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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

195 replies

eejitgothurt · 19/04/2021 13:12

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
16
Mellonsprite · 22/04/2021 08:13

You’ve done a very kind thing, and been very unlucky with this as the consequence your trouble. It looks so sore.
I actually would tell the owner / dog warden to hopefully stop a repeat.

namesnamesnamesnames · 22/04/2021 08:15

Oh you poor thing. You did a wonderful thing. Hope you recover quickly, that's awful.

CirclesWithinCircles · 22/04/2021 09:54

Well, I hope the dog's owners have at the very least sent you a card and some flowers/chocolates, since yiure in hospital due to their dog!

SirVixofVixHall · 22/04/2021 10:04

Wishing you a speedy recovery OP, what a nightmare. You did do a really kind thing, saved smalldog from being killed and quite possibly a RTA too, where people could have been hurt.

LST · 22/04/2021 10:58

@flaxmeadow you have proved over and over again you know jack shit about dogs on the many threads you jump in on with your hate. A dog in this situation would not be pts. Any dog absolutely any dog could turn and bite after being grabbed by a stranger in a stressful situation.

Original poster
eejitgothurt · 22/04/2021 14:18

I've escaped theatre for today in the hope that another 24 hrs of IV antibiotics will work wonders. It's looking much better now.

OP posts:
LST · 22/04/2021 14:24

@eejitgothurt

I've escaped theatre for today in the hope that another 24 hrs of IV antibiotics will work wonders. It's looking much better now.
Thats brill news op!
TheQueef · 22/04/2021 14:33

Looks a throbby bastard Sad

Sympathies, I've had bites (not warning nips) and they really really fucking hurt. One on my cankle but that was just a flesh wound and my hand and wrist which was a crush injury as well as punctures, it hurts.

Original poster
eejitgothurt · 22/04/2021 14:42

This is a crush injury too and the lovely doctor assured me it's why it hurts like a bastard. It's only throbs when not flat or elevated. I have a makeshift sling made out of a pillowcase and a bandage that is helping the swelling go down.
I've only ever been nipped by my own cats in years gone by and never enough to break the skin so this has been quite a shock. Still, it's a good story and scars to show the grandchildren in decades to come Grin Do you think I could apply for a Blue Peter badge in recognition of my stupidity/bravery🤣

OP posts:
TheQueef · 22/04/2021 14:48

My bad bite was from jumping in to save a guide dog being attacked Halo even I didn't get a badge!

My cousin, whose guide dog it was, told me I was a silly cunt, that she'd be forever in my debt and bought me 20 silk cut.
I reckon you are due at least a bottle of plonk from the mutt.

Justilou1 · 22/04/2021 15:01

Lucky it wasn't a cat that bit you where the dog did, @eejitgothurt.... You would have DEFINITELY needed surgery for that one. (Cat's mouths are much worse than dog's!)

Original poster
eejitgothurt · 22/04/2021 15:17

If it's your own animal do you have some immunity against their germs? A bit like how I'm allergic to cats but if I'm exposed over time I don't react as much? Although I don't seem affected by our two borrowed cats so maybe I've green out if it finally. I was very allergic to my own cat but wasn't too bad after being around her a few weeks. She was very bitey but our borrowed cats just purr and meow a lot for love and dreamies.

For those who were bitten-did it affect how you felt about dogs? I've never been a fan but had reached a comfortable level with them. Now I'm feeling not so happy about them understandably.

OP posts:
TheQueef · 22/04/2021 15:59

I still love dogs.
I'm much more wary around bull type dogs though.
The first bits was a spiteful little westie who regularly snapped at people but chose me to actually chomp on.
Second time was entirely my fault and in fairness the dog wasn't trying to bite me but it shocked me. I'm very aware of the power in some dogs now. It was a staffie cross with other bull and he was so strong.

LST · 22/04/2021 17:17

I have dogs as do my of my family and friends so I know most are not going to turn in the blink of an eye like the ones that I have been bitten by do.

One of my bites was in a situation similar to yours but thankfully the dog had no teeth!

LadyWhistledownsQuill · 22/04/2021 17:34

@eejitgothurt

If it's your own animal do you have some immunity against their germs? A bit like how I'm allergic to cats but if I'm exposed over time I don't react as much? Although I don't seem affected by our two borrowed cats so maybe I've green out if it finally. I was very allergic to my own cat but wasn't too bad after being around her a few weeks. She was very bitey but our borrowed cats just purr and meow a lot for love and dreamies.

For those who were bitten-did it affect how you felt about dogs? I've never been a fan but had reached a comfortable level with them. Now I'm feeling not so happy about them understandably.

I doubt you get much immunity - I imagine most of the germs come from whatever it is they've put in their mouths. Having had to physically stop my dog from eating dropped chicken bones and a human turd, and rolling in dead wildlife, I'm not sure there's much chance of gaining immunity to it.

That said, I've no idea why cat bites are so much more likely to get infected than dog bites, as you'd imagine the same sort of thing applies.

Truth be told, I think you've just been very very unlucky to have ended up with such a nasty infection.

It didn't affect how I felt about dogs - I've always been a dog person, one bite was my own dog (utterly terrified at the time), and another was a neighbour's dog who is normally lovely but decided to start a scrap with my dog and they had to be separated (I just got in the way - they didn't bite each other, it was all handbags at dawn and I don't think the dog expected to find my leg where it was so it wasn't an intentional bite IYSWIM)

It wouldn't have helped you in this situation, but I'd always advise anyone who is nervous of dogs to familiarise themselves with dog body language - it helps to tell the difference between friendly dogs that want to say hello, and dogs that are scared / less than friendly, which in turn helps some of the anxiety.

DaenerysD · 22/04/2021 17:41

A friends jack Russell made a break through the door towards main road and I instinctively stopped it, it turned and launched at my face and ended up biting through my Cupid bow above my top lip and holding on. No idea how it didn't rip through but bloody hell it hurt, I looked shocking for a long time and @ 14 not great.

I hated it from then on. Little bastard.

sickofpainting · 22/04/2021 17:43

@eejitgothurt I think you must be close to me if you can see all those fantastic views! Hope you've got all the good drugs!

Original poster
eejitgothurt · 22/04/2021 19:48

@DaenerysD fucking hell! That must have been so frightening.

@sickofpainting it's rather beautiful isn't it when you can see so far if you're high up.

I have not got any good drugs Sad I need some though as it's hurting far more since this afternoon.

OP posts:
Original poster
eejitgothurt · 22/04/2021 22:03

I've had the good drugs now as it bloody hurts tonight. The pain has zeroed in to my thumb joint but the bruising has spread and is very spring-like with its yellows and purples. I always try to be festive where possible 😁 I still can't move my thumb much at all despite a lot of the swelling having gone down. I'm still a maybe for theatre tomorrow but I'm really hoping it will be all better by morning as I'll have had nearly 48 hours of IVs by the time the dishy doctor as my mum would call him comes back. Beautiful eyes and accent. He made me feel happier about the prospect of theatre. Some drs are so dismissive but he was really friendly and explained everything very clearly about the possible courses of action and understood that knowing more eases my anxieties. Just waiting for the painkillers to kick in then I might see if this hotel offers massages as part of the excellent service😂

OP posts:
CornishTiger · 22/04/2021 22:08

Jesus OP. One good deed and you get all this! I so hope you are in the mend soon!

Original poster
eejitgothurt · 22/04/2021 22:18

Yeah, my hands are staying well away from dogs from now on. One of the neighbours has a beautiful lab/golden retriever cross puppy if 12 weeks and she's lovely but obviously an excitable youngster so I'll be wary there. My neighbour who is looking after ds has two dogs and one is pregnant so I might be ok with the little puppies but we'll see. I don't want the dc to get any anxieties about dogs because of me. I always try to be calm and respectful around them and wouldn't reach out to them unless I knew them and I've taught the dc the same. Cats never give us much choice, they just adopt us as second homes.

OP posts:
DaenerysD · 22/04/2021 23:24

My confidence was knocked for ages and I'm a massive animal lover, however I've got 2 dogs now so I'm not permanently affected obvs and tbh the scar isn't noticeable until you're up close. 🤣

Ontheboardwalk · 22/04/2021 23:30

My nicest mildest mannered childhood dog bit my nose when it’s leg was trapped in fence. Luckily it wasn’t infected like your bite

You did a great thing saving the dog. I get you might be nervous around dogs going forward but the vast majority of them won’t bite

Original poster
eejitgothurt · 23/04/2021 09:09

The lovely consultant has just been and I've got to go to theatre. Hopefully today and then another overnight stay then back home to have a proper cup of tea and cuddles with the children and cats.

OP posts:
AdaColeman · 23/04/2021 09:23

Hope it all goes well for you today @eejitgothurt, what an awful time you're having.
Be sure to steer clear of dogs from now on!

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