Dog bite- I'm an idiot **warning - images of wounds**

[eejitgothurt]

Name changed and posting for traffic. This morning I prevented a dog from darting into a busy main road, found the owners house and returned her. I got a nasty bite got my efforts. I realise now I was stupid to pick the little thing up but it was instinct to prevent the dog being hit by a car.
The owner had left the house door open and the dog had wandered off. Both dog and owner are elderly.
I've been to A and E as directed by my GP and been patched up but boy it hurts. I've got two nasty puncture wounds to my hand and two lots of antibiotics.
I have some questions now the shock has worn off (I'm not good with blood and it was pouring and I was already feeling ropey due to something else).

Has anyone got experience of this and if so how long did it take to heal?

When did it stop hurting like a bastard?

Do I need to report this to the police or dog warden? The dog was obviously scared and bit me for a reason. I was stupid and I accept that. I just never considered it would bite me like that. I'm not a dog person but overcame my fear years ago now. I'm glad the dog is safe and the owner was very nice when I returned her home. I declined her offer of going inside to wash the round as was not far from home, and covid of course.

Dog bites injuries are usually worse for the crush/scissor effect rather than injecting horrible bugs deep into the tissues like a cat bite does. Having said that, dogs can carry some nasty bugs in their mouths too so if the swelling continues to subside - great. If you feel gnerally unwell or it gets worse though, see a medic. The abios will cover all bases I imagine though.

I really hope the dog's owners thank you and ask you if you're all right. If they're capable of having a dog and looking after it, then they're not too elderly to do that.

So sorry for you. That little dog must have given you a very big bite. It must have been a lot more than a nip. I was bitten by a friend’s cat who I was feeding while they were on holiday. He sunk his teeth in my hand as I attempted to remove some kind of prickly looking object from the blanket on which he was sitting. Blood everywhere and terrible pain and boy did it swell. I didn’t go to the doctors but just cleaned it as well as I could with tcp etc. The swelling lasted several days but yours looks really bad. Good advice above so should be a case of riding it out and putting it down to experience.

I have been bitten by many small dogs before and it does really hurt and can be quite scary!
I don’t touch any small breeds now as I’m nervous around them (I’m fine with big dogs) but I too would have picked it up in your situation.
Well done for your quick thinking.
Definitely don’t report it though.

Just about to head back to the hospital. Hopefully they will sort out different antibiotics as I'm on my last day of them now so it should be on the mend rather than looking worse.

Well. I'm sat waiting for an X-ray. I've had bloods taken and a line put in for IV antibiotics. I'm going to be seen by orthopaedics because it's my thumb joint. Another fun day! My dds can be looked after by their dad thankfully but ds is just mine so more tricky but a neighbour and friend is kindly helping there. I just hope I don't have to stay in.

Oh no OP hopefully it’s early enough in the day they can get you home this evening. I shall keep my fingers crossed they can send you packing with a plan and lots of antibiotics!

Good luck op.

My own small dog bit me (he got very frightened) and it looks like a similar sort of injury but mine did not swell at all, didn’t need antibiotics, just happily scabbed over and healed. I think you are right to go back to the hospital.

No good deed goes unpunished 🥴 glad you are getting it looked at again.

It's a hospital bed and IV antibiotics for me sadly. They are concerned it could turn septic so trying to prevent that.

OP, I have had the same thing - ended up having surgeries to clean out the wounds etc and five days in high dependency on IV antibiotics, plus six months of specialised physio. I had the hangy thing for several weeks too to keep my arm raised.

Was told that cat bites are worse so I wouldn't stick to cats if I was you.

Really feel for you.

I did report to the Police but it was because I found out the dog should have been muzzled due to a similar incident and it happened on a throughfare where there were lots of young children passing (near a nursery).

I'm glad you went back to the hospital but I am sorry your good turn has caused so much trouble for you. Hope you feel better soon.

That's awful but I would have done the same even if I knew what would happen - it would have been horrible if the dog had been hit by a car or caused a bigger road accident.

Hopefully this will be a lesson to the owner to be more responsible. I wouldn't report it as it wasn't a situation where the dog initiated the contact so I doubt it would run up and bite someone in the park.

The antibiotics should stop anything nasty. Can you also take anti-inflammatories?

Goodness, I'm so glad you went back in OP. Looks very sore.

There has been talk of washing it out in theatre but I'm ignoring that as is only if the IVs don't work.

Goodness, I hope you're feeling better very soon!

My dog was attacked and bitten a few weeks, and the vet (who says she's been bitten a few times) said it's really painful from the strength in a dogs jaws. It does make sense when you think about it.

I really hope you're on the mend soon.

I am so glad that you went back. You poor thing.

I think that if your gp saw those pictures then you should probably ask mn to change the title to 'dog bite My gp was an idiot'. But its obvious that you are far too nice a person to do that.

The GP I saw was a registrar doing GP training so I will be feeding back to the practice about this. The usual GPs are excellent. He can use it as a professional development reflection scenario practice thing also known as here's what you should have done 🤣
It's getting hotter as time goes on.
Pp who mentioned wound wash outs-what does this involve as sounds the kind of thing that would have me fainting? Your experience sounds awful. Man's best friend indeed. I like Labradors and border collies and golden retrievers but that's my limit really and I'm still wary. More so now.

@eejitgothurt - honestly it made it feel a lot more comfortable but I did have it "packed". If they do do it to you happy to try and explain it more.

The hardest part was not bloody eating for twelve hours!

Do feedback to the GP surgery, but was this the GP that directed you to A and E? I'll go back and re read in case I've missed some of the story here...

@eejitgothurt you'll be asleep when they do it. I've done many of them personally nurse but you'll get all the good pain killers when you wake up

No, he told me my hand was as expected for the injury and time scale and that the antibiotics I was on would deal with it.

I'm so squeamish with wounds!

@sickofpainting nooooo! It's the anaesthetic I'm terrified of! I've had 8 in my time and I've been a wreck each time. Except the tonsils one. I had all the good drugs before. About 20mg temazepam and 6mg diazepam. They got me under quick too as knew how frightened I was. It's a control and vulnerability thing. I'm usually really strong and stoic and approach things pragmatically, calmly, scientifically and logically. I struggle to do that when it comes to being in hospital and anaesthetics. I get upset watching anyone being put under. I used to be a nurse and think that makes it worse. this is why I never did surgical nursing 🤣I'll give myself a slap.
Thank you to everyone who has posted, you're helping keep me calm.

Nothing to add except you were brave and kind and hoping the pain eases off asap

Oooh lucky me I'm getting a covid test too! It's the gift that keeps giving!