What Are the Signs to Look for if Your Dog Got Bit by Field Animals?

A bite from a wild animal can pose a significant health risk for your dog, especially if the animal is carrying a disease such as rabies. Bite wounds have a high likelihood of becoming infected if your animal does not receive medical treatment. If you suspect your dog has been bitten by a field animal, it is important to get your pet to a veterinarian as quickly as possible in order to minimize the health risks and treat the wound appropriately.

  1. Bite Wounds

    • If your dog has been bitten by a field animal, you may notice bite marks or puncture marks in your dog's skin. These marks were created by the animal's teeth puncturing through your pet's flesh. If a wound is created by a bite, you should see several punctures in the same general area and several more a short distance away. Depending on how many times your dog was bitten, you may see evidence of several bites in the same general area.

    Bleeding

    • If a bite wound punctures your dog's fur and skin, there is a good chance that it will bleed. Not all bite wounds bleed; however, bleeding is a common sign that your animal has been bitten by another animal. However, keep in mind that many types of injuries can cause your pet to bleed. If you do not see a bite wound or puncture wounds, and you did not actually see your dog bitten by or interacting with any field animals, then the bleeding may very well have another cause.

    Bruising or Crushing

    • Bite wounds from an animal that is significantly larger than your dog or an animal that has very strong jaws can cause bruising or injuries that are caused by crushing. Bruising around a wound or crushing-related injuries may be a sign that your pet was bitten by a wild animal.

    Swelling and Infection

    • Bite wounds typically swell, due both to the injury itself and to the bacteria that typically exists in the mouths of most mammals. If your dog has been bitten by a field animal, you can expect the area to swell within several hours. if the wound becomes infected, it may become severely swollen if the injury goes untreated. Bite wounds can cause illness as well, so watch your dog closely for fever, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, foaming at the mouth, aggression or any other unusual behavior or symptoms following a suspected bite injury.