# Dog germs! How best to treat small punctures from dog bites? (Needed answer fast) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 16, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749 "2018-08-16T20:25:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/21 "2018-08-17T19:45:15Z")
Knock the dog’s teeth out. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/22 "2018-08-17T19:55:57Z")
> [@What's the worst movie you have ever seen?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-movie-you-have-ever-seen/109872/54): > > … his foreskinned schmendrik… I’ve always used and heard this as synonymous with “schmekele” (which is a diminutive of “schmuck,” not literally but figuratively in some settings to refer to a dick [little here], but now my research says different. Apologies to all concerned. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/23 "2018-08-17T20:28:16Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Just running water is fine, no need for alcohol or hydrogen peroxide both of which may do more harm than good. I was a little surprised at how many people in this thread were recommending hydrogen peroxide, since I thought I remembered reading that it does more harm than good on a wound, killing healthy cells and interfering with the healing process. [Here’s one cite I found.](https://advancedtissue.com/2014/07/debunking-myths-wound-care/) > [@](#): > > Hydrogen peroxide is one of the more controversial sources of wound antiseptics, mainly because its effectiveness in usage continues to be debated today. It’s also still one of the most commonly used solutions for wound irrigation and trying to rid fresh injuries of infection. However, more studies continue to accumulate indicating that hydrogen peroxide is not only ineffective when it comes to aiding overall wound healing stages, but can also slow down the entire process. The bubbling on the wound surface common when hydrogen peroxide is applied is believed by many to be caused by the solution attacking bacteria within the lesion, when in fact it’s also damaging your own cells in the process. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/24 "2018-08-17T21:23:08Z")
And the harm of alcohol, from same cite? ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/25 "2018-08-17T21:57:06Z")
First of all, there is no danger in irrigating wounds with tap water. [Cite](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3549228/) I am going to guess that the infection you got as a child was due to either the glass that entered your eye, or much more likely, your grubby little 9 year old paws. The harm of alcohol is the same as hydrogen peroxide. They are both cytotoxic. Meaning they kill cells, both the bacteria and your already presumably damaged body’s cells. The argument that I have seen for using\* diluted\* hydrogen peroxide in wounds is that the bubbling helps to debride and remove the bits of foreign material that may be in the wound. That being said, I haven’t used it in an open wound in more than 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/26 "2018-08-17T22:11:05Z")
Mr.Wrekker had an open wound we had to keep bandages on. The doc said to get betadine and clean around the wound and put on the dressing. He was on oral antibiotics, also. It wasn’t a dog bite. It was a nasty cut from fencing that he neglected to tend to at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/27 "2018-08-17T22:14:31Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > It was a nasty cut from fencing that he neglected to tend to at the time. Swordfighting-type fencing or barbed-wire-type fencing? ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/28 "2018-08-17T22:21:56Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I was a little surprised at how many people in this thread were recommending hydrogen peroxide, since I thought I remembered reading that it does more harm than good on a wound, killing healthy cells and interfering with the healing process. [Here’s one cite I found.](https://advancedtissue.com/2014/07/debunking-myths-wound-care/) Wow, that’s a few of the things I was taught pushed to the wayside! That deserves further research when I have time (and before I hurt myself again). ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/29 "2018-08-17T22:26:46Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Swordfighting-type fencing or barbed-wire-type fencing? Mr.Wrekker is a bit less refined, (let’s just say too much a redneck) for fencing with swords. More like barbed wire. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/30 "2018-08-17T23:12:03Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > And no, no rubbing was involved, which of course is a segue to the famous wallet joke, which I will tell only on request. Turns into a 3 piece luggage set? ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/31 "2018-08-18T01:27:41Z")
When I was attacked by a dog (Bullmastiff, American bulldog mix) it ripped a decent chunk from my arm. Ended up looking kind of like a knife wound. ‘‘Twas not my dog, nor is it the nature of Bullmastiffs to be aggressive (I know since I have one now). Irrigated a TON, and butterfly-bandage closed. Round of Amoxy-Clav - which caused a year long fun with Auto-immune Hepatitis. Dog bites. That was the gift that kept on giving! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/32 "2018-08-18T02:19:33Z")
Those slashing bites are the worst. They cleaned and cleaned mine til I thought I would scream. And put the burning stuff in and around (don’t know the name) and several stitches and by the 2nd day it was infected. I was on ciprofloxacin. What helped was laser treatments, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/33 "2018-08-18T02:36:38Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > Turns into a 3 piece luggage set? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/34 "2018-08-18T02:40:17Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > First of all, there is no danger in irrigating wounds with tap water. [Cite](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3549228/) > > … ! I’m flabbergasted. No way in hell my wife, my pharmacist, or probably half everybody reading this will believe it enough to actually say it’s OK to use water. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/35 "2018-08-18T04:20:24Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > ! I’m flabbergasted. No way in hell my wife, my pharmacist, or probably half everybody reading this will believe it enough to actually say it’s OK to use water. What do you think is floating around in your tap water that’s bad for a cut? B/c if you’re in the States, and not on a well or in Flint, MI, by law your drinking water is[tested and treated to within an inch of its life.](https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/drinking-water-faq.html) There’s so much chlorine smell when mine comes out the tap that I have to decant it for a day and then filter it to get it odorless enough to enjoy drinking. ---
**Author:** ![blob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blob/32/489_2.png) [@blob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blob)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/36 "2018-08-18T09:10:30Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > or probably half everybody reading this will believe it enough to actually say it’s OK to use water. of course we’d believe it. Unless you are using water from a puddle in your chook pen, you need to flush the wound and lots and lots of water is a good start. ---
**Author:** ![Astraea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3e96dc/32.png) [@Astraea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astraea)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749/37 "2018-08-18T10:18:06Z")
I skimmed thru quite a few replies and though some mentioned making sure this dog is up to date on vaccines I didn’t see anyone outright mention RABIES. If you don’t know the status of this dog you absolutely need to get to a doctor and see about possible treatment for rabies. And no it’s not too late to do so even though this happened a few days ago.! As someone else explained you can absolutely get tetanus from a dog bite and anything else that punctures unclean skin: snake bites, rusty nails, etc. Tetanus is caused by a bacteria that is often present all around us, especially in soil, so when your skin is punctured the organism is pushed from the surface to pinside and causes tetanus. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-germs-how-best-to-treat-small-punctures-from-dog-bites-needed-answer-fast/819749.md?page=1)