A friend got bit in the face by a dog. It broke the skin but does not need stitches.  A neighbor was walking two dogs and my friend bent down to pet them — she’d petted the big one before, but this time it bit her. Her last tetanus shot was over 10 years ago, remembering the helpful review I read on tetanus, I insisted she go to the doctor for one. I cleaned the bite and put Neosporin on it and bandaids over it to keep it clean until she could get to the doctor a few hours later.  She also got a round of antibiotics.   In 2007 I got bit by a neighbor’s dog. I wrote about that here http://horizonsmagazine.com/blog/?p=32661 so I knew we had to contact Brevard County Animal Services at 321-633-2024.  The dog owner walks them around my block about 8:00 each morning the next day I was going to ask her for her contact info.  Except she didn’t walk by the house the next day.  I took a walk around the block and didn’t see her, so I got in my car and figured I’d drive the route she likely takes the dogs on their walk.  I didn’t see her but asked another dog walker if he knew where she lived.  He did, so I knocked on her door. 

She was very embarrassed over the situation, but she does dog rescue, so she knows the drill.  She knows the doctor has to file a report of a dog bite, the same as a hospital has to report a gunshot wound.  She gave me her contact info.  I called the doctor and gave it to them for the report they would fax in to Brevard County Animal Services at 321-633-2064.  A bite investigator would contact all parties.

My friend is healing up and with insurance she’s only out of pocket $4.