PupkeeperCaution
Bites from other dogs: what to do for your dog
Caution. Bites from other dogs can look small but hide deep crush injuries and often get infected; every bite should be checked by a vet.
If your dog ate or touched this, call your vet or a pet poison line now
United States
Poison lines in other countries: United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, France, JM, PR, Singapore, Switzerland, TT, VI
Bites from other dogs and dogs: key facts
- Verdict
- Caution · Call your vet or a poison line
- What it can do
- Puncture wounds that may be hidden by fur, bleeding, limping or crying, weakness and trouble breathing. All 7
- What to do now
- Call your vet now, even if the bite looks small. All steps
- Sources
- VCA Animal Hospitals, PDSA. Reviewed 9 October 2026.
What to do now
- Call your vet now, even if the bite looks small.
- For heavy bleeding, press a clean, dry dressing on the wound and go straight to a vet.
- For small bites, flush the wound with lukewarm salty water.
- Go to an emergency vet if your dog has trouble breathing, pale gums or collapses.
Don't
- Don't clean a bite wound with hydrogen peroxide unless your vet tells you to.
Symptoms to watch for
- Puncture wounds that may be hidden by fur
- Bleeding
- Limping or crying
- Weakness
- Trouble breathing
- Pale or blue gums
- Collapse
Why
Teeth can crush and tear tissue under the skin, and a dog's mouth is full of bacteria, so all bite wounds are treated as infected.
Sources
Guide reviewed 9 October 2026. Page updated 7 November 2026.
General information from the sources above, not a diagnosis. When in doubt, call your vet.