What Do You Do for a Dog Bite? First Aid, Medical Care and Your Rights

Wash the bite with soap and water right away, press a clean cloth on it to stop the bleeding, and get medical care the same day if the wound is deep or the dog’s rabies shots are unknown. Then report the bite. If you were hurt, California and Texas generally give you two years to sue (CCP 335.1, CPRC 16.003) and Washington three (RCW 4.16.080).

How do you treat a dog bite right away?

The CDC tells bite victims to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, put on antibiotic cream and cover it with a clean bandage (CDC). For a deep wound, press a clean, dry cloth on it and get medical help right away. Call 911 if the bleeding will not stop or you feel faint or weak.

While you are still at the scene, if you can do it safely:

• Get the owner’s name, address and phone number.
• Ask whether the dog’s rabies vaccination is current, and ask for proof.
• Photograph the wound, the dog and the place where it happened.
• Take the names and numbers of anyone who saw the attack.

In a CDC study of 2001 emergency room visits, bites were most often to the arm or hand, then the leg or foot and the head or neck, and close to two thirds of injuries to children under 4 were to the head or neck (CDC MMWR). A child bitten on the face should be seen by a doctor even if the wound looks small.

When should you see a doctor for a dog bite?

The CDC and Mayo Clinic say to see a provider when:

• The wound is deep, a puncture, or you are not sure how serious it is (Mayo Clinic).
• The skin is badly torn or crushed, or the bleeding is heavy.
• You see signs of infection: redness, pain, swelling, oozing or fever.
• You do not know whether the dog is vaccinated against rabies.
• Your last tetanus shot was more than five years ago.

Animal bites carry saliva, and the CDC lists them among the wounds that should be checked by a provider because of tetanus risk (CDC). Mayo Clinic advises getting a booster within 48 hours when one is needed. Infection is another risk: animal bites rarely are life-threatening, but an infected bite can lead to serious medical problems (MedlinePlus).

Going to the doctor also creates the first medical record of your injury. If the bite leads to scarring, surgery or lost work, that record links the injury to the dog.

Do you need rabies shots after a dog bite?

Maybe. Your doctor decides, often after talking with the local health department. Rabies treatment after an exposure includes wound care, a rabies immune globulin shot and a series of four or five vaccine doses, and the CDC says it must start as soon as possible (CDC).

A healthy dog, cat or ferret that bit someone is usually confined and watched. Texas health officials explain that a biting dog may be tested or observed for ten days, and if the animal is still healthy at the end, it could not have passed rabies to you (Texas DSHS). That is why finding the owner matters. If the dog ran off and cannot be found, the doctor may recommend starting the shots. Washington’s health department also tells bite victims to contact their provider and local health department to assess the risk (WA DOH).

Do you have to report a dog bite?

Report it to animal control or the police (CDC). By state:

• California: all bites from mammals that can carry rabies must be reported to the local health officer, whether or not the animal seems sick (CDPH; 17 CCR 2606).
• Texas: anyone who knows of a bite that could spread rabies must report it to the local rabies control authority, which must investigate, and the owner must submit the dog for quarantine (Health and Safety Code 826.041 and 826.042).
• Washington: health care providers must report animal bites to the local health jurisdiction right away when rabies exposure is suspected (WA DOH).

Ask for a copy of the bite report or its case number.

Is the dog owner responsible for your injuries?

That depends on where the bite happened.

• California: the owner is liable when the dog bites someone in a public place or lawfully on private property, even if the dog never bit before and the owner had no warning (Civil Code 3342).
• Washington: the rule is the same kind of strict liability for bites in public places or where the victim was lawfully present (RCW 16.08.040). See our page on Washington dog bite liability.
• Texas: there is no dog bite statute of this kind. The Supreme Court of Texas has said an owner of a vicious animal can be strictly liable, and an owner of a dog with no known dangerous history can still be liable for handling it negligently, including failing to act once an attack has started (Bushnell v. Mott). A dog declared dangerous under Texas law must be restrained, and its owner must carry at least $100,000 in liability coverage or show financial responsibility (Health and Safety Code chapter 822).

Our dog bite lawyer page goes deeper into exceptions and who else can be responsible.

Does homeowner’s insurance pay, and how long do you have?

Many dog bite claims are paid by the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s policy. In California, personal liability coverage pays when a policyholder or household member is legally responsible for injuring someone, and medical payments coverage pays reasonable medical bills for people hurt on the property (CDI). The Texas Department of Insurance uses a dog biting someone at a park as its example of when medical payments coverage helps (TDI). Some policies exclude certain breeds, so ask for the policy limits and exclusions in writing.

Deadlines to sue are generally two years in California and Texas and three in Washington, counted from the bite. A dog owned by a city or county, such as a police dog or a shelter animal, brings much shorter steps: California generally requires a claim within six months (Gov. Code 911.2), and Washington requires presenting a claim and waiting 60 days before suing a local government (RCW 4.96.020).

What to do now

1. Wash the wound and get medical care the same day if it is deep or the dog is unknown.
2. Get the owner’s contact information and proof of rabies vaccination.
3. Report the bite to animal control or the local health department and keep the case number.
4. Photograph the wound every few days as it heals, including scars.
5. Keep every medical bill, prescription receipt and record of missed work.
6. Do not give a recorded statement to the owner’s insurer before getting advice.
7. Talk to a lawyer well before the two-year (California, Texas) or three-year (Washington) deadline.

Talk to us

If a dog bit you or your child, call Beverly Law at (310) 552-6959 for a free, confidential case review in English or Spanish. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.

Common questions

Related pages

Personal Injury Questions · Dog bite lawyer · Is Washington a strict liability state for dog bites? · Personal injury questions · Law Blog

Important: This page is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Beverly Law. Laws change and every case is different; talk to a lawyer about your own situation. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. You owe no fees or costs unless we win. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: 2026-11-13.