It’s every dog owner’s worst nightmare: a wild animal bites your dog while you’re out for a walk, hike, or in your own yard. It’s important to remain calm so that you can get your dog to a safe place so you can render aid. These tips might help you prepare so that you can remain calm and act quickly in an emergency situation:

Get Your Dog to Safety

First, get your dog to safety as quickly as possible. Get your dog away from the other animal right away–you may need to use a water bottle, hose, sticks, or a solid object to get space between your pet and the aggressive animal. 

Render First Aid

Next, render first aid if necessary. Use a clean cloth, a towel, or gauze to apply pressure to any bleeding wounds. Then stabilize your dog so you can transport him to your veterinarian. Use a leash and muzzle if necessary, and put your dog in a crate, dog bed, or board to keep him immobile as possible during the car ride.

Take Your Dog to a Veterinarian

As soon as possible, take your dog to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital. Animal bites carry a huge risk of infection and dangerous disease transmission, so they must be treated by a veterinarian. The veterinarian will clean, disinfect, and dress the wound. They may prescribe antibiotics or recommend vaccinations for your dog.

Call Animal Control

When your dog has been seen by a veterinarian, call your local animal control office and report the attack. This can prevent further attacks on other pets, and alerts animal control to the presence of a dangerous wild animal in the area. 

You should not try to treat an animal bite at home due to the high risk of infection, disease transmission, and complications. Please take your dog to your local emergency veterinary hospital right away.