, and dogs can sense when they are at fault and their owners are unhappy with them. Calm your dog and check if it is ok. If the dog seems to be behaving differently, then it is time to get them checked.

How to Prevent Dog Bites in Children?

How can you prevent a dog from biting your child? If it is a dog that is known for nipping at passing people, you can be careful. What if the dog is a pet that never bites? What if it is a dog on the street that suddenly attacks your child for no reason?

Tips to Prevent Dog Bites in Children

If it is a stray or a strange dog without an owner around, always avoid the dog and move away. Ask your child to maintain a safe distance from any unknown dog.
If it is a pet dog, ask the owner if the dog would bite and if it is safe for your child to get close to the dog.
Give the dog some time to warm up to you or your child. Do not rush to pet it and play with it. It is not a soft toy. Let the dog sniff you and calm down before you can pet it or get close.
If the dog is sleeping, do not disturb it. Let it sleep or lie down and play with or pet only when it comes to you.
Do not hug and kiss the dog. If it is your pet dog, hugging it can be ok as you and your child will get used to it. If it is someone else’s dog.
Avoid getting too close no matter how friendly the dog may be.
If it is a stray or an unfamiliar dog, stay calm, do not run away from the dog as it might chase you. Do not make eye contact and just be ready to defend yourself. If the dog does not do anything, just back away or move away slowly. Do not do anything alarming as a startled dog can bite.

Tips When the Dog Comes to You With an Intention to Attack or Bite

Use anything you have in hand to fend for yourself.
Do not try to outrun the dog because they can definitely run faster.
If you have nothing to fend yourself, cry out for help.
If you are knocked down, roll into a ball and protect your face and ears.

Vaccinations to Prevent Infection From Dog Bites in Children

The vaccinations vary depending on which dog bites you. If it is a pet dog that has been fully vaccinated, the doctor might advise a tetanus shot immediately after the bite, followed by three more injections:

First shot on the day of the bite.
Second shot after 3 days of the bite.
Third shot, 7 days after the bite.

If the dog is a stray or an unvaccinated dog, the doctor will advise the four more injections, bringing the total to seven shots after the dog bite. The first three shots will be as mentioned above. The fourth to seventh injections will be one week apart from each other. Sometimes, the doctor might recommend a slightly different time frame between the injections.

Rabies Shot After Dog Bite in Children

Rabies shots can be given after a dog bite, scratch, or even a lick from a dog suspected to have rabies. This vaccine given after exposure to a dog is called post-exposure prophylaxis. Doctors recommend the vaccine only in case of severe wounds or infection because it is an expensive vaccine and not all can afford it.

When to Get a Rabies Injection?

A rabies injection can be given in two ways. It can be given before the dog bite as a precautionary vaccination. This will be done if you are in a rabies-prone area or have too many dogs around you.

In most cases, it is given as a part of the treatment after exposure to a dog bite or scratch. If you suspect, the dog that bit you has rabies or is not fully vaccinated. It is advisable to get a rabies shot immediately.

A dog bite can be very scary, especially if it is your child. Even if it is a pet dog, it is always advisable to be safe with animals and visit a doctor immediately.

FAQ’s

1. Can You Prevent Rabies Once Exposed to it?

In some cases, yes. It depends on the animal and the depth of infection. Washing the bite immediately with soap and water and taking a post-exposure shot can prevent rabies from setting in.

2. Is Rabies Always Fatal?

Once the rabies sets in and clinical symptoms appear, it is almost fatal. There is a very minor chance for the person to recover.

3. Will Touching a Dog Give My Child Rabies?

No, mere touching will not. If the dog is vaccinated, there is nothing to fear. Only if the saliva of the infected animal enters your bloodstream or mucous membrane, can the disease spread.

Dog Bites in Children – How To Prevent Them And What To Do After a Bite?