If you take your dog to the park to let them get some exercise, then you have to be prepared for a confrontation with another dog. While your dog might be super friendly and not hostile towards other animals, not all pets share this same trait. And if you combine this with a negligent owner who doesn't keep their dog leashed, then you have a recipe for disaster. So, in order to be prepared for the worst case scenario, here's a quick primer on what you should do.
Remove Your Dog To Safety
The most important thing to do is to immediately get your dog away from the other dog. That means trying to get some sort of blockade between your dog and the attacking dog. This could be a bench, or getting inside a gated section of the park that the other dog can't enter. Hopefully the other owner will have come over to pull their dog away. You need to be careful about trying to get to close to the other dog lest you get bit. You should pull your dog away and use your bag or some other item to try to fend off the attacking dog.
Get The Owners Information
The next step is to get the owners information. This is crucial because you will want to get proof that their dog was vaccinated against rabies. Dogs can transmit rabies via saliva, so it's a concern to be aware of. You should take down their number and then head off to a vet or emergency animal hospital. You can give this number to the vets office and let them do follow up with the owner. The owner of the other dog should supply their vets number and then the two offices can get in touch and determine if there is any concern with regard to rabies. You vet might want to administer a rabies booster shot.
However, the owner might be concerned about getting in trouble for not respecting the local leash laws. And if their dog has a history of biting, it could be a serious issues resulting in the seizure of their animal. In this case, the owner might just take their dog and flee the area. If this happens, don't give chase yourself. You can call the police and give a description of the person and see if the police can track them down. But you need to get your dog to the vet.
Visit The Animal Hospital For Immediate Treatment
It's important to get your dog treated even if they already have their rabies shots. The bite from the other dog could cause infection, which can be deadly. You want the vet to be able to wash out the wound and then properly bandage it. The vet will be able to tell if there is any internal damage, and if there is any reason to do a suture. Finally, they will bandage the wound and give your dog antibiotics to ward off any potential infection.
Talk to a vet like Kenmore Veterinary Hospital for more advice.
