What should you do after a dog bite?

After a dog bite, place a towel over the bite, stop the bleeding, wash the wound with water and soap and bandage the wound. Spread an antibiotic cream on the area daily, as recommended by WebMD.

Dog bites can cause injury and sometimes lead to infections. To treat a dog bite, run through the following steps.

1. Stop the bleeding

Press a clean towel onto the wound to stop the bleeding. Elevate the injured area of the body to keep it from swelling.

2. Clean the wound

Wash the entire area with water and gentle soap to prevent infection.

3. Bandage the wound

Be sure to use a sterile bandage.

4. Treat the wound with antibiotic cream

Once or twice a day, spread antibiotic cream on the wound until the bite heals.

5. Call a doctor

Some bites require medical attention. Call a doctor if the bite is deep, is located on the hands, feet or head, looks infected or is swollen. Contact a doctor if the bleeding does not stop or the bite came from an unknown dog, as recommended by the Family Doctor website. Those who have not had a tetanus shot within the past 5 years should also seek medical attention.

To prevent dog bites, stay away from fighting animals, avoid sick or unknown dogs and keep pets on a leash in public.