As a proud dog owner for my entire life, let me first say that I have nothing but love for man's best friend. I have never had one of my dogs bite anyone, nor have I been bitten by an attacking dog (although I had a close call once). When dogs are well trained and raised in a proper, loving home, they are healthy members of the family and our eternal confidants.
Still, like some humans we know, the occasional dog can be a bad apple. Usually it is due to being raised in a bad home, or sometimes due to bad genetics. These dogs can be dangerous whenever we intrude upon what they consider to be their territory, or otherwise upset them. Dog attacks can be vicious, although most people survive them. There are many ways to help protect yourself from attacks, such as carrying pepper spray or a noise maker. For now, I will focus on what to do after the fact when you have been attacked by a dog.
Assuming you are able to stand and walk on your own, you should first return home and possibly call 911 depending on the severity of the injury. If you are bleeding dark blood profusely, you may have suffered an arterial wound and you could potentially lose consciousness. If you are lucky, it will be a smaller wound and you or a family member can take you to the emergency room. Don't chance it though; call 911 first and let them instruct you on what to do.
Once you are in the ER, they will treat you for rabies and tetanus, as well as several other possible infections. Be mindful of the instructions of the ER staff, as like any serious cut, a dog bite can become infected down the road and potentially become life threatening. You will most likely need to wash the wound several times a day and re-bandage it. This will be easier if you have someone to help you, but you may need to do it one handed so make sure you ask for a demonstration on how to do this.
Once you are healed or on the way to being so, you should consider your legal rights. As long as you were not trespassing on someone else's property, you most likely have legal protections and recourse. Ambulances, ER doctors, and antibiotics are not cheap, and someone will have to pay for them. If you have insurance, they may insist that you seek legal recourse. Either way, you should contact a personal injury lawyer. In many situations a person has been negligent in their handling of the animal, which was a direct cause of your injury. If this is the case, they have a moral and legal responsibility to pay for your injuries which only occurred because of their negligence. Don't skip this step; you should not be held responsible for the injuries which occurred due to no wrong-doing of your own.
For more references on protection from dog attacks, I recommend looking into non-lethal self defense systems like anti-dog noise makers and pepper spray. When walking your own dog or being in a dog-heavy area, have these items available so you do not end up being hurt by someone else's mistakes.
Stay safe!
-Cias
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