After a dog bite, prioritize getting to safety first and seeking medical care. Once you are safe and have received treatment, it is worth understanding your legal options, since you may be owed compensation. Below, we walk you through what to do step by step, so you can protect both your health and your claim.
What to do after a dog bite:
- Get away from the dog and to a safe place.
- Press on the wound with a clean cloth to slow the bleeding.
- Wash the bite with soap and running water for several minutes.
- Apply antibiotic ointment if you have it, then cover the wound with a clean bandage.
- Get medical care.
- Ask a clinician about rabies and tetanus.
- Report the bite to animal control or your local health department.
- Save photos and details you may need later.
Get to Safety
Before anything else, get yourself and anyone with you away from the dog. Move to a safe place where the dog cannot reach you. Nothing else on this list matters until you are out of danger.
Once you are safe, press on the wound firmly with a clean cloth or towel until the bleeding slows. Then clean it thoroughly. According to the American Red Cross, washing the area well in these first minutes is the single most important step to help lower the risk of both infection and rabies.
How to clean a dog bite wound:
- Rinse the wound under running water.
- Wash it with soap and water for several minutes.
- Rinse again to remove any leftover soap.
- Pat it dry with a clean cloth.
- Apply antibiotic ointment if you have some.
- Cover it with a clean bandage.
Even a minor-looking bite can carry bacteria deep under the skin, so cleaning the wound is where you start, not where you stop. The next step is deciding what kind of medical care you need.
Do I Need to See a Doctor? ER vs Urgent Care vs Regular Doctor
Almost every dog bite that breaks the skin should be seen by a clinician within 24 hours. Many victims are unsure about where to go for that care. Here is a simple guide.
| Where to go | When it’s the right choice | Examples |
| ER or call 911 | Serious bites that need urgent care | Heavy or uncontrolled bleeding, deep or gaping wounds, bites to the face, possible nerve or tendon damage, or any bite to a baby or young child |
| Urgent care | Moderate bites that are not on the face and where the area still works normally | A bite to the arm or leg that is bleeding but under control, with no sign of deep damage |
| Regular doctor or same-day clinic | Minor bites that still need to be checked | A small break in the skin that has stopped bleeding and is not on the face or hands |
The rule is simple: if the skin is broken, get it evaluated within a day.
Parents should take extra care. Children are bitten on the face and neck far more often than adults, and these wounds can be serious. If your child has been bitten, especially a baby or toddler, treat it as an emergency and go straight to the ER.
Rabies, Tetanus, and Infection
Two fears come up again and again after a bite: rabies and infection. Thankfully, both are very manageable when you act early.
Rabies. Rabies is rare in the United States, but it is almost always fatal once symptoms begin, so doctors do not take chances. If the dog is a known pet with an up-to-date rabies vaccine, the risk is very low. Rabies becomes a genuine concern when the dog is a stray, its vaccination status is unknown, or it ran off and cannot be found or observed. In those cases, a clinician may recommend a course of shots known as post-exposure treatment.
Tetanus. If you are not up to date on your tetanus shots, you may need a booster. This is a routine part of treating any wound, and the clinician who sees you will let you know.
Infection. Infection is the most common complication of a dog bite, and it usually shows up in the first day or two. Signs a dog bite is infected:
- Spreading redness around the wound
- Swelling or warmth
- Pus or fluid draining from the bite
- Pain that gets worse instead of better
- Red streaks spreading from the wound
- Fever
Report the Bite
Reporting a bite is a step many people skip, but it’s worth understanding how the process actually works.
You usually report a bite to your local animal control office or health department, and in some areas you may need to contact the police. In many places, doctors and hospitals are required to report bites they treat, and sometimes the person who was bitten must also report the incident.
Reporting does two important things. It helps public health officials check the rabies risk, and it creates an official record of what happened. That record can protect you later if you need to show that the bite occurred and how serious it was, and it is often a key piece of evidence if you later pursue compensation for your medical bills or other losses.
Get the Details You’ll Need Later
Once the immediate crisis is under control, it is worth gathering a few details. You may never need them, but if you later have medical bills or decide to make a claim, having this information early makes everything easier. Photos taken now are far more valuable than photos taken after the wound has healed, so this is genuinely time-sensitive.
What to get from the dog’s owner and the scene:
- The dog owner’s name, address, and phone number.
- Proof of the dog’s rabies vaccination, if the owner can provide it.
- Photos of the wound, your torn clothing, and where the bite happened.
- The names and contact details of anyone who saw it happen.
- Copies of your medical records and receipts.
It also helps to keep a simple recovery journal. Write down your pain levels, any work you miss, and how the wound heals over time. Good documentation may determine how much a claim may be worth.
Looking After Your Mental Health After a Dog Bite
A dog bite is not only a physical injury. It is a frightening experience, and it is normal to feel shaken afterward. Trouble sleeping is common, as is a new nervousness around dogs or around the place where it happened.
Children may be affected more deeply than adults. A child may have nightmares, become clingy, or suddenly be afraid of dogs they used to love. If you are a parent, the most helpful thing you can do is reassure your child rather than blame them for what happened. Let them know they are safe and that it was not their fault.
Emotional harm can also form part of what a dog bite claim covers, but the main reason to look after your mental health is simply your own wellbeing.
What to Do Next
To recap, the most important things after a dog bite are to get to safety, treat the wound, get medical care, report the bite, and document what happened. Taking these steps protects your health and creates a clear record of the incident.
Once the immediate steps are done, the next questions are usually about whether you may be owed money for what happened. If you would like someone to look at your specific situation, a free case review with an experienced dog bite attorney is an easy way to understand your options.
Most people never expect to deal with a dog bite until it happens. That’s why we created Dog Bite Help Center — to help victims understand their rights and the legal process. We are not a law firm. We connect people with experienced dog bite attorneys across the United States, and every article is reviewed by attorneys in our network to help ensure accuracy. The information on this site is general in nature and should not be considered legal advice. For advice about your own situation, consult a licensed attorney.