Got Bitten By An Animal? These First-Aid Tips Will Help You Treat Your Wounds.

Animal attack injuries are not limited to just dog bites. Many other types of domesticated animals, like ferrets and cats, can also bite humans. This knowledge is crucial, as it helps you understand the potential risks and take appropriate action. 

Animal attacks, whether from pets or wild animals, can result in various injuries that can be severe if not treated on time. Knowing how to provide first aid in such situations is crucial for minimizing the risk of infection before contacting professional medical assistance. 

Here at Injury Rely, our job is to connect you with reliable and experienced medical and legal professionals who will treat your injuries. But remember, you don’t need to go through it alone; we can help you contact the right medical professional to treat your injuries.

In this blog, we will cover some first-aid techniques for treating an animal attack right before getting professional aid. Remember that the more preserved we let our wounds be, the more effective the medical attention will be.

First Aid Tips To Withstand An Animal Attack

1.   Assess and Control the Situation

Most animal attacks can be prevented by being aware of your surroundings. Always look to ensure safety by moving away from the animal. If it is a wild animal, try to avoid the area where it resides. Most of the time, these wild animals will adopt warning signs before making an attack. 

Immediately following the attack, you need to determine if it's a minor or severe wound.

• It is a Minor wound if the skin is only slightly or not broken, and it is from an animal that you know is immunized against rabies.

• On the other hand, severe wounds cover any bites or scratches that are torn, bleeding badly, or deep (like punctures or deep scratches).

Treating minor Wounds:

• As soon as possible, wash the wound with soapy, warm water or spray it with an antibacterial cleansing spray.
• Apply antibiotic cream to the injured area if you have one.
• Cover the wound with a clean bandage.
• Keep an eye out for signs of infection.
• Seek medical attention.

Treating Severe Wounds:

• Apply steady pressure with a clean and dry cloth directly to the wound site for stopping the bleeding.
• Try to immobilize the area and try to keep it elevated.
• Seek immediate medical attention.

2.  Control Bleeding

If it bleeds, apply direct pressure using a clean cloth to stop bleeding and keep the injured area upward to reduce blood flow.

If blood soaks through the material, put more cloth or gauze on top of it and continue to apply pressure. This will control the bleeding. 

Wash your hands after giving first aid, and remember to do it before cleaning and dressing the wound. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

If you are injured from an animal attack, help them lie down. If possible, position the person on a rug or blanket to prevent loss of body heat. And seek immediate medical attention. 

3. Cleaning  the Wound

To reduce the risk of infection, clean the wound thoroughly with soap and clean water. Apply an antibacterial ointment to the wound. Using antiseptic wipes or solutions to clean the area around the wound may also help.

For deeper wounds, you may need stitches. And if you have a bad bite, you may need surgery to recover from the damage. That is why seeking medical attention right after cleaning the bite will reduce the risk of possible diseases like rabies or specific skin infections.

4. Immobilize Fractures or Dislocations

If the animal attack caused a bone fracture or dislocation, immobilize the injured area using splints or improvised materials. If a fracture or dislocation is suspected, you will need to improvise a splint. This will stabilize the injury for patient transport, preventing further damage. Furthermore, injury immobilization can significantly reduce the patient's pain.

How to apply an improvised splint?

Attend the bleeding

As explained before, you can stop the bleeding by putting pressure directly on the wound.

Apply padding

Right after stopping the bleeding, apply a bandage or gauze, or a piece of cloth to keep the area clean.

NOTE: Don’t try to move the body part that needs to be splinted. You might accidentally cause more damage.

Place the splint

Carefully place the improvised splint so that it can rest on the joint above the injury and the joint below it.

A splint can be created with a rolled-up newspaper, a plank, or even a rolled-up towel. We are looking for a way to pad the wounded section to provide stabilization before contacting medical care. 

For example, if you’re splinting a forearm, place the rigid support (plank, rolled-up tower or any other rigid surface) item under the forearm and tie it to the arm just below the wrist and above the elbow. Avoid using duct tape or similar products on the skin of the injured person. Also, avoid placing ties directly in the injured area.

5. Seek Medical Attention

As stated in each of the previous steps, Medical Attention is vital right after an animal attack. The major problem with animal bites is that a secondary infection may occur in less than 24 hours. This is why keeping the area clean is crucial.

Bites from unprovoked animals can be a sign of rabies. A doctor can treat the wound as soon as possible. If the injury seems minor, medical attestation will be required, too. The animal's immunization status might be unknown, even if it has an owner. Seeing a doctor will prevent any further disease from developing right after an animal attack. 

In Conclusion 

Animal attack injuries can be frightening and traumatic. Knowing what to do in case of an attack can preserve your injuries right before seeking medical help. If an attack happens, seek immediate medical attention and connect with us. Here at Injury Rely, we will provide the best medical professionals to ensure your injuries have a fast recovery. Get in touch with us.