Dog bites, how to proceed in this situation
The mascots They are very attractive for the little ones in the house. Whether it's your own or that of a friend, neighbor or acquaintance, a very common scene in many children is to stay in love with a dog and want to caress and play with it. An attitude that although it is not necessary to repress, since it is a manifestation of the love of the minors for the animals, it is necessary to take into account certain potential risks.
We must not forget that animals are beings that lack reason and that sometimes can present aggressive reactions to the affectionate attitudes of children. In fact there are situations in which a child is the victim of a dog bite, something that can be prevented simply by knowing a little more about the pet that approaches the little one.
Everyone can bite
Pets become almost another member of the family, so they are treated in many cases as one more person. But we must not forget the animal condition of these. As indicated in the Nemours FoundationEven if a dog has a close and friendly attitude, it does not mean that under certain circumstances he can not bite.
Hunger, feeling of danger or tiredness are contexts that create a stress situation in these animals. A state that will cause them to react aggressively to external stimuli such as even a child's caress. It is therefore important that the child knows certain safety rules such as never bother a dog while sleeping or eating, or bring their hand to the mouth of it.
These are the guidelines of security that should be made clear when a dog arrives in the family:
- Never squeeze a dog too hard, pounce on him or jump on him.
- Do not bother a dog or pull on the ears or tail, or other limb. Of course, never cause pain.
- Do not disturb a dog while it is eating, sleeping or taking care of its puppies.
- Do not play fighting with him. The dog does not understand that it is something unreal and will react aggressively to any attack.
- Never feed a dog using your fingers. Always place the food on the palm of the hand while keeping all the fingers well together.
- Never corner a dog against a corner.
You also have to have certain security nations in case the pet does not belong to the family and the child wants to get closer to caress her:
- Always ask the owner if you can or can not pet the dog. Nobody better than him will know if he is aggressive or not and if it represents danger
- Wait for the dog to smell the child before caressing it.
- Do not run towards the dog or run away from him as these are signs that the animal interprets as danger
- If the dog shows signs of wanting to bite, you must place any object between your body and the animal.
And if the bite occurs
Not all accidents they can be avoided and it is also possible for a dog to end up biting the child despite all the security measures. The best thing in these cases is to go to a medical center so that the extent of the injury can be determined since there can even be small breaks in the bones of the hands of the smallest. It is also essential to find out if the pet is vaccinated against rabies.
Once at the doctor, he will proceed to wash the child's wound and disinfect it, since the amount of bacteria present in a dog's mouth can cause wound infections. It will also be necessary to suture in the event that the incision caused by the animal is too deep. It is possible that the pediatrician suggests the use of antibiotics to prevent other problems.
On the other hand it will also be necessary for parents to talk with the child to remember that they should not be afraid of other pets. It just needs a little more care next time. A bite of dog can make the child feel fear every time he crosses with one of these animals in the street, something very possible. While you should not force this contact to occur, you should not allow the child to experience these sensations every time he or she encounters these encounters.
Damián Montero