There's Always that One Kid..... (dog bite related) Dog people, please weigh in

[Tammi K]

If you have several kids, you're bound to have one like this. Nothing phases her. Nothing!!!   Last week she jumped out of an airplane - for fun. :confused1:    (I freak out standing on a step stool!)

 

We always used to say she would react the same way to a trip to Disney World as she would to a root canal. Sure enough, she has experienced both and with both her response was, "Okay."

 

Anyway, dingy daughter(19)  just came home from a few days with friends. Some of the time spent camping.  She calmly says, "I was bit on my butt."

 

We've had several bear attacks in the area, so I, in jest asked if by a bear fully expecting her to say by a mosquito, or something similar.  Of course, in her typical fashion, she casually says, "No. A dog."

 

Seriously, the kid has a puncture wound on her tush where a rottie/pit bull mix tried to sink his fang into her butt cheek.

 

It is a house dog, a rescue from a pound. So, I assume it has had all the necessary shots. But, the owner wasn't home and the dog was being watched by her friend so I can't get a definitive answer about shots until later today. 

 

The dog bit through my daughter's jeans. It only caught her with one tooth but it did break the skin and bleed. It looks okay- no redness.

 

So, what to do? What to do? 

 

 

[Catwoman]

If you know the owner's name and/or address, you should be able to contact the local authorities and make sure the dog is up to date on his shots. I wouldn't take the owner's word on it without documentation.

 

You should report the dog bite anyway. What if the dog had bitten her in the face and not on her butt, or what if the next person he bites is a small child? I would definitely call the police and file a report.

Edited June 28, 2017 by Catwoman

[Jean in Newcastle]

Definitely find out about shots.  If shots are up to date then I would just continue to watch for redness or any sign of infection.  Was she provoking the dog in any way?  The owners need to know what happened so that they can do what they can to prevent something from happening in the future. 

[Tammi K]

 Was she provoking the dog in any way?  The owners need to know what happened so that they can do what they can to prevent something from happening in the future. 

 

No, she was just walking to the car and the dog came up behind her. 

 

Honestly, this is my entirely low-key kid.  If she tells me she was just walking I absolutely believe her. She said she didn't even see it coming. The dog just came up behind her.

 

Frustrating thing is that I don't know the friend who was house sitting and I have no idea who the owns the dog.

 

[zoobie]

She needs to report the bite to the local authorities. If it bit her unprovoked, think of what it could do to a child. It's probably worth a trip to the doctor to see if she needs prophylactic antibiotics.

[Pawz4me]

I tend to err on the side of the dog, but . . . an unprovoked bite that broke skin? Yeah, I think I'd report that.

 

Definitely find out about rabies vaccination status. I wouldn't fret over the possibility of rabies (probably highly unlikely even if the dog isn't current on his vaccination) but I'd still want to know. Other than that I'd just watch it for any sign of infection.

 

ETA: Is she current on her tetanus vaccine? That's a concern with dog bites.

Edited June 28, 2017 by Pawz4me

[Catwoman]

No, she was just walking to the car and the dog came up behind her.

 

Honestly, this is my entirely low-key kid. If she tells me she was just walking I absolutely believe her. She said she didn't even see it coming. The dog just came up behind her.

 

Frustrating thing is that I don't know the friend who was house sitting and I have no idea who the owns the dog.

 

All you need is the address so you can report the incident and find out if the dog is licensed and vaccinated.

[Jean in Newcastle]

No, she was just walking to the car and the dog came up behind her. 

 

Honestly, this is my entirely low-key kid.  If she tells me she was just walking I absolutely believe her. She said she didn't even see it coming. The dog just came up behind her.

 

Frustrating thing is that I don't know the friend who was house sitting and I have no idea who the owns the dog.

 

 

All the more reason for the owners to know that it was an unprovoked attack.  I would ask her to ask her housesitting friend to let them know.  Hopefully the housesitting friend won't get in trouble for having a friend over. 

[MommyLiberty5013]

That's really aggressive behavior. If teeth punctured the skin and there was blood involved, I would seek medical attention. Dogs' mouths are filthy.

 

My sister was bitten in the face as an adult by a boxer. She went to pet it (it was known to her) and it latched to her face. Thankfully she was okay, but she went to the ER.

 

If a dog bites one person, chances are it will again or it has before. Please report this.

[porque]

I don't have any thoughts on the dog, but I have a daughter just like that and I am glad to hear there are other kids like this. Bit by ferret at her brother's baseball game? Didn't tell me until long after we got home. And I laughed at the Disney World -root canal comment. That would definitely be her! 

[ktgrok]

If it isn't infected she doesn't need any treatment. Just keep an eye on it. Or I guess, she should, not you, lol. 

 

I'd probably report it, but it's not uncommon for some breeds (usually herding breeds) to bit butts as people leave. Not okay, but not uncommon. 

 

Rabies in a house pet is pretty unheard of. Infection is the real issue, but if it seems fine by now, it probably is.