Infection - Dog Bite

[~AngelofLove~]

On 7/3 I got bit by a puppy out of my own stupidity.. It took a small chunk out of my finger.. well around it is red. I treated it with antibiotic ointment and covered it up with a dressing and looks a little bit better.

Should I get it looked at or keep dressing it?

[riotgrrrlcori]

If it keeps getting better, I'd leave it be. If it shows any signs of infection, like swelling, more redness, hotness, pussiness, or discolouration, or you get a fever, I'd get it looked at asap.

[Animad]

I'd advice you to get it checked out. At that age dogs teeth are really quite sharp and thin so you don't see the extent of the wound and it often goes in deeper and can heal up over the top of some of it. Plus, their mouthes are really dirty bacterial wise so any bites from them should be checked and asap after they've been done (the same is especially true of cats; if I ever get a cat bite personally I will be straight down to see a doctor and know the damage they can do. Dogs aren't as bad but puppies teeth are narrower and sharper, getting closer to cats teeth).

Though, as it is improving, if there is no real redness there, only a line around the wound, if it's healing, and not swollen I'd keep dressing it and make sre it stays clean. If the area all swells up which may happen if infection is trapped under there as an abscess, then you need to get it looked.