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.

This is the mess on my other wrist from being cannulated! I'm an array of colours on my arms and hands. It's been quite the adventure and I feel like I've lost a week and am out of sync with everything.
Thank you for all the posts and kind words and thoughts, you've all helped keep me calm when I've felt anxious.
My dds will be back home soon and then I'm sure things will be back to normal around here 😂

Oh my goodness @eejitgothurt, I didn't realise your other arm was so badly affected also, you poor thing.
You're not going to be able to do much in the way of looking after yourself or the little ones at all, I hope you've got someone there to help you.

You probably still feel a bit groggy after the GA, it was only yesterday. I remember my anaesthetist telling me to rest and drink plenty of water to aid post-op recovery.

Hope you start to feel brighter by tomorrow!

@eejitgothurt I’m so glad you’re on the mend and had the surgery, it looked really bad in the first photos and I was worried seeing them! Wishing you a speedy recovery involving hugs with your children, lots of tea and cake!

What’s also worrying is that this is the second thread I’ve read on here in two days where the OP has been given bad advice or been dismissed by her GP and mumsnetters have seemed more clued up about their medical condition!! Are there issues with GPs not being careful enough?

Also, I have to say I do agree in part with @Flaxmeadow - there is a massive problem with dog bites and some people are in denial about this. Although in this situation I wouldn’t report it because I’m assuming it wasn’t classed as a dangerous dog breed. But where I live, I see pitbulls, Rottweilers and other dangerous dogs regularly and off their lead too. I saw a pitbull loose running into a family in the park the other day, the kids were terrified and the owner didn’t seem bothered at all.

These are highly dangerous animals, not ‘babies’ or cute toys, and it sickens me that some owners are so incredibly irresponsible. There is a big problem with dog inflicted injuries in this country. It also breaks my heart for the dogs themselves, the fighting breeds, they didn’t ask to be born and are just expressing their natural genetic instincts. It’s sad all round.

I'll be contacting the GP surgery to say what happened. Not a complaint, just a factual account. The GP registrar will hopefully learn from this and be more proactive next time he encounters a dog bite.
It was definitely a Jack Russell dog. A chunky one with big teeth! I don't want her owner to feel bad or guilty, I just want her to be aware of the dangers of leaving her door open when she has an elderly and deaf dog and lives on a busy main road where eejits like me will unthinkingly prevent dogs from getting run over

Aww Jack Russells can definitely be quite yappy, my mum used to have one! Poor doggo, I think she definitely would have been scared but it was a lovely thing you did.
I know what you mean about the owner, and would feel sorry for her too, definitely speak to her though so she understands how serious this was and is careful to never let her dog run off again.

Good luck with the gp surgery too!

Jack Russell terriers were specifically bred to hunt and kill rats, so of course they do have powerful jaws, as @eejitgothurt's badly bruised hand shows.
Thought by any to be the best ratting breed, they were widely used in the trenches during World War One.

This was yesterday before the surgery. It's a beautiful colour! Strong jaws indeed. A rat wouldn't stand a chance.

[quote TheSilence]@eejitgothurt I’m so glad you’re on the mend and had the surgery, it looked really bad in the first photos and I was worried seeing them! Wishing you a speedy recovery involving hugs with your children, lots of tea and cake!

What’s also worrying is that this is the second thread I’ve read on here in two days where the OP has been given bad advice or been dismissed by her GP and mumsnetters have seemed more clued up about their medical condition!! Are there issues with GPs not being careful enough?

Also, I have to say I do agree in part with @Flaxmeadow - there is a massive problem with dog bites and some people are in denial about this. Although in this situation I wouldn’t report it because I’m assuming it wasn’t classed as a dangerous dog breed. But where I live, I see pitbulls, Rottweilers and other dangerous dogs regularly and off their lead too. I saw a pitbull loose running into a family in the park the other day, the kids were terrified and the owner didn’t seem bothered at all.

These are highly dangerous animals, not ‘babies’ or cute toys, and it sickens me that some owners are so incredibly irresponsible. There is a big problem with dog inflicted injuries in this country. It also breaks my heart for the dogs themselves, the fighting breeds, they didn’t ask to be born and are just expressing their natural genetic instincts. It’s sad all round.[/quote]
Rottweilers are not classed as dangerous dogs. FYI.

@LST You’re right they’re not covered under the dangerous dogs act, but I’d mistakenly thought they still can be more dangerous potentially than some other breeds, and I see a lot of them in my local park. Apologies if I’ve got that wrong then. I think they’re beautiful dogs btw!

I think Rottweilers got a lot of negative media attention in the late 80s along with Dobermans.

Martha's owner called me over today as I was passing and both apologised and thanked me and gave me a beautiful pot of spring flowers and a box of chocolates. Martha bless her is 16, deaf, and blind in one eye.

I shouldn’t have said Rottweilers in the original reply, I meant actual dangerous dogs.

Oh that’s lovely of her! Poor old Martha! Hope you’re healing well, enjoy those chocolates 🥰

How are you feeling now OP?

I was bitten through my Jean's by a large dog. It hurt for ages. Sorry. As it was a massive powerful dog, it damaged my outer thigh muscle and that honestly took months to knit together. Thank God I wasnt bear legged at the time. Its owner had to hit it to get it to release me. It's the shock too. I felt a mess for a week at least

Morning, I've been using my hand too much now that my thumb moves a little more and so it hurts more. Really burns and prickles and itches.
My 14 yo dd decided to run away from home again last night because she objected to being required to do the dishes with her sister. She's been horrible since I got bitten and made life really difficult. Meanwhile my 81 year old mum is getting a taxi to me today to help me and my 6 to has said he will wash up. I'm so sad by her behaviour. She thinks I'm playing on my injury just to get her to do things like butter her own toast or help with dinner as I can't cut things safely.

Dear me eejit, you can do without that at the moment!

Hope you have an easier day today, let them all butter their own toast!

Kids can get really disturbed when all of a sudden their Mum turns out to be vulnerable. They don't know how to react - they have to move from being the child into a more adult role. Try to ignore her behaviour as much as you can, but don't her dictate your recovery.

You've had a rough time and it's ok, in fact, it's necessary to put yourself first.

It's ok, and yes, I'm definitely trying to prioritise my recovery by resting during the day. I have a trauma clinic appointment a week today for a wound check. Not looking forward to seeing it although I'm intrigued

Ooooh it's all prickly and pulling and itchy and uncomfortable. I have sensory issues and the cotton wool bandage is a struggle as it freaks me out. Good news is that with dd being at her dad's I have less to do in general. I've done the washing up today and although it was tricky and painful it's done and I feel happier for it. I used my shower bandage cover as the rubber gloves won't fit over it. I've got a clinic appointment next week for a wound check and then the stitches out on Friday. I'm still really tired which surprises me for such a small and straightforward surgery so I'm making sure I sit abs drink tea and watch tv along with early nights. I think tonight I'm going to eat my chocolates in bed. I can't wait to be able to use utensils and cutlery properly again! Such simple things but so important.
I wonder what the wound looks like now and how many stitches there are 🤢 the dressing under the padding is stuck on with dried blood.
This thread really kept me going while in hospital so thank you to all who posted and kept me calm

You sound so lovely. Very brave. Very stoical. I’m sorry about your DD. 14 can be a horrid age. Much worse than older teens (having lived through all those stages).

Really hope things start to improve with speed now.

Poor you, that all looks awful & you've been through alot...take it easy & relax when you can. I'm sure dog was just afraid at being grabbed even though you were saving it's life. You can give yourself a pat on the back for being kind & brave...altho you've paid a price for it.

I've just opened my box of chocolates and felt such overwhelming sadness which is ridiculous. I'm only up this late as I forgot to put the loaf of bread I'd made in the oven. The good news is that I can make bread one handed thanks to my trusty and much-loved kitchen aid. It's been an emotional 10 days. There's a lot going on with my family and something awful was reported to me this week but my friends have surprised me by dropping off thoughtful gifts or coming round for coffee and giving me air hugs (we are all clinically extremely vulnerable and have been shielding so tentatively having garden dates) so I'm feeling loved and a bit emotional in general. Who'd have thought a dog bite could unleash such a tsunami of events and emotions. Ah well, chocolate to eat, books to read, and sleep to sleep. Please accept a virtual chocolate 🍫

Oh I've got late night chocolate too!

Be cautious about doing too much with your hand, eejit you don't want to do any more damage to it! Do you keep it resting in a sling most of the time?

You seem to be having a complicated life just now, hoping it all goes more smoothly for you very soon.

I wasn't given a sling so I've been holding it up mainly as it's more comfortable. I wasn't given any after care advice except to attend clinic in a week and stitches out in 2 weeks.

Have you not got a scarf you could make into a sling eejit or a triangle of old sheet? Look on YoooTube for how to fold it.

That's seems a bit dramatic and I'd be accused of milking it 😂 I'm sat in clinic waiting to see the lovely consultant with his dulcet Irish tones. I'll see what he says. Wonder if I'll get told off for washing up and similar. It aggravates my hand for sure but needs must.