What should I do if I've been bitten by a dog but there's no bleeding?
Dec 29, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Liu Wan
Introduction
A wound from a dog bite may not bleed. The standard management principles for dog bites should still be followed. Even in the absence of bleeding, there might be microscopic injuries to the skin or mucous membranes that are not visible to the naked eye. Rabies virus can enter the body through these tiny wounds and potentially cause rabies. Therefore, for safety reasons, rabies vaccination is still recommended even if the bite or scratch from a dog does not result in bleeding.
In today's society, many people keep dogs as pets, so it's not uncommon for children to get bitten by dogs accidentally. What should you do if you're bitten by a dog but there is no bleeding?
What to do if bitten by a dog without bleeding
Even if the wound does not bleed after a dog bite, you should still follow standard procedures for dog bite treatment. Although there may be no visible bleeding, there could still be tiny injuries to the skin or mucous membranes that are not apparent to the naked eye. The rabies virus can enter the body through these small wounds and potentially cause rabies. Therefore, for safety reasons, even if the bite or scratch from a dog does not result in bleeding, it is still recommended to receive a rabies vaccine. Once symptoms develop, the fatality rate of rabies is nearly 100%. Thus, individuals with non-bleeding wounds should follow the routine immunization schedule for rabies vaccination.
Patients bitten by dogs typically have no other symptoms besides skin damage. After being bitten, the skin usually shows obvious redness and swelling, along with bite marks and visible lacerations. However, prior to the onset of rabies symptoms, patients generally experience no other signs of illness.
However, because rabies is an extremely severe and fatal disease with no known cure, and once clinical symptoms appear, the mortality rate reaches 100%, it is essential to receive a rabies vaccine after any dog bite as a preventive measure. We hope this answer has been helpful to you. Wishing you good health and happiness!
